A New-ish Start

2015

 

2014 really seemed like a very long year didn’t it? By the end of it I was feeling pretty drained and burnt out so I decided to take a few weeks away from the things that I felt were making me feel bleh and concentrate on things that I really enjoyed doing instead. James and I sat down together and actually talked about what we didn’t like about 2014 and what we wanted to do about it in 2015. I was in a really introspective kind of mood and it felt like the more things I thought about myself, the more I realised that I wasn’t necessarily loving the direction I was going in.

We realised that one of the biggest problems I had was separating work and home life. For the last 7+ years I’ve been working a LOT. I was pulling 12 hour days every day and working weekends but it never felt like I was actually on top of anything because I really wasn’t. Not having set work hours meant that I had no reason to properly plan anything out or to set guidelines for how long things should take because I was constantly doing them… but nothing really seemed to get done because I was always over tired and not running at full brain power.

So that was the first thing to change. I now have set work ours from 10-6 like a “regular” job and I’m not working weekends either! I’ve been doing this for the last 3 weeks and it’s really helped me focus a lot more on goals and projects I want to get done. It also means there is a set time to relax and let my brain wind down enough to rest properly at night. Yay!

With that in mind I started to think about what I wanted to do with myself a little more and realised my blog (and really myself) had turned into a a finely tuned content manufacturing machine. I love tutorials but the rate that I was working them last year (2 videos, 4 posts, social media bonuses, the VLB and sometimes vlogs as well) was not something that I could keep up with forever without burning out. I just don’t have the kind of outgoing personality required for doing that without feeling uncomfortable >_< So this year I’m want to continue doing tutorials because I love them but I will only be doing tutorials that I LOVE. I’m not going to be working to a schedule of X many posts or videos a week because when I do that, things become forced and the end product isn’t what I want it to be. I’m going to write about the things that I want to write about without worrying about other people’s reactions.

This year I want to concentrate my efforts onto being happier. I want to love what I do every day. Obviously loving EVERYTHING is unrealistic and sounds like hippy crap but I want to at least not feel like I’m falling into bed at night dreading the next morning >_> I’m really tired of being tired!

I also want to try new things and diversify a bit. I don’t want to feel like I’m being stagnant and just doing the same things over and over again because that’s what other people want me to do. I have a habit of focusing all of my energy onto one thing and not being able to see anything around me so I want to branch out of my comfort zone more and try some completely different things.

This is probably the longest and most thoughtful post I’ve written in years and I feel really happy about it. The changes that I’ve been making have had such a positive effect so far and I feel re-energised. Since I started this blog what feels like a billion years ago, it’s had so many incarnations and focuses and the one constant has been you guys who are reading this. I really appreciate all the support you’ve given me in reading my blog and I hope you’ll continue to like what you see in the new re-energised Violet.

So 2015, bring it on because I’m excited to see what you have ^_^

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Filming With Surfaced Studios – Snapshots

So have you ever wanted to see James beaten to death? Apparently it’s more common that you would think! We’ve been helping Tobias and Celina film some videos lately and the most recent one involved the boys getting into a big fist fight XD

I got to apply the fake blood, it was made of chocolate sauce and smelled delicious.


They started out in an office and it escalated fairly quickly.


Best friends 4everz.

And this is why one shouldn’t leave their camera unattended.

I think James really got the worst of it, he was getting food colouring out of his ears for like 3 days after this.

How beautiful was the part we filmed in though?

And this was you know, less beautiful.



The next filming day we had was for The Ring! I kept myself amused.

Celina’s so pretty 😀

This one was really involved and the table was a bit high so she couldn’t quite reach the floor. I think she discovered new muscles!

If you are scared of The Ring then maybe don’t look at the next few photos…

She was actually just having a nap between shots.

And this is why I’ll never be able to sleep again.

Hope your week didn’t involve demon girls and zombies!

Happy New Year!

I hope you are all having a great time today and here’s to 2015 being an amazing year!

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I don’t generally make resolutions because it seems like setting myself up for failure but I want to make this year incredible so what do you guys thing we do to make this year even better? Or if you make resolutions what are you planning to do?

I’ll be taking a week or so off now to organise my brain for 2015’s posts and get back into an organised working mode. See you in a little bit!

Anyway, have a wonderful night and I can’t wait to see you next year!

 

Doggies! So Many Doggies! – Snapshots

PUPPIES!!!! PUPPIESPUPPIESPUPPIES!!!!! We went to a dog show! Not the kind where they have the dogs walk in circles and judge them, the fun kind where everyone just looks at different kinds of doggies!

