Sparkle and Glitter » advice

Sparkle Roundup!

Vixel — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:00:30 +0000

Image by Lyubov

Once again it’s far too glorious a weekend to be stuck indoors on the Internet, so before reading these, please consider going out into the sunshine and saving them for later!

If it’s not as fabulous where you are and you haven’t filled it in already, please take a moment to take the Sparkle and Glitter Survey by clicking here. Sorry about that, onwards with the posts!

* First of all, if you haven’t downloaded it already, I suggest you take a few moments do download Chris Guillebeau‘s free e-book “279 Days to Overnight Success“. I’ve only read part of it, but so far it has some really useful information for getting the most out of the blogging platform and reaching a wider audience. I didn’t start this blog with the intention of going “pro” but all the fabulous tips on engaging with your audience etc. have been exceedingly insightful and useful to me so far, and I’m sure most bloggers will be able to get something out of this.

* The brilliant Mademoiselle Robot has been receiving some negative comments recently, and in response has made a video post on “Dealing With Negative Comments” in which she demonstrates a really clear and well-thought out point of view in a totally cute way!

* “Embracing Your Age” is a marvellous post about accepting the person you are right now, by the fabulous Lace and Stars.

* Attraction Mind Map features a very insightful post entitled “The Masquerade Play of Life“, regarding the masks we wear as we go about our everyday lives and when and how to removed those masks.

Image by josef.stuefer

* Most of you will have probably already read Nubby‘s excellent post entitled “What is Your Definite Major Purpose?” but a good thing is always worth promoting just in case. Definitely well worth a read if you haven’t already.

* Bakery is a great site for bloggers and business-owners. “Do You Know Your Stats?” stresses the importance of analysing your blog statistics if you’re seeking the growth of your blog.

* Another awesome travel post comes in the form of “Avoiding Jet Lag and Other Long Haul Tips” by Amber. These tips are really great, and given me a few books to add to the “to read” list as well!

* “25 Ways to Live a Fairytale Life” is a really sweet list of ideas to make your life a bit more magical, from The Princess Portal.

* CMYKaboom! (I love the name) has a regular feature entitled “Inspiration Machine” and this week’s contains some great ideas!

* I loved parts one and two of Aimee Marie‘s Photo Coach series so I was really happy when “Part 3: Composition” was posted this week!

I hope the rest of the weekend is wonderful!

Be Sparkling, Be You

Vixel — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:18:27 +0000

Image by chrisjfry

A short yet rambling collection of thoughts follows (and multi-coloured chicks are awesome!):

Few people have the luxury of being 100% satisfied with the way they look, the job they have, the size of their bank account etc. Everyone however, can gain the luxury of being fully happy with the person they are. Being true to yourself is not necessarily about embracing the bad with the good, but rather working to become the person you and you alone want to be.

It took me many years to realise this.

You should not change for other people. If a friend or lover wishes to mould you into someone else, someone they want you to be, then they do not have your best interests at heart. Unless these changes are ones you yourself wish to make, they will ultimately make you unhappy. The only things you need to change about yourself, as a person, are those you are personally dissatisfied with.

Perfection is not a beautiful body, a full wardrobe or a high-flying job, perfection is being completely comfortable in our own skin, and in being the people we have become. Your real friends love you for who you are, the only person’s opinion you need to satisfy and live up to is your own.

I think you’re all fabulous!

Sparkle Roundup!

Vixel — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:27:11 +0000

Image by mawel

A belated Happy Easter and a belated Sparkle Roundup! I hope you’re all having a good break from work, school, or just the stresses of everyday life in general and are enjoying being able to indulge in whatever you gave up for Lent (if you did)!

Just a quick Sparkle Roundup this week, but be assured that there will be more new and better content soon! In the meantime, enjoy these fabulous posts from this week in the blogosphere!

* There’s an excellent article by The Princess Portal on “Authenticity” this week. This is something I feel really strongly about – that there is no point in being the person you think people want you to be, as you can’t be truly happy unless you’re being yourself.

