Questions, Comments and Reflections. Oh, and Where I Have Been Lately.

I've been gone for a while. Well, physical I've still been in the same place as ever, but in Internetland, I've not been quite as "on the radar" as usual. My Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts have still been pretty active, and I've been scrolling away the hours on Pinterest and Tumblr, but my blog presence has been practically non-existent. I'm sure this has left some of you wondering why, but I'm not sure there is really any answer. Right now my unread posts on Bloglovin' stand at 664 though, a number I can no longer ignore and I feel as though I need to jump back in to my online life. I'm ready for it!

In the last few weeks, life has been crazy. I started back at uni, and all you students out there will know what a massive time-consuming monster that is. I have had to make the decision to move house, I have cried over that decision, stressed over that decision and had multiple panic attacks over that decision, and that has also taken up a lot of my time, and on top of all of this, I have been sick. Not just with my usual CFS aches and pains and exhaustion, though. On top of that I have had a flu, and I guess that is a big part of why I have been absent from the blog lately. But before I give you all a proper update on what I've been up to, there is something I'd like to discuss. Blog guilt. Or rather, my lack of it over the past few weeks.

I'm sure that many of you bloggers out there know exactly what I mean when I talk about blog guilt. You will all know how it gnaws at your soul when you can't tend to your blog. How even though you know that you need time out, have taken too  much on, or just don't have anything to say right now, you can feel the guilt nagging at your brain, tugging at your heart and eating your soul whenever you go on a hiatus from blog world. It's a horrible feeling, and one I have felt many times, but over the last week or so, I haven't felt it once.

Does this make me a bad blogger? Does the fact I haven't posted in a week render me hopeless and doomed to fail in this overly competitive, PR driven world? Do I not even care about my blog anymore? These are the questions that I have been asking myself over the last few days, and they have been nagging at my brain more than blog guilt ever has. I'm not sure what it is about blogging, but this fun little hobby has a way of taking over your life after a while. You end up spending more and more time sat behind a computer, and less and less out in the real world doing things. You stress over content, over pictures, over how many times you should post a week. You compare yourself to other bloggers, stress yourself out over why no PR companies have contacted you yet, and find yourself getting caught up in silly little numbers. If you need to take a break for whatever reason, the guilt shimmies in, and the thing that you once loved to do all of a sudden feels like a massive chore. You want to do well with your blogging, you want to have hundreds of followers, and get sent free stuff and have people respect you, but in that moment, it all feels like too much. You wonder if you should even be blogging at all.

I have felt like this too many times. I have felt like a total blog failure just because I'm not noticed by PR or because so-and-so started blogging at the same time as me, and look how many thousands of followers she has. Feeling like that is total crap. Getting caught up in the business side of blogging, in trying to be successful and trying to be better than everyone else is total crap. I don't want that, I just want to write and make friends and read about all the fantastic things that my friends from all over the world have been getting up to lately, which is exactly why I decided today that my lack of blog guilt is a good thing. Not being guilty over not posting for a few days is the most liberating feeling! Finally I feel like I can step back and start enjoying blogging for what it really is again - a hobby. I'm removing advertising from my sidebar, having a total blog overhaul and starting fresh with blogging for me, and for fun without getting caught up in the competitiveness. It's going to be great, and you know, if good things come my blog's way, that will be a bonus but I'm not feeling pressured to stick to a schedule, or post about this or that, or gain followers. What happens happens and I'll be grateful for the supportive friendships that I make along the way.

BEDM: A Day In The Life Of Sunae {vlog}

My first ever vlog!!!! I hope you like it - it's just a silly little bit of fun! I'm really going to try to use the BEDM challenge to get creative with my blogging and try new things - this video was definitely out of my comfort zone but I had an absolute blast making it! Here is to trying new things!

