So, I've been a little off grid recently, I'm sorry! I hope this post goes some way to explain why. When I decided to take on the #NaBloPoMo challenge, throughout November, I was excited to see if it would reignite some fresh ideas and exciting challenges for Life is Peachy. Bloggers across the world enjoy taking part in a month long challenge of posting a blog everyday - aided by set prompts or using their own ideas. Why not join in the fun? So thought I...
In truth, I am in awe of anyone who can post on their blog every day! I set about scheduling posts, following prompts and eager to write new and exciting posts about me. I hope you've enjoyed reading little tidbits about my life, my past and my Bucket List! But, whilst I think the spirit of the challenge is wonderful - I don't feel I can carry it on.
I'm writing this at the end of a very difficult week. There have been very late nights, very early mornings, lots of knitting deadlines and a case of mild conjunctivitis for Little D which, as any parent will know, is most distressing. So, perhaps, it wasn't really great timing to be throwing myself into posting every day - but then again, when is there ever a good time to do it? I'm forever trying to catch up with emails, research, crafts, #CraftBlogClub, orders, Little D, Mr Peachy and, somewhere in there, a little bit of 'me' time.
Then again, I think perhaps partaking in this challenge has made me accept the very real existence of Blogger Burnout. It is real, it is out there and I've finally had to accept that no person is capable of running a blog 365 days a year.
I'm a list maker, an organiser, a forward-planner and I get incredibly excited about new ideas and projects to start. It's been a real eye-opener of a year, having to adjust to the wondrous unpredictability of a baby; so dealing with day to day tasks can be somewhat testing. And when I didn't quite get that scheduled daily post out on time, or didn't have something planned for the following day - I started to panic. Which took the fun out of my blog. I worried that people would stop reading, I worried that my content wasn't as engaging as it should be, muted amongst other topics that I wouldn't perhaps have chosen to write about. Then I worried that my worrying was coming across on my blog. Then I stopped and had a sudden epiphany - who and what was I really writing this blog for??
For those of you who have read my blog from the start, Life is Peachy was originally set up to encourage and inspire new parents with finding their identities. I feel so strongly about this and have forged my way into my new role as 'Mummy' whilst keeping an alarming amount of my own personality intact (alarming, only, as I was assured this wouldn't happen)! But, it seems, in the 6 short months that I've been religiously writing this blog, it has grown and developed at such a pace, that I almost feel it is time to acknowledge a new direction and re-vamp my entire little web space to accommodate for something new.
I'm positive, always, but I'm also a worrier. I worry that I don't craft enough right now to warrant running #CraftBlogClub, I worry that I'm running out of ideas and I worry that I have so little time to dedicate to each of my little projects at the moment that I am, sadly, suffering from an incredible case of burnout. I have spent the last few days catching up with my gnomes, staying with my parents and nursing D back to fighting fit, but I can't ignore the constant whirring in my mind - when will I post this? What will become of Life is Peachy? Do I need to migrate to something newer, a clearer direction? The answer to that last one is, yes. I need to. And I want everyone who enjoys reading my blog to continue following me as I am about to undertake some big changes and focus, A LOT MORE on my Frugally Fabulous Year Challenge.
I hope you don't mind, I'm breaking all the sacred blogging rules, I'm taking a little break - just 2 weeks, to get things straight and plan ahead for Christmas and beyond. I wanted you to be the first to know this. I'll be back, brimming and beaming again - but right now I need to think, research, be brave and be innovative. And I guess, despite its difficulties, I have the wonder of #NaBloPoMo to thank for bringing it all to my attention!
Life is Peachy will return.....I look forward to seeing you then!
E x
I wasn't going to use today's prompt, about how much you share on social media, but I decided to share an experience that completely rocked me last week!
I've always considered myself a very positive and happy person, which translates to my blog, I love writing Life is Peachy and I'm particularly proud of my latest project; The Frugally Fabulous Year. But, last Monday, I was the victim of my first trolling incident.
Having had some amazing responses about my new project, in which I have resolved to stop buying clothes from high street stores for one year for both financial AND ethical reasons, I sought out some other sharing sites to really hone my message to the 'masses'. I've had some lovely feedback from fellow bloggers and followers, even people who want to join in themselves. Raising awareness of ethical shopping is something I feel very strongly about, it wasn't easy to write a rounded, consistent, non-ranty post that stated my reasons behind setting up the challenge, but I was pleased with the outcome and, as any blogger knows, the comments and reactions were even better!
To try and further my reach with The Frugally Fabulous Year, I decided to share the link on Reddit; a site that allows you to share posts and articles. Having not shared anything on this site before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's safe to say I got much more than I bargained for!
Within one hour of posting my blog post I was surprised to check my stats, to see that I had already received lots of referrals from Reddit. Even better than that, when I signed in to the site, I had 3 comments waiting for me! Sadly, unlike the positive and empowering comments I have been used to from my lovely readers; these were nasty, belittling and picked apart just about every aspect of my project.
