ohabioh

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Life Update

Hello all!

This post is pretty much just going to be a load of rambling on about my life currently.

I have 0 energy to take any photos, due to me being ill, AGAIN.

So a month ago, I had tonsillitis and a cold. I had to take a week off of work, which sucked. Due to me being a tattooist I am pretty much self employed, so if I can't get into the studio to work, I don't earn any money, simples. So as soon as I got better it as my aim to not catch any germs again.. That obviously didn't go very well as here I am a month later in bed.

My plan was to start eating healthy and kick start the gym sessions, as I hadn't been doing so since around June. I have been really disappointed in myself for not going to the gym. As most of you know, you make up excuses. Some of mine were valid but there isn't any excuse to not eat well & move your body around. The list of my excuses this year have been:

Not having any energy after work due to me starting to work properly (me not being an apprentice sitting around not doing much all day)
Not being able to find 3 hours to travel to the gym via public transport, do a 1 hr session & travel back.
Not having time to do meal preps.
Pulling my hamstring in May which hindered my workouts.

ALL of these reasons barring my hamstring injury are terrible. If you want to commit, you will.

So gradually as the months have gone by, I have noticed changes to my body and the main changes have been, cellulite all over my legs/butt. And the other being my stomach- I AM GETTING OLDER, its official, I have the slight bit of fat at the bottom of my tummy. I have always been very slim, when I was younger I always had a surf board-esque figure & hated it. But as I grew up I had a waist- which is still there but nowhere near what it was a year ago.

A lot of you will think I'm talking total crap, but it is because I hide it well in photos.

We've all done it- stood a certain way, covered bits with clothing draped over, worn certain articles of clothing that hide it etc.

I'm not saying I'm fat or overweight at all. This isn't the issue. My main issue is that my body is telling me I am unhealthy. Slim people shouldn't have cellulite. So it needs to go.

I have been unwell numerous times this year, mainly with tonsillitis. But this time it has been flu. Feeling like I've been run over by a car, whole body aching, fever, snot coming out of my head quicker than I can mop it up with endless Kleenex & the cough is now setting in with the dizzy spells.

So I am now telling myself enough is really enough because I am SO sick of being sick.

My immune system is shot to pieces and I can't take any more time off of work. It is affecting my life in more ways than one.

So my new plan. Is first of all to take action with my diet.

No more takeaways- my main one being Dominos when I am at work. (Its just far too easy)

I'll be doing meal prep the night before, making my lunches, cooking my dinners fresh when I am home from work.

I will be working out most mornings - starting my appointments (tattooing) at 12pm instead of 11am so I can get a morning workout in.

Making sure I eat my fruit & veg because tbh, I think one piece of fruit passes my lips once a week if I'm lucky.

Making smoothies frequently. And most of all- MOVING MY ASS.

I can't stress enough how much just moving about improves your mood & general well-being.

When I was doing all the above things early this year I felt sooooooooooo GOOD!

And seeing the improvements to my body was the best feeling in the world.

These were my progress pictures (left before, right after) after around 6 weeks. I was only doing personal training sessions once maybe twice a week and eating healthy.

*cries*

If anyone else is feeling like I am, then you know what you gotta do. :)

Enough about me feeling shit, I want to talk about the up sides to my life.

This past year has been the biggest thing career-wise that has ever happened to me.

Since I left college in 2012 I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I studied for 3 years there- well 2 and a half & dropped out the last 6 months because I didn't feel like the Art course was beneficial to me & I started working at Allsaints. I worked there for 8 months. Knew it wasn't for me pretty much the whole time I worked there. I was then unemployed for 6 months, searching and searching feeling like I wasn't getting anywhere at all.

I hit a low point.

A big fat low point.

I then realised that I had social media as my advantage. I had a great following via Instagram.

So I decided to open up my own little store selling handpainted phone cases & friendship bracelets. I then eventually expanded & started to sell handpainted trainers. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this. The shop started to get so busy that I was considering taking on an employee to help me with the work load. But right at this point I was offered a tattooing apprenticeship.

This was something that I couldn't turn down. Tattooing has been something I wanted to do for around 3 years but I just kept it to myself because I didn't feel like my drawing abilities were good enough.

I kept my little business running, making my orders in the evenings and on my days off which has been incredibly stressful.

I had been doing the apprenticeship since May, it all moved along really quickly thanks to my boss Rick Wilson. I practised tattooing on pigs skin from the butchers & after a few practises, I then moved onto people & I done my first tattoo a couple of months ago. I have been on apprentice rates while I was getting to grips with everything. Then a few weeks ago Rick said that I was no longer an apprentice. *woohoo* Which was obviously a huge shock to me, but I was so thankful.

So this will be my career now, for what I hope, will be the rest of my life. The passion I have for it is unreal & I am truly happy when I am tattooing.

Not to mention how happy people are when I have created it. It's the best feeling ever.

Here are some of my recent pieces:

You can see all of my work here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150599866250716.679353.691675715&type=1&l=57cbf425fa

(scroll to the bottom for recent work)

booking enquries: abigailhack@hotmail.co.uk

So when I'm stuck at home, ill in bed, not working at all. It is making me feel incredibly shit.

I haven't even been able to do any drawing because my creativity levels are -35838. I just need to focus on getting better, so I can get back to doing me.

If anyone has any tips for boosting the immune system or any motivational quotes etc then that would be amazing because I am a mega grumpy cat right now.

Thanks for reading my waffle.

Much love.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Christmas Decoration Room Tour

Hey friends!

I feel like its about time that I created a little spare time in my life to at least try and get 2 blog posts in a week.

I have definitely slacked and left my blog in the dark just rotting away (poor blog- I'm sorry)

And what better time to make an entrance again- at Christmas time!