Featured Sponsor: MamaNene from Serger Pepper

You may have noticed I have a couple of ads on my sidebar of late. I am really hoping to keep this up from now on so that I can afford to buy my own spots on others' sidebars and just generally keep up with the demands of this blog. MamaNene was my first ever sponsor on Little Foal. She won the space in my 100 follower giveaway and she has been an absolute pleasure to work with! Her sewing skills are so enviable and she truly is a master of refashioning things! I recently asked her to share a bit about her blog with me and answer the question "what inspires you creatively in your day-to-day life?" Here is what she had to say...

Let's talk about Serger Pepper...

My very first post is from November 2012, when I've known that Santa Claus was giving me a Serger! Is all about my journey on sewing, mostly clothes, and refashioning too... I've lately discovered that I like to draft patterns and share them. All around this there's my passion on photo editing and graphic creations (this is part of my real life work too, I often create flyers and posters for the swimming pool I work into).
I'm also strongly against disposable objects (my daughter used to wear washable diapers I've sewn, we only use fabric tissues and so on...) and I love to found new life to old things, so I often make new clothes from old curtains, other clothes or blanket and sheets!

I love to write in both Italian and English, because there aren't a lot of sewing blog written in italian but I love to reach the big international english-speaking public, also if my English isn't the one used to be when, 20 years ago, I studied it at school! But I hope it's understandable :)

And now: your question!
In my day by day I love to"think outside the box": when we need something, I try to think "How can I make it?", instead of "Where can I buy it?"...and then I finish putting FOE on T-shirts an sewing Panties instead of going to the shop :)

I'd really like to embellish a little more my creations, but I'm mostly a practical girl, trying to satisfy needs instead of researching beauty

Kisses and hugs,
MammaNene

*******

Thank you so much for sharing, MamaNene! I truly admire your eco-consciousness and love all of the things you make! I hope that all my readers will pop over to Serger Pepper to see some of your wonderful creations, too :)

Friday's Finds: Tugun Vinnies and a Little Question

I FINALLY got a decent op-shopping adventure done this week! Seriously, I thought the day would never come when the Gold Coast op-shop fairies gave me a decent haul! I have been here two months with nothing but the slimmest of pickings at the op-shops I was able to visit on my way home from uni on the bus, but this week, with the help of my new car, I was finally able to try somewhere new and boy did it pay off!

I was amazed at how clean and beautiful the displays at Tugun Vinnies were when I walked in the door. A lot of effort goes into the presentation of their wares - that much is for sure! There was quite a lot of good stuff in there, including some mid-century furniture, a big pine dresser and a heap of good quality clothes and homewares. The only downside I could find to this beautiful Vinnies was the prices. 

Absolute rip-off central.

One of the things I hate about op shops these days is how much they are able to charge for anything they think hipsters, or stupid people as I like to call them, will pay for anything old. And half the time they get it wrong anyway and the stuff they think is crap is actually the stuff I would pay good money for. And that drives me mad! It drives me so mad, in fact, that I started making a vlog about it today. I obviously haven't posted it though because a) I hate seeing/hearing myself on screen and b) I am a total pussy and have no idea whether you guys would actually like to see my mug on your screen talking crap about op shops and how hipsters are taking over the world. Although my video isn't nearly as exciting as I just made out it was. Crap. Back to the stuff I bought?

Okay, so the belt and books were just little tie bits I paid way too much for and didn't really need, but this sewing pattern is absolutely to. die. for. and was only $1. I haven't checked all the pieces yet, but even if they aren't all there,  love the picture on the front and am sure I can find a use for it anyway ;)

The "Dolly Dolly" jacket is absolutely gorgeous! I'm about 90% sure that it's vintage and I love the way it fits, with the shoulder pads and the flared peplum-like waist! It's going to look amazing with jeans this winter :)

The darling Katies blouse is almost definitely 80's, judging by the ginormous shoulder pads and the fit of the sleeves! I love the detail on the collar and shoulders and wil definitely be wearing this a lot tucked into skirts, high waisted pants and untucked with jeans.

Have you had any op shop buys lately?
And would you be interested in seeing me do a vlog? I'd love to hear your opinions and ideas of what I could post about!

New Blog Design!

Hello lovely people! How are you all? I thought it was about time to give this little blog a makeover. What do you think? Do you like the new design?

