#MusicMonday: The Bad Years - Kerrigan-Lowdermilk

they say these are the best years of your life...

enjoy x

#MusicMonday: The Things I Regret - Brandi Carlile

I went through a huge phase a few years back where I was obsessed with Brandi Carlile, I heard her song "The Story" and I was hooked. Recently I've been listening to artists I used to love but haven't paid much attention to these days and though at first I went back to licensing, that year, josephine ect. I decided to listen to her music that I hadn't heard before.

I really enjoyed "The Things I Regret" its got this insanely good beat that makes you want to move along to the song, and even though the lyrics feel contrasting, theres an upbeats to the song. Brandi Carlile's vocals are on point as always. This lady has just an insanely good voice.  So go check out this song and everything else from her amazing catalogue of work.

Off to dance along to this in my room!

Brandi Carlisle 

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Take a Break : Creative Lunch

Costa recently opened in the town where I work, not a lot of big chains have made it out our way, and it's been really handy to grab a coffee, hot chocolate or frappuchino on the go. I've been meaning to actually sit in, there's not many places like this around where I live and with free wifi I knew it come in handy at some point. 

A few days ago between going to the gym and work I had sometime to kill, so opted to have a late lunch in Costa, laptop in hand footage to edit, trusty notebook to write Ideas in and Kate Hudsons Pretty Happy to flick through if I had spare time, I got myself a wrap and treated myself to a hot chocolate with whip cream and choose a seat in the back and plugged myself in. 

I no longer have the fear of being in places alone, I'm totally content in sitting and having lunch with myself, especially when I'm keeping busy, I know that this is something that can bother a lot of people but once your try out a few things you really get in to the swing of things and getting comfortable with your own company is a really good life skill to have... I'd start with going to the cinema yourself before progressing to lunch out. 

Being in the coffee shop is totally different from being at home and I felt way more productive, I wasn't as easily distracted... and I'm very easily distracted... and I got things done. Though sometimes its easy to be in a familiar environment, this meant that normally wasted time was put to better use so I think this will definitely become a thing that I do when I have time before work.  

On top of having time to work on blog an vlog stuff it also was a little TLC time, a moment to check in with me, treat myself to a genuinely gorgeous pulled pork wrap and a dessert like hot chocolate.  Treat myself and have a moment to sit down and gather my thoughts. 

Anyway take a moment to have a creative lunch to yourself... or just have a lunch. Treat yourself and take a break.  

#MusicMonday : "All About Your Heart" - Mindy Gledhill

I always love having a listen to my spotify discover because there's always great stuff I've never listened to. 

This song appeared in my most recent discover, and I love it. The song has a great beat, and Mindy Gledhill has an amazing voice, one that you could listen to forever, I'm going to spend the next week listening to more of her stuff and getting to know her music, and I recommend you do to. 

This song has a beautiful message, and I honestly adore what it's saying "It's not about your scars It's all about your heart"

Discover Mindy Gledhill

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Take A Break : Family Time

Family time its not something I often have time for, yes I see my parents regularly, but outwith that my family are a little spread out and I rarely see any of them. My grandparent, as well as my Uncle and his family live an hour away (the rest of my family are in England, New Zealand and America) and since I started my job, going over for lunch on the occasionally Saturday just became non-exsistant.

I think we all go through a phase in our lives where family does hold as high a priority as it should, so many other things come first, and to be honest I think we all understand, the important thing is to make time now and again for your family.

So on my day off, I arranged to go into town with my Mum and meet my Gran w

ho is looking after my little cousin whilst the schools are off and have lunch.

We had a lovely afternoon, there's 11 years between me and my cousin so I spent a lot of the afternoon spelling out words to the story I was helping her write or giving her ideas on what to draw next. She had been to the Disney Store and bought herself a notebook with Birthday Money, so was excited to be using it over lunch.

We also had a wander round some of the shops as well, and I found out your never to old to get treated by your Gran, when she got my a pintrest-esque milk bottle from Paperchase.

A part of me wasn't overly excited about the afternoon, but I forget how nice it is to spend some quality family time, to just be able to spend some time together uninterrupted quality time and make some memories.

So if your able to, take a break out of your life and spend some time with the family.

#Music Monday - The Chain - Hazel Hayes w/Dodie Clark [Ingrid Michaelson Cover]

I don't know if you understand how much you need to hear this, how easily your ears will get addicted to the rhythm of the keyboard and the harmonising of there voices. How the hums drag you in and keep you for the entirety of the song.  How comforting Hazel Hayes voice is.

Their version is first introduced to the world in Hazel Hayes brilliant series "Time of the Month" which documents her life, at 4mins 3secs of February's "TOTM" as Hazel packs up her apartment to move into a new abode with Dodie Clark, who plays keyboard and harmonises on the track, we are greeted with this brilliantly placed song.

A beautiful cover of Ingrid Michelson's song of which I've listened to far to much (both versions) and definitely did deserve its own video, separate from "TOTM" which is equally visually appealing and acoustically stunning.

So excuse me whilst this becomes my go to song for the week, I'm obsessed with it.

Hazel Hayes 

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Dodie Clark 

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Ingrid Michaelson 

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Monthly Motivation | Holding On and Letting Go

March has been a weird one. I wanted to be so productive but was struck down by a cold/flu type where I lost my voice and all my energy for a large portion of the month as well as having to work a lot more than I had initially expected. 

So when I decided to gut my room I didn’t realise just quite how long it would take. Or that I would still be here at the end of the month trying to get everything done.  

I was re-evaluating everything that I have kept over the years and what was my reason for doing so I was being ruthless. I’m a not so secret hoarder everything has a memory or an emotional attachment and I can find a reason to keep all most everything… a reason to not let go.  

I’m a lot like that with grudges and friendships. I don’t let go when I should, I don’t hold on when I should.  

So when I was re-evaluating the baggage that was clogging up my room, I began to re-evaluate the baggage that was clogging up my mind. And to properly let go of things. as well as to try and hold on to others whilst I still could.  

It’s a hard process somethings are just to hard to let go of all together, somethings need to be put back in the box for next time.  

But in the end you feel lighter, like a huge weight has been lifted from you. And yeah it might take a little longer than you thought and it might be a little harder than you’d imagine. But you’ll get there and so will I.