This is the place I credit with fixing me when I fled, broken-hearted after my marriage break-up, for a solo soul-searching trip; a month with no plans other than to swim in the ocean, allow the sun to warm my bones and heal my invisible wounds. (You can read my Thailand blog Sam Goes Solo about that trip, should you be interested.) I’ve since been back on multiple occasions, each time collecting precious memories as though gathering seashells from the shore.

So, when I ‘met’ Natasha Whiting via my Facebook group, The Non-Mum Network, and she asked for help in spreading the word about her fundraising event, Jumble is Massive, in aid of her charity Acorn Overseas to help orphaned and abandoned children in Mae Sot, Thailand, I jumped at the chance to finally give something back to a country that’s helped me in so many ways.

I learn that Natasha founded the charity back in 2009, having spent seven years living in Thailand working on various local projects. She initially travelled to the country in 2004, aged 18, to volunteer at an orphanage, and quickly became part of the emergency aid relief following the Boxing Day tsunami. (Her outstanding achievements later earned her the accolade ‘Young Person of the Year’ by her hometown council in Stroud, Gloucestershire.) Such was Natasha’s admiration of the tenacity of the people, and the inspiring solidarity they showed in the face of such tragedy, that she wanted to start something that would give her a connection to Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) even when she was not there in person.

She says: “Whilst in Thailand I became disheartened with the way charities, in my eyes, didn’t go to the root of the problem and get more involved. It felt like everything was done from plush hotels, and behind the tinted windows of 4×4’s that rolled through camps, orphanages and disaster zones. I was put into contact with an orphanage that was established to care for the basic needs of “Ghost Children” (Children who have lost their identity due to persecution and abandonment) from Myanmar that was going through some serious difficulties. I attempted to appeal to multiple NGO’s (non government organisations) to help with the orphanage and no one would offer more than a bag of rice a month as the problem wasn’t “big enough”. 

In October 2008, the irregular support they did have from America abandoned them with nothing, so myself and a friend stepped in to provide support for them in every which way we could. So I started the charity in order to support this small home of children who were abandoned and orphaned due to situations you may not even be able to imagine. Since then we grew from 7 to 50 children, we built a home, we were donated a truck to get the children to school, and we dug, as running water is rare.

We have become an education-focused charity, working alongside Burma Border Projects to make sure migrant children receive a proper rounded education, and are taught by qualified teachers from around the world. My plan for the future is to keep raising awareness and money to provide a better standard of education to the migrant children in the area, and to make sure they receive equal opportunities for a brighter future. I hope that in the coming years, people will run the London marathon for us, companies will make us their charity of the year, and we can continue to make a huge difference.”

Inspired by Natasha’s philanthropic work, I’m immediately eager to help. She tells me that she needs support in raising funds and awareness for the charity, which then translates into food, shelter and education for these children. She holds clothing sales and needs donations of clothes and accessories to sell. One bag of donated clothing equates to a month’s supplies and education for a child, so I set about tapping up my family and besties for donations. Of course, they willingly oblige like the legends they are, and we collect 11 sackfuls of clothes between us.

The fundraising event takes place this Saturday 18th August, at Pop Brixton. It’ll be a fun day: a chance to pick up some stylish new threads whilst gettin’ your groove on to the tunes being spun and munching on some tasty food-stall fayre. What more could you want from your Saturday afternoon in London town, eh? Then you can continue your weekend wearing your sassy new garms, safe in the knowledge that you’ve made a difference to the lives of these deserving children.

I will be there, along with my loyal charity sidekick De Mama. (Do you remember our exploits helping children in central America? You can read all about it over on my blog, Costa Rica Chica.) We’ll be using our sartorial skills to marry the chicest clothes to their rightful new owner, so please come on down, meet the inspirational Tash, say hi….and buy!

Jumble is Massive takes place at Pop Brixton this Saturday, 18th August, 11am – 4pm. For more information about Natasha’s charity, Acorn Overseas, or to donate, check out the website here. You can also follow Acorn Overseas on Instagram here, Twitter here and Facebook here.

See ya there!