Our neighbours through a huge party the night before (which we were not invited to) and neither of us had slept so we were a little crazy XD

This was supposed to say “come meet the Duluxe dog” but I guess he had better things to do that day…

We got to pet Corgies for the first time and they were sooo soft and lovely! Their heads were far too big for their bodies…

So cute! I think Lottie might get a little corgi friend when she gets a bit older and we have more space.

Have you seen Chow puppies? You would just eat them up! I miss Gilmore Girls.

Furry little limbs flying everywhere as other puppies made new friends.

This Samoyed had such a lovely temperament, Even while little kids were pulling at it’s fur and petting her far too hard, it just kept smiling. I wish I was that patient with kid >_>


Puppy hugs!

There was a stall for the Husky owners club. They were so soft and such lovely animals that I thought maybe we should get a bigger place…

Until the lady told me all this came from just the dog above…IN JUST THE LAST FEW HOURS!

She sure was curious about my camera though…

Yes, I made other people wait while we set up this photo and yes I would totally do it again >_>

Unfortunately the french bulldog wasn’t at his stall when we went past. I loved that his personality trait was “disobedient”.

Bu this very embarrassed looking poodle was. Does anyone know why it’s hair was in little bags? I wanted to ask but the people at the stall were super busy.

There were lots of clever dog toys in the showcase area, including these which are for dogs who eat too fast. I think Lottie would just flip it over and eat whatever falls out.

There were police and seeing eye dogs in training getting used to big crowds! This Border Protection puppy was a little scared but doing so well!

So I met these GIANT Swiss mountain dogs instead! the photos don’t do them justice, one shook my hand and it’s paw was bigger than mine was! Giant sweethearts though ^_^

Here’s a happier looking poodle!

I was of course, drawn to all the fluffy dogs who reminded me of Lottie. This Keyshound was just lovely.

The whole show took place at the Royal Exhibition Building which has to be one of my favourite venues because it’s just a beautiful building.




There were areas downstairs where the dogs did tricks and put on little shows. It was too crowded to see very much but so cute!

This little pup would paint you canvases while doing tricks!

But at the end of the day it just made me want to get home and see Lottie even more!

She was only interested when I had tuna though >_>

Give your pets a big hug! Unless they’re fish because… you know.

 

Happy Billy Idol Day!

Happy Billy Idol Day (or whatever you celebrate) everyone!

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For those of you who haven’t been reading for very long, we celebrate Billy Idol Day because we are not religious and Billy Idol rocks. I’m not into big holidays or celebrations but I sure love Billy Idol’s music so we compromise on this!

Our plans for the day are pretty much to kick back and relax. Last year we had everyone over for a big meal but this year we are so tired from the year that we’re just going to be really low key. Have a lot of candy and snacks and of course play our yearly Billy Idol Day video game! This year it’s Assassin’s Creed Black Flag which is so far…. ok XD

No matter what you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful day and you spend it doing something you really enjoy!

Happy Billy Idol Day (or whatever) from our family to yours!

Violet’s New Dream Apartment – Snapshots

As a special treat for my birthday (yes that’s how long it takes me to write these >_>) Celina and Tobias took us to my new all time favourite restaurant: The Conservatory.

The whole place was exactly how I want my house to look. But you know, with less strangers and wait staff. I would probably put in a 4th chocolate fountain too because, you know, you can never have too many chocolate fountains.

It’s kind of modern French wile still being very art deco inspired.

All mirrors and white marble as far as the eye can see.


James enjoyed it because it’s a buffet and if there’s one thing James loves, it’s eating more than his own weight.

The food was delicious and super fancy.



I tried mussels and oysters and decided I actually like them…

Even if they look quite disgusting.


I did have a minor moment where I thought this was avocado not wasabi but luckily I didn’t take any >_>


 

James decided to try cracking his own lobster claws and only hurt himself like 3 times. Progress!

 

You can see more of my future house in the background there!

The boys had to sit on the window side so we had the better lighting XD

Such class. Wow.

 

Future apartment sure has nice chandeliers. I’ll probably have to get rid of the Best Wishes balloons though..



So did we talk about dessert yet? Because holy bajeebus dessert.

ALL OF THEMMMMM.

And there were 4 flavours of chocolate fountain *_*

Why can’t I live here??

On the way out when we were in food coma mode we tried to find a particular elevator in which we had taken the only photo ever where both Celina and I looked great at once. We found the elevator but they had replaced the lighting with this…

While we did manage to find another one apparently we’re cursed because every shot we took was out of focus. Elevator curse!

I don’t even know what’s going on here?

But fall sure is pretty… unlike James.

 

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