* “Establish Sustainable Positivity through Perspective and Appreciation” is the lengthly title of a really amazing post by one of my favourite and most-featured bloggers, the wonderful Tres Lola. I think this post is capable of giving anyone something to think about!

* Nubby‘s fabulously detailled reply to a reader’s question, “Digital vs. Print Design & Magazine Submissions” is essential reading for anyone hoping to make a career in graphic design (or those who just find it interesting, like me!)

* La Couturier give some brilliant advice on “what to wear: at the airport“, something I always seem to get wrong no matter what! Usually I end up freezing on the plane then boiling when I get to my destination – wearing steel-heeled boots through the metal detectors is also something I’ve managed to do on several different occasions!

* The lovely Tash challenges us with the question “Are you niche enough?” For once however, this is not applied to blogs, but rather to our careers, and is a very interesting read. Definitely one to think about if, like me, you’re job-hunting right now.

* Expand Yourself is another great personal development blog I’ve recently discovered. “Craving for energy?” is a great post that highlights four different types of energy that may be lacking in our lives, and what to do to boost that energy and use it.

* Nicole Ioma‘s advice on how to “Break a Creative Block” is really great, and includes a couple of ideas I really wouldn’t have thought of if she hadn’t pointed out the benefits. Well worth a read.

I hope you enjoy reading these and that you’re still enjoying a relaxing Easter break! If you’re back at work already, I hope you’re well-rested!

Sparkle Roundup!

Vixel — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:50:53 +0000

Image by Julia Janßen

It’s Sunday morning and I’m compiling this post over a delicious cup of coffee before I decide what to have for breakfast. Sadly, I have a lot of work to do later on in the day but I always try to take some time to myself on a Sunday morning and take my time over things. It sets me up for the day so that even if I’ve have to spend the whole weekend studying, I feel like I’ve at least taken some time to relax before the working week ahead.

I urge you to take a few minutes out of your Sunday to relax with your beverage of choice and read these links, there have been some truly marvellous posts this week!

* Bleeding Espresso this week has held a Freelance Writing Week with some truly amazing resources for anyone interested in trying to work in that field. Starting with “Is Freelance Writing For You?” the series is a must-read if you’ve even so much as considered trying to make any money writing for others. Read each post in the series and you will find a truly excellent resource to help you in your career!

* Visit Problogger for “Six Very Official Ways to Improve Your Writing“, reading this has made me think a lot more about the way I write and certainly encouraged me to edit a little more carefully than I perhaps have been doing. They’re definitely tips that anyone who writes anything can learn from.

* Considering a career in Fashion? Vice Magazine currently features a series called “Fashion Slave Diary” the first of which is here. It’s an exceedingly interesting look into the world of a fashion internship and I found it a fascinating read – it’s great to compare the reality with how the job is represented on film.

* Amy Palko‘s recently-launched blog opened with a range of resources about about online marketing, and it’s definitely worth subscribing to and reading the archives. “Online Networking & the Personal Touch” provokes a lot of thought on how we present ourselves online and is well worth a read.

* Skelliewag is a blog I’ve only recently started reading and I really should catch up with the archives as there is a great wealth of information on this blog. “Escaping Niches” is all about writing what you find interesting, not conforming to a single, narrow subject area just because it seems like a good way to eventually earn a living from blogging. It has never been my intention to make a profit from this blog, but posts such as these still give me lots of ideas on how to become a betterblogger.

Image by iokin

* Kylie has written a really sweet post on “Unconditional Self-Love” that’s fabulously motivating and positive.

* If you’re one of the lucky people who’s starting a new job at the moment then “Things to Pack on Your First Day of Work” by Average20Something is definitely worth a look.

* Charade‘s “How to Make Thrifting Work for You” is possibly the most comprehensive post I’ve seen yet on this subject. When I have a free Saturday I’m definitely trying out a few of these tips!

* Tiny Thoughts features a fabulous guest post, “6 steps to a killer mix CD“, which has inspired me to go through my music collection and create some amazing playlists for different occasions.