UPDATE: The event was an overwhelming success, with tons of cold hard cash raised for the charity and many a satisfied customer bopping around to the music wearing their new garments. Yayyy!

A few photos from the day:

And a lovely “thank you” from Natasha, Dan and Sarah:

Sam x

The post Jumble is Massive! appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

I was recently invited to take part in a campaign entitled The She Word to celebrate International Women’s Day by featuring in a video about women in business which you can watch here, and dyeing my hair purple. As regular Bird’s Eye Viewers will know, I’d never dyed my hair until last year (at 41; I know – late bloomer) when I finally took the plunge and went pink. Highlighter pen pink, to be exact. Hmmm. Luckily it faded very quickly. (You can see how it looked here.) Having arrived late to the hair dyeing party, I’m keen to make up for lost time and try out all of the colours of the rainbow, so when I was asked to dye my hair purple I was more than happy to oblige, and also got my nails done to match (well, in for a penny, in for a pound, eh?).

So, why purple?

“According to Pantone – this year’s colour is the Ultra Violet shade of purple. The colour purple historically represents efforts to achieve gender equality. In support of achieving gender equality, we’re #DyeingForProgress by dyeing our hair purple. Will you be joining us in the purple power for equality?”    –  The She Word 

On the International Women’s Day website, they say:

“A passionate purple hue is set to top colour palettes in 2018, complementing the International Women’s Day #PressforProgress campaign theme, which highlights feminism and international efforts to achieve wide-scale gender parity.

Colour trendsetter Pantone has selected “ultra-violet” as its 19th “Color of the Year” to communicate “originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking that points us towards the future.”

Purple is historically associated with efforts to achieve gender equality. In this context it was first used alongside green and white as the colours of the Women’s Social and Political Union, the organisation that led Britain’s women’s suffrage movement in the early 20th century.

For suffragettes fighting for the right to vote, purple represented “the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette,” according to the book Women’s Suffrage Memorabilia: An Illustrated Historical Study by Kenneth Florey. White represented purity and green represented hope.

In the 1960s and 1970s, use of the colour was revived by feminists to represent the Women’s Liberation movement as a tribute to the suffragettes.”

You can watch the complete video here:

Cool, huh? I’m proud to be supporting IWD2018 and thankful to have been chosen for this campaign. I’m also thankful that the colour of gender equality isn’t orange.

Sam x

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (lifeabirdseyeview)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post Dyeing For Progress: International Women’s Day 💜 appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

Having made the bold decision to sprinkle salt on the slug of self-doubt and reveal my true self,  it was a huge relief to shrug off the oppressive costume, stand tall once more, and draw in a deep lungful of the fresh air of opportunity. However, when the curtain fell on the last act of 2017 and I packed up my old life, it was with some trepidation that I eyed up the new persona which was waiting for me in the wings.

As the calendar flipped over to the first month of a new year, I cautiously tried my new life on for size. It felt slightly uncomfortable, like anything new. You’ll need to get used to it, wear it in a bit, I told myself. Like a new school blazer, it felt scratchy; a touch too big for little old me.

Fortunately, just as I wobbled and considered slipping back into that comfortable old pantomime horse outfit (metaphorically speaking, of course – you know I wasn’t really a panto horse, right?) Stephanie Varda appeared like a fairy godmother, waving her magic wand. As happens too often to be mere coincidence, I asked the Universe for help…and there she was.

I was introduced to Stephanie, a life coach, quite by chance by a mutual contact, Kelly Topping @mktgfreelancer whom I’d met a week earlier on Twitter (Kelly has also given me other opportunities – check out her Twitter #journorequests, fellow travel and lifestyle bloggers!).

What is a life coach?

A life coach will ascertain which aspects of your life you’re keen to change and then guide you through the process of making those changes happen – through questioning, positive encouragement, breaking goals down into bitesize chunks and setting weekly challenges. My blog may be called Life: A Bird’s Eye View, but I needed an outside influence to take a bird’s eye view of my life and how to get to where I wanted to be. Stephanie was just the woman to do that.

Who is Stephanie Varda?

