Friday 6 February 2015

Here comes February . . .



Well, it’s suddenly become February. I’m not too sure how we got here so fast. It surely can’t have been over a month since Christmas, can it? Needless to say the idea of writing something on here every week hasn’t quite worked out as I’d hoped. However I am pleased to report that my last month hasn’t just been spent tied to my desk, yay!!! The new years resolution so far is going quite well. January was spent riding bikes in the snow, snowboarding in Austria, having excessive Sunday lunches, mini breaking in the Lake District (in the snow again!) and celebrating the Unicorns sisters’ 30th birthdays. Hmmm, when you put it like that, no wonder it went fast!!! I’ve taken over 2000 photo’s this month and a few video’s too, and had lots of fun. (Some work has been done too!)

Saturday 3 January 2015

New year - new resolutions


I always find that the days off between Christmas and new years are particularly dangerous. They’re a time for extreme over indulgence (whether enjoyed in company, or in solitude), and procrastination. This is the time, when having eaten and drunk yourself into delirium over the last few weeks, you start to reflect on the year you’ve just survived. And then based on these reflections, and under the influence of too many mince pies and glasses of sherry, you start to plan for the following year. These plans, most often referred to as ‘New Years Resolutions’, generally go along the lines of: get thinner, be more healthy, do more exercise, make more money, have more sex, be more happy and don’t be in the same over indulged and hopelessly fragile state this time next year. Then a rigorous diet and exercise regime will ensue. For most of us we will bite off more than we can chew, fail pitifully at the first hurdle, (such as succumbing to the January blues, and eating the entire contents of the fridge one Wednesday night and then spending the next three days in bed with food poisoning) and give up all hope by February. I’m aware that this maybe a slightly pessimistic and unfair outlook, some folk will make it all the way to March before giving it up as a bad job, and there are always those who will still be sticking to the programme through to early summer, by which point they’ll have just become annoying, and you’ll have removed them from your social circle anyway. However the majority of us, myself included, will succeed in nothing during January other than taking down the Christmas decorations.


So this year I’m going to look at things from a different perspective, to see if it makes the blindest bit of difference. To do so let me first reflect on 2014.

This time last year, I’d just quit my job as a designer at a major high-street brand, and embarked upon a journey of self-employment as a freelance graphic designer. A bold life change, which trumped all other resolutions; making a living took priority over fad diets and exercise. I was determined that this wouldn’t be a foolish endeavour. Needless to say the rest of the year passed in a heartbeat, working most hours God sent, and spending every hour not working, feeling guilty about not working. A whole year of this attitude has lead to a disappointing lack of holidays, mini breaks, and doing all the things that I love most (apart from designing). And obviously (and most distressingly) my waistline has suffered dramatically too, resulting in my favourite pair of jeans now living at the bottom of the laundry bin, doomed never to see light of day again.

It has all been worth it though, I love my job as a designer and I’m heading into 2015 in a very fortunate position, having successfully made a living for myself last year, and establishing a great client base, full of individuals and companies I enjoy working for.  It's time now, not to take my foot off the gas – this is never a wise idea in the design game, but to re-align the work life balance. As what is the point of making a living, if your too busy working to live?

So this year I’m going to record mine and the Muffins journeys; struggles, failings, breakthroughs and successes, as we look to re-align the work life balance.

Bring on the New Year . . .

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13317329/?claim=jxcmnut2k52">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Sunny Scotland


Last week, the Unicorn had a birthday, which was celebrated in the usual style by disappearing off in the van to find somewhere beautiful and off the beaten track to hide for a while. 

This little adventure took us up to the borders of Scotland, to a wonderful little village called Auldgirth, and to a beautiful old farm.


The farm was literally bursting with original features, and hidden oddments that hinted to the farms former uses.

And as we looked around the old barns we found one of the resident barn owls. We quickly snapped a few shots before leaving him to roost in peace. Hopefully he wasn't too traumatised by the disturbance.

It was a lovely get away, and despite the definite Autumnal chill in the air in the mornings, the September sun shone on us all weekend.



Sunday 31 August 2014

Day dreaming . . .



We woke up this morning to beautiful sunshine warming the world around us, and ventured off into the local woods with camera's to take advantage of the last of the summer sun. It seems all the flora and fauna had the same idea as us, and we passed many an hour sat in the flowers watching the bees and the butterflies all around us.

Saturday 30 August 2014

Every morning in the van . . .


The recent cold turn in the weather makes it very clear that summer once more is drawing to a close. It's time to dig out the thermal underwear, stoke up the bonfire and grab a cup of something hot and chocolatey!!!

Saturday 16 August 2014

Out and about . . .


Out and about . . . from The Muffin and The Unicorn on Vimeo.

The sun is shining, the bikes are loaded, our favourite Van-Venture playlist is on, and there's miles of clear road ahead of us. Where shall we go, and what shall we do . . .