ALOT has changed in my life since the last time I posted on here, so you guys will definitely be seeing some changes in my types of posts & the content within.

I don't want my blog to simply be about clothes- I will still have posts about what I wear etc, but I feel many people would rather read information & keeping you all up to speed on current events in my little boring life.

This post is simply going to include looooooads of pictures of how I decorated my bedroom for the run up to Christmas.. I was a little eager- not as eager as some, but it had to be done this weekend otherwise it would have been put off until next weekend & that seems too late to me.

Forgive me if you feel it is too early but maybe some of you would like your own decorations like what I have done.

Christmas decoration inspo?

Xmas goals?

That kind of thing?

Maybe.

ANYWAY,

I purchased most of these decorations from Wilkinson's, and my mum done a huge haul for me while I was at work around various poundshops. So I really haven't spent a fortune on these in the slightest.

The most expensive item was my lights (30 metres for £9.95) I purchased these in 'Day Pure White' this gives them the blue glow instead of the usual warm yellow glow that white Christmas lights have.

link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30M-50M-100M-LED-String-Fairy-Lights-Indoor-Outdoor-Wedding-Decking-Garden-Tree-/181927124500

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As you can see, they are pretty bright. I also have various other lights for example, around my mirror- these are battery operated LED's from eBay also.

Link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-40-80-LED-Battery-Operated-Fairy-Lights-Decorations-Christmas-Xmas-Decoration-/351434010112?var=&hash=item51d3196e00:m:mrcRj3cyZPFXyTNOBQ3EQZA

And finally, I have some small snowflake LED's around my headboard mixed in with some tinsel. These were from Wilko.

Link: http://www.wilko.com/battery-operated-christmas-lights/wilko-15-bo-mouldable-lights-snowflake/invt/0420536

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This little bird jewel lamp was from Wilko last year - and it is still in stock woo!

Link: http://www.wilko.com/table-lamps/wilko-birdcage-lamp/invt/0325747

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TIME FOR THE TREE!

I purchased this little white tree from ASDA for £5. You'll be able to pop into a store and grab one. I had to have white seeing as my entire bedroom is white/grey/silver now. I don't usually like white trees but as my bedroom is all white, it really adds to the cold winter theme.

The little polar bear shown above was from wilko also.

Link: http://www.wilko.com/wilko-frozen-christmas-decorations/wilko-frozen-polar-bear-dec-asst/invt/0419613

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Pretty much all of the baubles were purchased from various pound stores- so you'll have to have a little hunt around if any catch your eyes!

Also some are from ASDA- http://www.wilko.com/wilko-frozen-christmas-decorations/wilko-frozen-polar-bear-dec-asst/invt/0419613

The little hears & bells have been in our decoration collection for quite a few years now so I'm unsure as to where they were from. But here are some lovely alternatives to fit with the scheme of the tree!

Links:

http://direct.asda.com/Acorn-Hanging-Decoration/001828653,default,pd.html?cgid=D18M2G1C2
http://www.tesco.com/direct/set-of-two-grey-silver-crackle-glass-heart-christmas-tree-bauble-decorations/247-0584.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=247-0584
http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_304075504797_-1
http://www.wilko.com/wilko-frozen-christmas-decorations/wilko-frozen-snowflake-decoration/invt/0419757

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The silver beads are also from Wilko

Link: http://www.wilko.com/wilko-frozen-christmas-decorations/wilko-frozen-beadchain-silver-5m/invt/0335509

The tree topper was from the poundshop but an alternative can be found in Wilko

Link:http://www.wilko.com/wilko-frozen-christmas-decorations/wilko-frozen-rattan-star-tree-topper/invt/0419761

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This lovely little house candle holder is another cute bargain from Wilko,

Link: http://www.wilko.com/industrial-christmas-decorations/wilko-industrial-metal-candle-house/invt/0419618

It creates some lovely patterns on surrounding areas with the candle glowing through!

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The love of my life.

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The curtain that you can see pictured above was a recent change in my bedroom, along with my wardrobe & curtains. There was a door on this cupboard- but due to my wardrobe being huge, I had to remove the door & I decided to hang a white voile & a bead curtain together to save space. And especially for Christmas- I added lights between the two curtains to make it extra pimpin' & sparkly.

Link for voile: : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221784596719?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=520633922081&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Link for bead curtain: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dew-Drop-Crystal-Bead-String-Door-Curtain-Divider-Window-Room-Tassel-Fly-Screen-/381233456269?var=&hash=item58c348e48d:m:mBfhEL2KoVdNrc56pPpmHjA

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The stick on snowflakes- were from wilko. They look lovely BUT they did take quite some time between me & my mum trying to peel them off of the backing. Worth it, but pretty frustrating at times!

Link: http://www.wilko.com/foils-and-tinsels/wilko-snowflake-windowwall-sticker/invt/0420103

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I just need to add- how beautiful this Jimmy Choo perfume is. SO NICE. so so nice. You need it.

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Snowflake chain Link:

http://www.wilko.com/foils-and-tinsels/wilko-foil-snowflake-chain-decoration/invt/0401874

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I had all of my Polaroids printed using the app: LALALAB. It is free to download form the appstore.

They are an amazing company to use & I have never had any faults whatsoever from them.

If you use my code: PGSV9HMD at the checkout, you'll receive £5 worth of free prints! So at 29p per polaroid print- you really can't complain!

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My paper lanterns were from eBay last year- a simple search of white paper lanterns will throw out loads of stores to purchase them from!

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I threw a few left over baubles around the room for some finishing touches.

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I hope that even one person had a little bit of interest in reading about my Christmas decorations (I LOVE Christmas and I'm sure loads of you do too).

So happy decorating guys.

December Lust List

Life Update

Christmas Decoration Room Tour

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