Stephanie is a qualified life coach who lives in Athens. After employing the services of a life coach herself, she was so impressed with the transformation in her own life that she decided to train as a coach. She has a background in teaching and volunteering, so listening and helping others has always been at the heart of her career. She advises on all aspects of life improvement and achieving your goals, but her forte is stress management and image consultancy.

What does she offer?

Stephanie offers various packages according to the needs of the client, which you can view here. The first step is to send her an initial enquiry, either by email or using the contact form on her website. She will then arrange an initial complimentary consultation, usually via Facetime or Skype, to ascertain exactly what the client requires, explain how she would help, and to discover if the client would like to proceed. If so, they will agree a course of sessions, either face-to-face or via video call. These sessions are usually weekly, with Stephanie setting tasks and exercises between sessions and checking in via messages or emails throughout the process as and when required.

What results can I expect?

Like anything, you get out what you put in. Stephanie will guide and advise you, but only you can take action. Having a savvy cheerleader on your shoulder providing useful tips, practical advice and positive encouragement is often enough to keep clients moving forward on their path to a happier, more successful future.

How was it for me?

After a few email exchanges, my initial consultation takes place via Facetime whilst I’m on holiday in Thailand. I briefly explain to Stephanie the main things I’m looking to achieve in 2018 and we agree a plan of action: 3 hour-long weekly sessions, starting soon after my return to the UK.

Session One: 6th February

Back from my holiday and feeling refreshed, I’m eager to crack on with my exciting new life. At first, I feel slightly self-conscious speaking to a stranger about my innermost hopes and dreams, yet Steph soon puts me at ease. I explain that I want to make a career of writing, blogging and ultimately write a book and have it published. I acknowledge that this may be a part-time career alongside a retail role, which I have 25 years experience in, or perhaps, given the right focus and contacts, it could be something that I’ll be able to do full time.

Stephanie listens, asks probing questions and gets me to do a few exercises, such as closing my eyes, envisaging my dream life and describing what I see. She also gets me to list three things I like and dislike about myself. She speaks in a very positive, motivational way, pushing aside my doubts and encouraging self-belief. She gives me positive affirmations and mantras to repeat. Those readers who know me IRL will know that I am an extremely energetic ‘Type A’ kinda gal, so her calm, soothing manner is completely at odds with my own fast-paced style.

Trying to tame my monkey mind can be like herding cats, so she advises me to create and adhere to a written schedule, factoring in periods of relaxation. I’m eager to spend 100% of my time on my new venture, but she explains the importance of self-care and downtime too. It’s about being productive, rather than busy, and this approach helps to manage stress levels and avoid that sense of overwhelm at the task ahead.

Session Two: 13th February

Having exchanged messages via Whatsapp since our first session, Stephanie kicks off by following up on what I previously said I’d achieve. I read out the list the things I’ve done from my daily journal and she heaps on the praise, making me feel good about the baby steps I’ve made in the right direction. She has recommended potential income channels, and we discuss where I’ve got to with those.

Although outwardly self-assured, I feel able to confide my fear of failure, thus revealing a potential chink in my armour, and Steph recommends affirmations to strengthen my positivity, and breathing exercises to de-stress and stay focused on my goals. We agree my plan of action for the week ahead.

Session Three: 22nd February

One thing about having a life coach is the accountability factor. Whilst you may be able to kid yourself, kidding a professional life coach is a tad more difficult. I squirm as I admit with a sigh that I haven’t achieved some of the things on my list from the last session. Undeterred, Stephanie helps me address the reasons why and resets goals for the week ahead. She does not judge but gives me a nudge; reminding me that it is her job to challenge me and push me forward.

Where am I now?

It’s been four weeks since my first session with Stephanie. In that time I have written 14 blog posts (I was averaging one or two a month before), one article for a travel company called Adventure Meetups which you can read here, several collaborations with brands, won a competition, attended a swanky blogger event, Luxuria Lifestyle Blogfest, where I made some great contacts for future writing opportunities and was gifted a fab goody bag, written (and rewritten ) a few chapters of my book, grown my followers across my social media channels, been interviewed for Walk In Our Shoes and invited onto a podcast. I’ve vlogged about International Women’s Day and dyed my hair purple for a IWD-related campaign.