I was accused of being pointless, endlessly ranting about sweatshops, didn't understand the meaning of the word 'frugal' and had not considered that not buying from high street stores would have the same impact as buying from them (say, what?). In hindsight, I think it was highly unlikely that these people had even read the post further than the first paragraph. I responded to the two culprits in a polite manner, but was met with belittling replies, simply suggesting that, as middle aged men, they were over the 'fashion phase' and didn't need to prove a point like I seemed to. These trollers had entirely missed the point of my post. Not only that, why were two middle-aged keyboard warriors so concerned with my new project, if it weren't something they were interested in?
The thing I was most angry with, was how I had allowed these thoughtless men to make me feel. I lost a lot of confidence in what I had written and how I felt about my work AND it was instilled by two people who were not regular readers or even in my supposed target audience. I would never choose to write mindless comments on a blog or article that didn't interest me; I think it is unproductive to fill someone else's blog with negativity, even if you don't share their opinion. I'm all for freedom of speech, found in the brilliance of blogging, of all places, but petty comments do nothing to help or encourage someone, who puts their heart into their writing and, in my case, simply wants to raise awareness, create interesting and inspiring posts and learn something along the way.
Thank God for wonderful friends and followers is all I can really say - not one to want to put a dampener on anyone's day, I took my frustration out on Twitter - only to be met with some lovely and encouraging messages.
The more I delved into it, the more I found that there seems to be a lot of hatred for bloggers right now - we have to stick together. Bloggers are, as Martha Stewart reportedly said last week, often uneducated in what they are writing about. But, we are so much more than that - we have the freedom to write what we want, when we want, members of society who can help, encourage or just share an articulated opinion.
I guess I've learnt, from this rather painful experience that trolling is, sadly, part and parcel of one's decision to blog. It shouldn't be, I still think my project is a good idea, I still think I've thought about it and produced a well-rounded reason for wanting to raise this awareness and I very much doubt that this will be the last time I'm on the receiving end of something like this. Slowly, but surely, my confidence is coming back, I even look at it as a test for later, something to toughen me up when I'm putting my novel out there!
I suppose as the lovely Dita Von Teese once said, 'you can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, but there will still be someone who doesn't like peaches.' Never has this made more sense to me than now - and I'm determined to carry on with my Peachy Life, leaving the trolls where they belong - lost under a bridge!
Winter, despite its unpredictable weather and turn of bad bugs tearing around the place, is my absolute favourite time of year. As you can probably guess from my photos, I'm no sun-worshipper, for me, there is nothing better than cosying up on the sofa with a spicy chai latte, or taking trudging walks through the snow. I have always loved Winter and, of course, Christmas, and this year I am really looking forward to the holiday season; as it's my first with Miss D AND for the first time in about ten years, I won't be at work for it!
So what does November hold for me at Life is Peachy towers this month...
You Used To Be My Gnomeo....
This month sees the final batch of my handmade knitted gnomes going out to their new homes, ready to see in the festive season, Swedish Yuletide style! I have been so overwhelmed with the response to these little guys and I'm looking forward to making more in the future. November will also see me start to finalise and make some more products ready to launch, finally, Peach and Daisy, my craft store. Expect traditional gifts with a twist, a nod to the gothic, the macabre and the cute! Watch this space for more information!
Frugally Fabulous Festivities
Having spent the last few months, scouting out some projects to make for Christmas presents, I'm planning to handmake many of my Christmas presents for
family and friend-folk this year - and I plan to share some of my successes on my Creative Fridays! This month I am really hoping to get to grips with my sewing machine! Wish me luck!
Music for the Soul
I don't know about you, but I go through phases with my music collection - catching up with old and forgotten CDs is something I love to do and if I'm not finding new and exciting music to listen to,
you'll find me going Mad about Marilyn Manson, Loving Lana or Dotty for Duran Duran. This month, I've really stripped back my listening pleasure and I've become pretty obsessed with 'The King' himself, the gorgeous Mr Elvis Presley. There is something so soothing about his slower numbers - there is nothing quite like the beauty of 'Love Me Tender' played against the sounds of battering wind and rain against your window! Elvis, this month, you are Always On My Mind!
Winter Wardrobe
As usual, I'm dazzled by gorgeous winter jewel colours (which sit so well with my penchant for black) and I have some great staple pieces that come out each and every year. I'm looking forward to sharing these with you in an upcoming post
, as I prepare to NOT spend any money for The Frugally Fabulous Year!
Aside from taking part in the #NaBloPoMo challenge, I want to slow down a little and see out the end of the year with Little D. Christmas is always such a special time for our family and, this year, I plan to really enjoy every moment of it!
A Handlebar Boyfriend...
For the first time, my OH has decided to enter the world of Movember! I'm quite excited about this - partly because I've always said facial hair would suit him AND it's all for a great cause! Why not check out his progress HERE I shall be donating to change the face of men's health this month, will you?
This Month You Might Well Find Me...
Curled up with a chai latte, hopefully dipping into 'The Ghost Hunters', a fantastic debut novel from Neil Spring, which centres around the legendary paranormal investigator Harry Price and his investigation of the infamous Borley Rectory.