* “Feeling Happier: 9 Tips for Making Yourself Feel Better in a Crisis” is a great read from “The Happiness Project“, a really positive, uplifting blog full of realistic ideas and ways to make every day that little bit happier!

* Stylish lady Aimee Marie has posted a comprehensive guide to “Defining Your Style“, a great one to read if you need to kick-start yourself into refreshing your style for Spring!

* The Princess Portal is a totally adorable blog and this week’s offering will help you feel like a princess in your day to day life. “Creating a Daily Routine” is all about living as fabulously as you can and even though I simply don’t have the time to follow many of these tips, it has inspired me to take more time out to attend to the little luxuries in life that tend to get pushed to the wayside when I’m in a hurry.

Writing Inspiration

Vixel — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:40:55 +0000

Image by publicinsomniac

I’m in the need of a little inspiration this week, so I am sharing some more of my inspiring findings:

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it. C. S. Lewis

You ask me why I do not write something….I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results. Florence Nightingale

If you want to write you must have faith in yourself. Faith enough to believe that if a thing is true about you, it is likely true about many people. And if you can have faith in your integrity and your motives, then you can write about yourself without fear. Real Live Preacher

Hopefully I can take something from my own post and find the focus to put out some great content this week. Coming soon are:

The first “Sparkle Shopping” post
A follow up to my “Blogging Tools” post
A brand new feature!
As well as all the usual weekly posts!

Writing Inspiration

Vixel — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:00:49 +0000

Image by *_Abhi_*

I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.
- Joan Didion

The human mind is like umbrella. It functions best when open.
- Max Gropius

The spirit of creation is the spirit of contradiction. It is the breakthrough of appearances toward an unknown reality.
- Joan Cocteau

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.
- Buddha

The Sparkle Guide to The Beginning of Spring!

Vixel — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:30:30 +0000

Image by Eduardo Deboni

A little premature perhaps, but Spring is definitely on the way here in the UK! After all the snow, wind and rain of the past few months, the days are getting longer, brighter and warmer finally! It couldn’t come a moment too soon for me! Obviously the weather is rather changeable, days are starting bright and sunny and ending in torrential rain but the optimism has definitely kicked in and not just for me! My office is a much happier place right now than it was a month ago!

At this time of the year, when spirits are starting to rise but Spring isn’t quite here just yet, it’s important to make the most of the renewed energy and enjoy this time of year! Here’s my guide to making the most of the early beginnings of Spring!

* The seasons are changing, make some changes of your own! Now is a great time to start working towards the life youwant. Bored of your job? Start looking for another. In a style rut? Re-vamp your wardrobe! The sense of optimism that comes with the longer, brighter days makes this a great time to make the changes that need to be made.

* Start getting up earlier! It’s easier to get out of bed when it’s bright outside, so start pulling yourself out of bed a little earlier than you were doing when it was dark and gloomy, and get something done! Reply to some emails, read for a while, take the time to have a proper breakfast if you don’t usually have time to, set yourself up for the day ahead!

* Exercise! Although I’ve already covered this with my Making 2009 Sparkle post for March, now is a great time to get back into an exercise routine after the winter slump. Don’t waste that energy boost!

* Go for a walk – When it’s dry, this time of year is great for walking, as it’s still nice and cool so you won’t end up overheating when you exert yourself, but it’s warm enough that you won’t have to pile on the layers and feel your face freeze.

Image by miamtha creations

* Spring Cleaning! - Yes, it’s a bit of a cliché, but the spring clear-out can be a really satisfying process, and you’ll feel great once it’s done!

* Healthy Eating - Now that it’s a bit warmer you don’t “need” all that fattening comfort food anymore!

* Re-evaluate your goals - Many of us feel a lot more optimistic as the warmer weather approaches than we do at the start of the year. Look back at your resolutions, are they all that they could be? If you’re not doing so well at them, ask yourself why. It’s never too late to change your goals or take a fresh start at achieving them.