I’ve blitzed my house from top to bottom (read my post: Tidy House, Tidy Mind) and performed a full life laundry. Perhaps the positive affirmations have been subconsciously driving me forward in other aspects of my life too, as I found the courage to end a relationship which was no longer making me happy. I’ve been approached to write for a major publication and there’s a possible new job on the horizon too. The list goes on!

Would I recommend Stephanie?

You betchya! Whilst there are some aspects of my life that still need work (such as sticking to my schedule and not falling down the social media rabbit-hole ), there’s no disputing that I’ve achieved a lot in the last month. By applying the approach that she’s taught me, I’m confident that my list of achievements will continue to grow.

So what are you waiting for?

Get in touch with Stephanie Varda – and see how she can make YOU work harder!

Stephanie’s website, Twitter account and Facebook page.

Sam x

I am not affiliated with Stephanie Varda, life coach, in any way. I received a package of life coaching sessions in exchange for an honest review. 

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (lifeabirdseyeview)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post Stephanie Varda: She’ll Make You Work Harder! appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

Walking Forward Inspirational Network is an informal group, supporting anyone who is an involuntarily childless entrepreneur or business owner, perhaps thinking: “What next?”

If this describes you, join the group here.

Read on for the full interview…

The post My Interview For ‘Walk In Our Shoes’ appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

Thank you, Bird’s Eye Viewers – you rock!

OH EM GEEEEEE!!!

I am off-the-charts DE-LIGHTED!!
Thank you so much from the bottom of my battered and oft-broken 40-something heart for voting for me in the UK Blog Awards 2018 and kicking off my New Year with the best news everrrr!!

I was idly sitting on my sofa reading someone else’s brilliant blog when the email (excerpt below) popped into my inbox and I promptly burst into tears! Then I laughed, squealed with joy and did a little happy jig around the living room.

“It’s official – you’re a shortlisted finalist for the Health & Social Care Category #UKBA18
This means a few things, so we wanted to just give you a brief breakdown of what happens now (oh and we’ve got some BIG news and we wanted you to be the first to know!)

OK, so you’re a finalist…now what? Well first of all, we hope you’re going to tell the WHOLE WORLD because this is an EPIC achievement.

Second – you are now officially on the guest list for the UK Blog Awards 2018 on April 20th at 6:30pm – you won’t have to buy a ticket (although if you’d like to bring a guest then they will need to) AND you’ll also be put onto our exclusive after party guest list (yep, you read that right, there’s going to be an INSANE VIP After party.)

Third – Our judges are meeting on the 31st January and reviewing your blog, with our final decisions being made on the 16th February.

Remember – out of the 4,000 entries and nominations that we’ve had – you are one of only 6 or 8 bloggers to have got through – that is INSANE!”

Damn straight it’s insane! I’m buzzing like a bee on speed right now!!

To say I’m PUMPED would be the understatement of the century; I am as pumped as….as….an overinflated lilo (okay, that simile might need some work but you catch my drift, right?)
If this is a taste of 2018 I’m hungry for more – bring it on, baby! If you want something, go get it! Ask the Universe – it’s listening!

Thank you once again for all your support, Bird’s Eye Viewers! You’ve given me more support over the last couple of years than my trusty Spanx – and that’s saying sumthin’!

To find out more about the UK Blog Awards and see who I’m up against, click here.

Sam x

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (Life:ABird’sEyeView)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

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The post I’m A Shortlisted Finalist In The UK Blog Awards! appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

Jackie Bleaklook hauled her weary 40-something body from the comforting cocoon of her warm bed and padded slowly into the bathroom. Peering reluctantly into the mirror, she winced at her pallid complexion, which appeared to be the exact shade and texture of cold porridge under the harsh strip light. Letting out a sigh, she acknowledged that she could postpone the doctor’s appointment no longer; this could be something serious. She’d been working extremely hard lately, but a slight feeling of “meh” had deepened into persistent pessimism. She showered and applied her makeup as she always did, day in, day out: painting on a happy smile with her trademark red lipstick and concealing the bags under her tired eyes with copious amounts of concealer.