The lovely Whitney of Whit Speaks Designs put it together for me and she did such an amazing job! Whit was a pleasure to work with - she kept me in the loop through the whole process and I would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a new blog design. She is currently only working with blogger, but she is amazing at what she does! You can find a link to her design page at the bottom left of my blog.

New Year's Resolution: Redefining myself, my brand and my blog.

via

I've had various drafts of this post sitting here on blogger, unpublished, for quite some time now. You see, I tend to ramble a lot when I write  and that is completely contrary to the New Year's resolutions I am trying to outline here!

2012 has been a strange year for me. There have been ups and downs, and I feel like I've both accomplished very little and quite a lot at the same time, if that is even possible! Starting this blog and my small business selling handmade goods last August has definitely been a highlight, however I feel as though there is much I need to do this year in terms of redefining myself, my blog and my brand, in order to be successful.

First thing is first,

My Goals For Me:

This year I am moving out of home, starting uni and will be living with my boyfriend for the first time ever (sleepovers every night totally don't count, do they?). All these things are happening all at once (like, this month, eek!) and they are the mark of a completely new chapter in my life. I am completely terrified of what this will bring, and so thought I'd lay down a few resolutions/guidelines to help me through the transition period:

• Be smart with my money - This is important because I have never had bills or rent to pay before, or had to buy my own groceries, and I tend to be a frivolous shopper. I'm hoping to set down a good budget and stick to it throughout 2013.
• Get organised - I am a slob by nature, a mad procrastinator and an absolute stress-head! To get through this year I am going to need a schedule and list for literally everything! I have never had to do so much for myself as I will be doing this year, and to keep up with study, work, my blog and my household I will need to be as organised as possible!
• Be motivated - Typical New Year's Resolution, right? Well, for me, not really! You see, I am currently struggling with my health big time and have battled fatigue all year as a part of my health problems. No diagnosis as yet, but the doctors are thinking lupus, so to be motivated enough to keep up with the lifestyle I will have this year will be a big challenge, and I may have to take baby steps to get there!
• Be myself - This probably sounds kind of silly, but I am someone who has been bullied for most of my life, so having the confidence to be myself, to wear what I want to wear (ahem, vintage!), and do what I want to do is a big thing for me. This year my confidence has absolutely sky rocketed and I'm hoping that I can get to at least 98% happy with who I am by the end of 2013!

This photoshoot is one of the things that has boosted my confidence this year. I'm hoping to model more in 2013, even if only for friends!

My Goals For This Blog

Starting this blog has been one of the best things I've done in 2012, and I'm really hoping that I can make some success out of my writing this year, but to do that there are a few things I need to change, so hopefully these resolutions will lead me to a brighter blogging future in 2013!

• Get focused - When I first started this blog it was supposed to be all about my latest obsession - sewing. It didn't take me long to realise, however, that I do not sew nearly enough to focus a whole blog on the topic, nor do I know enough about it, being a beginner, to write about it in an informative and sophisticated manner. That is why I am working to redefine this blog and what it stands for in 2013. There will be a new layout and a new redefined focus of (broader) DIY, vintage and my soon-to-be-launched etsy shop coming to my blog soon.
• Get organised - Yes, my organisation problems spread to blog-land too! I feel at the moment like I am not nearly as inspired as I could be, nor am I a consistent blogger, and I really feel as though getting organised with my blogging will help to change that. This means jotting down post ideas, having specific focus areas (outlined above), and setting aside a particular day to "work" on my blog, do DIY's, photograph things and write.
• Be social media active and network - This one is simple - in order for my blog and business to thrive, I need to be more connected with social media. This means twitter, facebook, instagram and pinterest. Any others I should add? I also need to be more blog-active - commenting on other blogger's posts instead of just thinking "oh, that's nice!", linking up (although I'm pretty good at that already), sponsoring other blogs, and just generally making friends in the blog world. Since when has a friendly e-mail ever gone astray?

Vintage Bird Girl's guest post on my blog is the one I am most proud of, funnily enough. It is proof , to me, that I put myself out there and tried to make a friend in the blogging world. Leisa was also my first follower on this blog, and gave me the motivation I needed to keep going!