* Plan your summer wardrobe - Have a look through the clothes you already have, work out how they’ll go together to create outfits so that you have a good overview of what you already own. Then you won’t be so tempted when the summer clothes start to hit the shelves.

* Make a spring play-list – to get you in the right mood each morning, whether it’s sunny or not!

* Take inspiration – from your surroundings. Take photos of the flowers as they come into bloom, start a new writing project, post your own musings on the season to come, make this a creative time!

How do you plan to make the most out of the early signs of Spring?

Behind the Blog: Helen of Afeitar

Vixel — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:30:01 +0000

Image by clevercupcakes

The first thing you’ll notice when you click through to Helen’s blog, Afeitar, is how beautiful her photography is. She captures the highlights of her daily life with such an artistic flair that is then compounded by her words. One of my favourite bloggers, her gorgeous style and mouth-watering food posts are fabulous and I’m so pleased she agreed to be interviewed!

What led you to start your blog?

I’ve always kept online journals, since creating a Livejournal from the age of 13. I started reading more blogs, such as Gala Darling, Cup Of Jo, WishWishWish, etc, and I thought ‘I can do that!’.

How did you choose your topic?

On my blog I mainly post about baking or fashion! I am not a ‘fashionista’ and don’t really follow the trends, so it’s usually just more daily outfits. I’ve always loved getting dressed up and I’ve been baking passionately for the past 2 years. Really, I just post about what I love.

What do you love most about blogging?

The feedback and comments! I get some really lovely comments, such as people telling me my style inspired them to try something they wouldn’t normally do. I love the sense of community that you can make yourself too.

What makes you happy?

Sunny days, chocolate, my fabulous boyfriend who puts up with me, photos and my dogs.

What do you do to make yourself happy?

Play dress up, or put my make up on. Listen to some upbeat music. Go for a walk on a sunny day. Do some exercise. Cuddle with my boyfriend. I get quite upset easily and also am easily melancholic, but then when you put things into perspective, you realise things aren’t quite as bad as they seem.

What one thing, above all else, makes you happy to be you?

Oooh this is a hard one. I suppose my family, friends and wonderful boyfriend. And also the fact that I am myself and am finally feeling good about it at the age of 20.

Tell me about a valuable lesson you’ve learned in your life.

Even if you get a D in Food technology GCSE, you can still become an avid foodie and fantastic baker!

What led you to make this discovery and how did it make you feel?

Well, I got a D in food technology and thought I would never live this down. I would always be a rubbish cook, etc. I started baking little things like fairy cakes and cookies, then I read somewhere that James Martin, the celebrity chef, actually failed his Food Technology GCSE! That made me feel quite good about myself and I am so into baking now. I always wish I could tell my old teacher this. So, the moral of the story is, you can do whatever you want, even if you thought you were rubbish at it beforehand.

What’s important to you?

Family, culture, food, books.

What do you want your impact on the world to be?

I really want people to love reading as much as I do. I don’t blog much about reading and books, although I am an English Lit student, because I find reading quite a personal thing to do. I also would just like to spread the happiness!

How are you going to achieve this?

Well, I hope to become an English teacher one day, or at least pursue a career that involves reading. I’ve also been volunteering in a reading group in a mental health unit which has been so rewarding. Hearing people say things like ‘I haven’t read since school, but that was lovely. Reading is so relaxing and helps you forget your worries’ really spurs me on! I like to spread happiness by smiling at strangers and being polite. If everyone was polite and happy, the world would be a better place!

If you could give Sparkle and Glitter readers one piece of advice, what would it be?

Never listen to negative comments from other people. Someone doesn’t like the way you dress? So what. You do. You did bad in one exam. So what, you have the rest of your life to live!

Perspective

Vixel — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:36:17 +0000

Image by James Cridland

I’m not talking about the size of my hips compared to my shoulders though they are the bane of my life as far as dress-buying is concerned.

I’m talking (well, writing) about peoples’ perception of events and feelings in their lives. We all experience things differently. Every day I hear people criticising others for not being able to cope with situations as well as they perceive them to be capable of. Girls bitch about their friends who can’t handle rejection from a guy they like, people accuse others of “whining” when they’re experiencing pain from a minor injury. If the negative experiences in my life have taught me anything it’s that everyones perspective is different.