At the doctor’s office, the empty-nester receptionists clucked and squawked into the phones, defensively covering the appointment booking system like a hen guards her eggs. Trying to get a slot with the GP was an ordeal in itself; she’d almost needed a lie-down after the monumental effort involved. Anyone would think the ladies behind the desk were being paid not to book anyone in. Jackie jostled for a seat in the packed waiting area, attempting to drown out the screaming infants and phlegmy cough of the elderly gentleman next to her as she scrolled idly through Facebook for an hour. She was just about losing the will to live when she heard her name being called.

Gesturing for her to take a seat, silver-haired Dr Spiderscrawl sat back in his chair, pushing his horn-rimmed specs up higher on the bridge of his nose in order to get a closer look at her. “What seems to be the problem?” he enquired earnestly. He had the mahogany skin tone of someone who clearly enjoyed regular Caribbean holidays and as he smiled the corners of his eyes crinkled, softening his face. Jackie took a deep breath and began listing her symptoms: lethargy, low mood, anxiety….the list went on. The doctor stole a brief glance at his expensive gold watch as she continued to rattle off an alarming amount of concerns. Jackie even surprised herself with just how many issues she’d been holding in. Once she started speaking, it was like a river that had burst its dam; the flow was unstoppable. Eventually she closed her mouth and slumped back into the seat, exhausted. She looked expectedly at the doctor. He ummed and ahhed as he took her blood pressure, peered down her throat and checked her breathing. “All work and no play makes Jackie a dull girl,” he concluded, as he removed his stethoscope. “What you need my girl is a rather large dose of….FUN.”

Dr Spiderscrawl started scrawling spider-style onto his prescription pad. He paused, thinking deeply. Changing his mind, he tore off the script and scrunched it into a ball, expertly tossing it into the waste paper basket a few feet away as Jackie looked on quizzically. “Ms Bleaklook, my dear. I’m afraid you have a classic case of Midlife Malaise, brought on by over-work and disillusionment. I’d usually prescribe Prozac and exercise, but in your case it is an emergency, so….”

He reached down into the brown leather holdall which was open at his feet and, much to Jackie’s amazement, produced a large conical flask containing a bubbling bright orange liquid. “What the…?” began Jackie. Dr Spiderscrawl held his palm up in a gesture of silence. “Listen, Ms Bleaklook, he said, in his plummy English tone. “I’m old school….or should I say Old Skool with a K. I firmly believe in the restorative power of a good night out, preferably involving a decent crowd of up-for-it revellers, loud, repetitive beats, lasers and flashing lights. Alcohol is one way to relax from the stresses of modern life, but it has adverse long-term health implications; good-quality house music does not. Fortunately I have just the remedy for you – although this one is a non-prescription drug combination, so I ask that you be discreet. I could get struck off for my, ahem, slightly unorthodox – although highly effective – methods. Not because this potion is dangerous – quite the contrary in fact – but there are pharmaceutical companies who lose a fortune when people choose these alternative remedies.

Holding aloft the conical flask betwixt bronzed and manicured fingers he smiled as he announced grandly: “let me introduce to you…Danny’s Marvellous Medicine.”

“But, but, what’s in it? And who’s Danny?!” stuttered Jackie. “Well, I can’t reveal the exact formula, because even I’m not privy to that top secret information, but let’s just say it’s a heady blend of stamina, house music, euphoria, orange-flavoured smoke, glitter and friendship. The side-effects include indescribable happiness and uncontrollable dancing, as you’re transported back to the carefree days of your youth by the restorative powers of music and freedom. Danny Gould is one of the creators of the original formula. He discovered the chemical reaction quite by accident one day back in 1993, along with his good friend Andy Manston. They decided to name the potion Clockwork Orange. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to attend to.”

He spider-scrawled on his prescription pad once more. “Go to this address on Saturday night. Tell them you are on my guestlist. Drink the potion there. Don’t be tempted to drink it at any other time or place; it won’t work properly.”

