Why working part time is one of the best things I've done.

I only finished Uni a year and a half ago ( It feels like a lifetime ago tbh) and since then I have had my fair share of jobs.

I worked for a design agency after coming fresh faced from uni  - 50 hours a week, over worked and under paid. I've done stints in retail, temporary jobs, one single day in a call centre and admin jobs - basically a bit of everything.

After working 50 hours plus and getting myself stressed out to the max I took a step back and thought it might be beneficial for me to look for something part time. I applied for like a million jobs and eventually managed to bag myself a 30 hour per week job with the NHS - score! 

From around 16 I have always said 'I can never imagine having a full time office job, it's just not for me' - so even though this was infact doing a dreaded ' office job' at least it was part time, giving me more time to concentrate on my Graphic Design skills from that little BA HONS degree I went and earned!

I knew working less hours would give me more time to do the things that I wanted to do but I never realised the benefits it would have on my general health, mental health and home life. 

Ok - that does sounds really dramatic, but it's true. 

I don't think working 50 hours per week was healthy for me personally or for anyone for that matter especially when you are not paid for the extra that you are working.

 I would leave the house at 7.30am a head for a long day staring at a mac screen for hours on end with no break ( yeah I know thats illegal but the company I worked for didn't seem to care about that).

  I would be trying to complete work as quick as possible whilst having angry clients calling the office every 5 minutes and as a team of 2 designers we were pushed to the limit. 

I think my final straw was when I was expected to stay in the office till 9pm, unpaid and after having no lunch break. I left work at 9pm feeling deflated, with a banging headache and ended up in tears when I got back home as the constant pressure was just getting ridiculous. This kind of stress and pressure isn't something that I had set myself up for -

I know graphic design jobs can be stressful with deadlines but as this company broke the law on more than one occasion I knew it was best to get myself out and fast.

After quitting that job I became a bit of a lost soul trying to find something else, anything else.

thats when I landed my NHS part time role.

I settled in quickly and every single person I worked with was absolutely lovely.  I found it such a luxury to be able to have a lunch break and to finish at 4.30pm every day - that was just mind blowing to me.

I feel so much better as a person too -  I'm more positive and i'm more focused when I'm actually at work - just known that I have that extra day and time to do the things I love makes your mind set on life completely different. 

Maybe I am in the whole 'student mind set' of wanting to work part time, I'm not sure, But if you can afford to do it and it makes you happy I don't see the harm in it. 

I might not earn as much money as some of my peers who are working 40/50 hours a week but they are always complaining on how tired they are or they would love to be in a job like I am.

My main goal for 2016 is to start designing again, I miss it. Heres hoping one day I can freelance and 'live the dream'.

xox

Lost my Lush Virginity!

Through the years I would walk past Lush on my local high street (It was hard to ignore it's aroma to be honest!) but I would always avoid it, I'm not sure why - I think it was due to not knowing about the brand (and to be honest I was scared to try something new). I'll admit my skin routine has been a little ridiculous of late, I was using soooooo many products at once due to my 'I'm paranoid I'm turning 25' panic.I was just spending my money on buying the most expensive products possible without doing any research.. I dread to think how many chemicals I was throwing on to my skin to be honest.

 In regards to why I have been avoiding Lush for years, I think it was because I made an opinion about it in my own mind from my own speculation more than anything and it seemed like a confusing world of different bath potions* ... for someone with sensitive skin this just seemed like completely scary territory to me.
( *Little did I know Lush is SO much more than just bath products!)

Over recent years I have seen so many youtubers and bloggers talk about this brand in such a positive sparkley light and last month I finally gave in to my Ignorance and fears....I started to do my research to see if Lush was something that would be suitable for me.

The first thing which made me warm a little closer to Lush was finding out Lush products contained fresh ingredients... I have sensitive skin which can be irritated at the slightest thing especially by really heavy skin care containing all those nasty chemicals so finding out Lush products played nice was such a plus point for me.

I don't know why It came as such a shock to me when I found out Lush had a skin care range...I just assumed Lush was solely Bath products...again very ignorant of me..But I can hold my hands up and say I was so wrong about this.

 Their skin care range is truly extensive to say the least with various different products, scrubs,treatments, anything you're heart could wish for really! As a Lush virgin I did feel completly like a fish out of water when I was met with all these unusual products with intriguing names. The Lush staff are beyond fabulous and are there to guide you through the whole process... This is where I need to mention their amazing customer service.. I think it's fair to say some retail staff can be moody and completely unapproachable but Lush staff are the complete opposite, they are Full of life and truly excited about the brand as someone who was completely new to this world I found it very reassuring that the staff knew about every single product.

Now going in to the skin care products I went for.. I saw so much hype online over ' Ultra bland' a cleanser which forms in to a oil type consistency which I am a sucker for as my heart has been with Clinque - Take the day off cleaning balm for around a year now. Sadly after a couple of days of using Ultra bland I found my skin irritated and angry I think I was allergic to the Bees wax ingredient in the cleanser, I told Lush about what had happened and they couldn't of been more understanding and helpful and swopped my cleanser for something more simple.