My Goals For My Brand:

Little Foal the brand, as it is now, sells a variety of things. From baby clothes to lavender bags, crochet neclaces to button jewellery. My brand has no focus - it is just a random collection of handmade items, housed in a local craft co-operative's store with a rarely updated facebook page, and that needs to change! There is so much I need to do to get this business properly up and running and to (hopefully) make it successful!

• Get focused - Yep, once again I need to redefine what Little Foal stands for, and if the above is any indication, you might be able to guess the direction I am taking with Little Foal the brand in 2013... Vintage inspired accessories! I will keep on making my crochet necklaces, as well as my yo-yo hair clips, but there will be plenty of new vintage inspired accessories coming out of Little Foal in 2013, many of which will be using vintage materials. My decision to bring focus to my brand and the products I make for it will not limit what I post about on this blog in the slightest - I will still post various DIY projects unrelated to my shop. Nor do I feel as though it is limiting the methods I use to make the products I will sell - in fact, I feel as though by creating a focus area for myself, I am challenging myself to be more creative and try new ways of making pretty accessories. I'm so excited to get this new focus area well and truly underway!
• Launch my Etsy shop - As I mentioned earlier, I am currently selling my products through a local craft co-operative called "The Corner Store". Although I dearly love my fellow co-op members and am passionate about what we do, it is time for me to move on to bigger and better things and use my internet presence to my advantage. Hopefully my Etsy store will be up and running by late February, but due to this massive transition I am about to make, I can't hold any promises!
• Create a designated craft space - EEK! I am so excited about this one! Jake and I will be moving into a two bedroom apartment this month and have struck up the most awesome of deals - I get the spare room and he gets the garage! Mua-ha-ha! (random, evil laugh, but I seriously feel as though I got the carrot and he got the stick here!). The spare room will hopefully present itself as a distraction-free environment for crafting, blogging and uni work - exactly what I need to stay motivated and keep focused! Plus, as an added bonus, I want to fill it to the brim with inspiration to study, craft and bog hard - so prepare for DIY overload once we get settled in! 

Some of the accessories I have made and sold, along with my business card. I am planning on expanding the range of accessories I sell , and launch an etsy shop soon. 

I'm really hoping I can see all of these resolutions through in 2013! I thought long and hard about the most important tasks I have ahead of me and what I need to do to survive this year, and to be completely dedicated to achieving these goals and making this year as perfect and successful as I so desperately want it to be would be just amazing to me. I am a quitter by nature, and rarely see things through even if they are things I enjoy, but I have surprised myself with my blogging and crafting this year, so these resolutions are extra special to me. I think I'll find it hard to do my blogging resolutions until I have gotten over moving and whatnot, but I hope to at least be more focused in what I post, even if I am only posting once a week.

Have you made any New Years Resolutions this year? I would love to hear all about them!

Sponsors/Ad swaps!

Via

Hi Guys, how was your Christmas? Mine was absolutely swell! I got spoiled rotten, did a fair bit of spoiling myself, and ate and ate until I couldn't eat anymore! Seeing family and friends that I haven't seen in quite a while also made Christmas pretty special and reminded me of how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life.

Now that the New Year is approaching (oh god, where did time go?!) and my blog is growing, I have decided that I would like to offer advertisement on my blog!

To help me get started on the advertising band-wagon, I would like to offer all of my lovely fellow bloggers who have similar or complimentary blogs to Little Foal the chance to participate in a mass ad swap! If you decide to participate in this ad swap, all you have to do is:

1.  E-mail me at little-foal@hotmail.com expressing interest and including a link to your blog
2. Display my button anywhere on your sidebar (grab box found at the bottom of my blog)
3. Send me the code for your blog's button to display on my sidebar

Aaaand, you're done! Easy, right? Free advertising!

Alternatively, you can contact me at little-foal@hotmail.com to discuss other free advertising options such as guest posts, interviews or anything your imagination comes up with!

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,

Sunae xoxo