Make It So

Behold... My new greeting card designs. 

I'm posting this with a skip in my step and a smile on my face. This past month or so, since I started the Blog Everyday in May challenge I've learned a lot about me and about being more positive and kinder to myself. Today when I was planning this post I looked at my cards and felt something I've not felt in a while - pride and confidence in myself, my skills and my ideas.

I've been on a bit of a downer since Christmas due to the loss of a job that I thought could really go somewhere. By January I was telling myself all sorts of rubbish; you weren't good enough, they probably never even liked you and all the usual nonsense that comes with that kind of situation. However it was all mixed with happy feelings as Peter and I had finally made the big grown up move of buying ourselves a flat and starting on the next phase of our lives together. I don't know whether that made things more confusing for me, but my head was all over the place. 

Jump to late April when I vowed to make a proper go of blogging and really push it in order to start some work that could really go somewhere if I, in the words of Jean Luc Picard "make it so". I tried my best in the challenge and am really happy with all the writing I did. I'm now beginning to feel more comfortable and like I'm on my way to finding my voice in the blogging community. I've met lovely folk and found loads of information, writing and creativity to be inspired by. Not to mention the endless amounts of encouragement I get from you, the folk that read my blog. As a previous life-long self doubter you have no idea what that means to me.

It's made me look back at all the other things in my life I have achieved and think positively about them. The easiest to think of is the image above. Just over two years ago I never thought I'd be able to use Illustrator, and look at me now - working the pen tool like a boss! I taught myself Photoshop in Uni, I've taught myself the basics of HTML and CSS, I became a dress making tutor after only 10 weeks of lessons when all I'd done before was break my Mum's sewing machine. How had I been missing these accomplishments?! Negativity that's how. Now I'm on my journey of positivity and mindfulness things are looking better and I'm recognising these things for what they are, my drive to learn and learn until nothing else fits in my brain.

So the point of this post? To tell you to go find your ideas, dreams, whatever you want to do and do whatever it takes to...

 

I also wanted to share something exciting that's going on over at The Nectar Collective. The Snail Mail Collective is a new idea from Melyssa at TNC and Chelsea over on Lost in Travels that involves bloggers from around the world getting to know one another and after a couple of weeks we send each other a wee prezzie native to our homeland. I'm super excited to be part of it and can't wait for all the fun to kick off.

Rules & Information

In order to participate in the Snail Mail Collective this July, please fill out this form. Filling out the form means you commit to actively participating and following the rules below. 

1. You will be paired with one new person. We will do our best to make sure this person is from a different country, or at the very least, a different area of your country. We will strive for you to make international friends, but it’s also nice to get to know the different parts of our own homeland.

2. Each month’s gifts will have a theme. The first theme (for July) is to introduce where you live – what’s special about it? 

3. Each month, we will be taking sign-ups until the 7th day of the month. After that, the pairings will be posted on our blogs on the 9th or 10th of the month. Please check Lost in Travels or The Nectar Collective to find out who you’re paired with.

4. You will have 72 hours to contact your partner (both partners must communicate together). If your partner does not respond within 72 hours, please e-mail Melyssa or Chelsea.

5. You will have about two weeks to get to know your partner. After that time, your gifts must be sent by the 22nd of the month.

6. Gifts: Your present(s) should not total more than $5. We want this project to be affordable for you, so think small, but meaningful. Also, all packages must include a postcard (preferable) or a letter to your partner. Motivate them, tell them all the beautiful things you learned about them this month, and make them feel special! We could all use a little encouragement, especially from our new friends.

7. Once you receive your gifts, we highly encourage you to write a blog post about your experience. Share what you gave, received, and learned through participating in the Snail Mail Collective and meeting your new buddy.

8. At the beginning of each month, we will hold a link-up on our blogs (The Nectar Collective & Lost in Travels) where you can share and link-up your SMC blog posts. This way, you can see how people around the world interpreted the theme, learn about other cultures, and meet even more new friends.

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