I was advised by the lovely girl in the Hull store to go for the 9-5 cleansing Lotion which is more of your traditional cleanser in a bottle not in a tub like Ultra Bland. 9-5 doesn't really have a strong fragrance It has more of that generic 'cleanser' smell with a hint of Lavender. So far I've found the cleanser to be really refreshing, easy to remove make up, easy to use generally and it left my skin feeling clean and very mousitriserd which is another bonus for someone who has dehydrated and dry skin.
Moisturiser wise I have been using 'Skin Drink' which a very thick and hydrating cream which has a pink tone to it..My husband reckons it smells like a Prawn sandwich haha but the smell doesn't bother me. I do think if someone had Oily skin this moustiuriser wouldn't be suitable it is possibly the most hydrating moisturiser I have ever used - and I've used so many different brands and products. As dehydration is my number one skin concern this product feels like something sent from heaven!

I have also been trying 'Celestial' which is a really creamy milky moustiriser I would say it is more light on the skin than 'Skin Drink' though. I Defiantly found Celestial to be hydrating and delicate for my sensitive skin and it is the one I keep reaching for when I need a moisturising fix.

The lovely staff at Lush Hull also gave me a tester of 'Angels on Bare Skin' another cleanser which looks pretty strange as its a solid cleanser but when water is applied it turns in to a paste which can be applied to the skin. I am really loving is so far as it feels like it really exfoliates my skin but not in a harsh way.It is made 100 percent of natural ingredients which can only be a positive, My next visit to Lush might have to be for a full of pot of 'Angels on Bare Skin'.

The big question is, what are the results for my skin?

Well my skin feels so much more hydrated than before, it feels soft and generally looks less grumpy. Using Lush skin care has been a complete game changer for me, I never thought I would say it as I was stuck in my heavy cosmetic counter rutt but I can happily say this is the best thing I have ever done for my skin. If you think about it logically these are natural products which of course are going to make your skin so much happier and healthier. Never be scared to approach Lush -  I know it can seem a little daunting at first but the staff will guide you through and the products are completely amazing! I have been converted!

BA Hons Graphic Design.

So I officially graduated!
You can now call me Kate Palmer BA HONS ( no, really - don't!)

I had to wear a Cap, gown, the lot! ( which is actually really uncomfortable to wear! but no one tells you that) plus you do feel like a bit of a twat with that hat on!

It can seem a bit hard to get excited about graduation, most of us cant find jobs yet or have had a bad experience in a work place - deffo the situation for me! but still there is something to celebrate, we got a degree! we did it! and we worked hard for the bloody thing!

here are some pictures from the day..

I won't bore you with too many photos, as it feels like university was a life time ago!

Oh, my OH has a blog now... check it out here: 

http://vincethemjguy.blogspot.co.uk

xox

Hi!
I have had so much time so have been going through and applying for as many jobs as possible, any job.
Managed to bag myself an interview at Kurt Geiger! Which is awesome because I think we would all love discount for KG! I thought the interview went rather well, so fingers crossed!
I'm not sure how people don't work because I'm finding it boring as hell, I'm not dissing the unemployed, ok, I am! its so draining doing nothing and soul destroying and I miss having money monthly!On the upside I had a few freelance jobs graphic design wise last week, which is just some extra pocket change!

I offcially graduate on Monday at Lincoln Cathedral! a big celebration for all us grads, however at the moment for most of us it doesn't seem like much to celebrate, we all have debt from uni, we don't have jobs and neither can we find a job that we want! but still we have a degree right!

I had a shoot with Chris Beasley yesterday and another model Steph, Shot some stuff for a clothing line, Supersonic jelly beans, and managed to get so much free stuff from them which is awesome!

xox

Post uni blues!

Ok, I admit it,
I miss uni!
I miss the people, the work, everything about it.
there was a path set out for you and you followed it, but now you are out on your own and its scary.

Since leaving my job at Mercury design and marketing and when I'm not looking for more creative pathways I have been spending my time reading unemployed graduate blogs, and it turns out there is A LOT of them,
and these are not graduates from now, these are people who have finished uni a year ago, or even longer than that! that kinda scares me...

one of my favourite reads at the moment is - http://www.awaywiththefairiesblog.com
a graduate who is trying to make a living out of blogging, but who has become criticised by the media for dreaming of a lovely life with a huge house.. However her blog is successful and I think her dreams could become a reality.
I do think todays 20 somethings can be in a dream world, (I am partly guilty of this too!) , maybe we think we deserve to have things easier because we have a degree? but I think that is something which is put in our minds at university by tutors and the university lifestyle itself.

I have been lucky enough to bag myself some graphic design freelance work and some modelling work too! so its just finding even more work which will keep my bank balance happy!

Sadly, I have had to look for part time retail jobs for the time being just so that I know that there is a definite wage coming in every month along side my freelance work..even though I don't really want to have to go back to retail part time..but who does?

I'll admit I am enjoying a little bit of time off since I left the job 2 weeks ago, as I jumped straight in to this job soon as my university work had been completed.

xox

Chris Beasley.

Change is good.

I haven't posted in what seems like forever.

I was working at a local marketing and design company, however it wasn't what I thought it would be, without going in to much detail, I recently left the job and I am now looking at going freelance which is a scary prospect, but I feel this experience of been in a work place environment has really made me want to push this further and I've realised where I want to go. Having aims and a way forward is defiantly a starting point!

Only 6 months till I get married.. how fast is that going really?! crazy. 
Nearly have everything sorted, just a few bits and bobs to finish off.

Defiantly feelings positive and moving forward!

xox