I have some amazing reviews coming up on the blog - I can't wait to get stuck in to my copy of The Sewing Manual by the amazing Laura Strutt (who blogs over at Made Peachy) and tell you all about it. PLUS I shall be divulging a few beauty posts over the coming weeks too, as I get to grips with some environmentally friendly cosmetics!
You Definitely Won't Find Me...
Complaining about the weather OR watching X Factor!! Sorry!
What are you most looking forward to about November?
Well, we are nearly into the middle of October and my 30-day spending ban has officially come to an end! I did pretty well, really well actually, I managed to save a little towards my 'Wellies' fund - an I am no longer lusting over Hunters (but that's another post, for another time).
The spending ban really got me thinking recently about our spending habits in the UK and I don't make it any secret that I'm a little anti-mass consumerism, when it comes to shopping. So I got to thinking (in a very Carrie Bradshaw manner), could I do a whole year without buying clothes from mass global conglomerates?? Here's why I think I should, let alone could....
1. Lifestyle Change - Having undergone a HUGE lifestyle change since having Daisy, FRUGAL really is FABULOUS in our world at the moment - a combined love of vintage and moving ahead in these economic times, means we love creating a beautiful but simple life over here at Peachy Towers. No, babies don't cost the earth but, in November, I officially become an at-home Mum, Freelancing Wordsmith and a seller of quirky crafty wares - what better time than now to relish in the art of being frugally fabulous?
2. Personal tastes - Last month I wrote a little post about Ditching the Jeans and finding my own personal style again. I totally coin my unique look as 'The Modern Gothic Librarian' and I take great inspiration from people women such as Dita Von Teese in my style. I am heavily influenced by the 1930s and 1940s, which can invariably mean I find it hard to find anything that I like or I feel comfortable in, in high street stores (a common problem faced by us on the cusp of the thirties I feel). Neither do I want to look like every other person walking down the street. I've often relied on wondrous charity shop caverns and eBay to shape my image - so why not make more of a statement about it?
3. Ethics vs Purse Strings - It really bothers me that most people pay little or no attention to where their clothes are made or who by. We are incredibly lucky, in the UK, to be reasonably sheltered from some of the hideous truths about how our clothes are made. But that doesn't mean these problems don't exist - Primark may well be winning awards left, right and centre for bringing affordable fashion to the masses; but it doesn't change the fact that they use sweatshops and, if you remember the coincidentally under-reported fire in a Bangladesh factory this year,
their staff are poorly treated (figures suggest that a Bangladeshi employee for Primark makes less than half a living wage each month). I think it is important, as a consumer, to be able to make informed choices about how we shop and where our clothes come from.
4. Make, Do and Mend - As a huge fan of all things craft, I am really keen to learn how to dress-make. I think it would be amazing to become self-sufficient in creating my own wardrobe, so the Frugally Fabulous Year challenge would be a great way of developing my sewing skills and learning to create some truly unique clothes! Customising and upcycling are also such great ways of breathing new life into things, without having to spend hundreds! For a while, I have been really keen to explore how to create a more sustainable way of life and blog about it - I can't wait to start putting more of it into practice.
5. Wardrobe vs Wants - As an ex-employee of the fashion retail world, I do have some fantastic dresses in my closet that I am slowly starting to fit back into! It is a truth universally acknowledged, that most women only wear 10% of their wardrobe. So when it comes to finding that special outfit - can I root something out that I've worn in a while? Can I upcycle a beloved old garment or find a new way to wear it? Wardrobe vs Wants challenge accepted!
So here it is....my challenge, The Frugally Fabulous Year. And here are the rules
1. In the Frugally Fabulous Year, I am aiming not to purchase any new clothes for myself from the high street. This is strictly for MYSELF, clothes for Daisy do not count, neither do gifts!
2. Tights and underwear are not included - but will still buy from more 'responsibly sourced' outlets.
3. Throughout the Frugally Fabulous year - posts will include Wardrobes vs Wants and Looks for Less updates. I want to show how great you can look on a very frugal budget.
4. At the end I will tot up a total annual saving from not purchasing from high street stores, not to mention what I will do with the saved cash! Kerching!
I'm surprisingly quite excited about this challenge and would love to hear your feedback about it! Better still - if you are feeling frugal why not join me for a month or two and see how you go? Interested? Comment below with your email address and I'll get in touch!
Here's to being Frugally Fabulous
E x
I'm positive, always, but I'm also a worrier. I worry that I don't craft enough right now to warrant running #CraftBlogClub, I worry that I'm running out of ideas and I worry that I have so little time to dedicate to each of my little projects at the moment that I am, sadly, suffering from an incredible case of burnout. I have spent the last few days catching up with my gnomes, staying with my parents and nursing D back to fighting fit, but I can't ignore the constant whirring in my mind - when will I post this? What will become of Life is Peachy? Do I need to migrate to something newer, a clearer direction? The answer to that last one is, yes. I need to. And I want everyone who enjoys reading my blog to continue following me as I am about to undertake some big changes and focus, A LOT MORE on my Frugally Fabulous Year Challenge.