If a graduate who has spent his or her university life having everything paid for and living the high life, comes into the real world and is forced to get a temporary job on a low wage, they are going to be hit rather hard by the stark lifestyle changes they have to make. I myself have been slightly guilty of being over-critical of this type of person, however I have come to accept that these kinds of changes and sacrifices are going to be harder for them to cope with than for someone who has always had to be self-sufficient during hard times.

Likewise if someone experiences an injury which to another seems trivial, if they are feeling the worst physical pain they have ever felt in their life, even if it would be mildly uncomfortable to another, it will affect them deeply. Emotionally too, when you’re rejected for the first time, or experience your first close bereavement, it’s always a difficult experience to cope with, and friends who have been through it before should sympathise, not grow impatient because they think they would be able to cope better.

This is something I’ve been thinking about recently. I am that girl in the job that is supposed to be temporary but becoming more and more semi-permanent every day. Thankfully I realised very early on that I needed to get my act together and stop trying to live the high life when I couldn’t afford it, but I have seen others who have given up and moved back in with their parents again (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it certainly wouldn’t be my choice). I think we can all be guilty sometimes of judging the reactions of others with our own criteria, and criticising them for not being able to cope with circumstances as well as we ourselves would be able to. So, thinking back to the “Weekly Resolutions” that the fabulous Gala Darling started, my resolution for this week is to try and remember that other people may find their experiences harder to handle than I do, and require more patience and understanding than I or others would.

(Allow me to apologise for the slightly disjointed tone of this post – new policies at work have meant I am now unable to spend as much time online as I used to, and have therefore been unable to check this as thoroughly as I would have liked to!)

The Sparkle Guide to Pulling an All-Nighter

Vixel — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:06:24 +0000

Image by patpompak

Throughout my many years studying, I have been consistent about one thing: I am a terrible procrastinator. If there’s one think I learned at university, it was how to pull an all-nighter and still hand in a reasonable essay in the morning. So, with the first few days of NaNoWriMo over, and recalling last year when I spent the final few days of November mashing the keys of my laptop at a rate of knots, I thought now was a good time for my top ten tips on how to stay awake all night productively!

Try not to drink coffee until you absolutely need it, once you start drinking it, you’ll need to keep on drinking it in order not to crash, and too much caffeine can be terribly counter-productive.
Replace the sugary snacks with slow energy-release food and fresh fruit – wholemeal bread, salads, yogurt, food that will keep you going without the initial sugar rush followed by the crash.
Having said that, a few chocolaty treats as rewards when you get to a certain number of words, or have made notes on a particular chapter, will give you something to work towards and look forward to (as long as you can resist them until you’ve done the work!)
Whatever you do, don’t lie down / rest your head on your desk or close your eyes, you will fall asleep.
Keep the room a couple of degrees below comfortable temperature, if you can bear it. A warm room will only make you want to curl up and sleep more.
When you feel yourself starting to flag, get up, take a wander around the house or do a few star-jumps, the adrenaline will keep you going a little longer.
Take these breaks at regular intervals, to stop yourself from going onto auto-pilot and typing rubbish or getting to that stage where you realise you’ve just read 20 pages and you can’t remember any of it!
If you really have to nap, make sure it’s just a short power nap lasting no longer than half an hour. It will re-energise you but any longer can have a detrimental effect.
When it comes to the morning and you have to hand the work in, make yourself a flask of coffee and go early. Hand it in before sleeping, then you can rest for as long as you like afterwards, as opposed to getting fitful sleep because you’re worried about missing the deadline.
Music! If you can concentrate with noise, use music to keep you awake (obviously with headphones if it’s really late!) I find electronic music the best for this – a bit of EBM or trance as background music actually helps me concentrate.

I have far too much on to participate in NaNoWriMo this year, but I wish all of you that are the best of luck, and I look forward to hearing of your successes!