Back at the flat where she lived alone, having subconsciously dedicated a large portion of her adult life to an ungrateful boss, Jackie placed the flask of orange liquid on the windowsill and carried on with her busy working week, barely having time to eat or sleep. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a date or a night out with her friends, who were mostly mums and had different priorities these days.

By Saturday she was exhausted and considered not obeying the doctor’s orders, but by mid-afternoon her curiosity got the better of her and she could ignore the flask no longer. Lifting it gently from the windowsill, she carefully removed the cork stopper and took a tiny swig of the bubbling orange liquid. “It’s probably just Berocca,” she mused as she swallowed it down. “He’s expecting a placebo effect.” Within minutes, she knew it wasn’t simply an effervescent vitamin supplement after all: her head crackled and fizzed as if she’d eaten popping candy; she felt alert…and she was sure she could hear the faint sound of 90s house music in the distance. How strange.

Feeling suddenly energised, she hurriedly shimmied into her favourite party dress (which only now was she realising she hadn’t worn for years), wedged her feet into teetering heels and applied the sparkly makeup she’d have worn back in her clubbing days. Stepping back from the mirror, she admired her appearance. It had been a long time since she’d looked this glamorous. That potion had definitely stirred something within her. She took another small swig, before slipping the flask into her sequinned handbag and silently closing the door to the flat, the address the doctor had given her tucked into her jacket pocket.

The chilly September air took her by surprise, and she felt suddenly silly and self-conscious as she tottered to the station and stepped onto the tube dressed up to the nines. She clutched her bag in front of her bare legs, the outline of the flask against her body and the doctor’s words ringing in her ears providing some reassurance.

As she approached the venue she was aware of hordes of very animated people, all heading in the same direction. Jackie was pleasantly surprised to see that they were mostly the same age as herself, and appeared to be highly excitable. Knowing that she’d have a job getting the potion past the octopus-like bouncers, and reasoning that she was almost inside the venue, Jackie nipped around the corner, yanked off the stopper, and downed the orange liquid in one. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand in a most unladylike fashion, she stifled a belch. She caught the eye of another middle-aged woman doing the same, who winked at Jackie and tossed her own now-empty flask into a nearby bin. “First time at Clockwork?” she enquired, noticing Jackie’s nervous demeanour. “It won’t be your last.”

Finally entering the venue some time later, having queued with thousands of other partygoers eager to get inside, Jackie was instantly energised by the music: heavy bass reverberated in her chest and uplifting vocal house music caressed her ears, the words to which she was surprised to note came instantly flooding back, despite the fact she’d not heard them for years. Her feet were moving uncontrollably to the beat and she had the urge to throw her hands up in the air. She grabbed a vodka Red Bull from the bar before jostling through the crowds to get to the dj booth, by which time she’d finished her drink and was determined to focus fully on the serious business of dancing like no-one was watching. Because, well, nobody was.

Everywhere she looked people were smiling and dancing wildly, the dj seducing the crowd with soulful house music interspersed with heavier, dirtier beats. A bongo player accompanied the music and people were singing at the top of their lungs to their favourite tracks, heads thrown back, completely unselfconscious. Suddenly a welcome blast of icy air from a smoke machine hit her, cooling her sweaty body, before a giant glitter cannon exploded, sending thousands of pieces of metallic ticker-tape up into the air before landing on the writhing throng. A cheer went up. Jackie looked around her at the incredible sight of so many happy faces and realised with a jolt that she felt emotional, tearful almost. She hadn’t had this much fun in…well, forever. How had she missed all of this for so long? When had she decided to spend so much time working that she’d forgotten to have fun. How had that happened? She’d lost herself. She shook her head, sad for a moment.

She was roused from her sombre thoughts by a gorgeous tall, dark-haired guy dancing in front of her, who she realised was gesticulating wildly to attract her attention over the din of the music. Making the universal motion of bringing an invisible drink to his lips and raising his eyebrows questioningly, he put a strong arm around her waist and guided her gently in the direction of the bar. Smiling contentedly, Jackie danced towards the bar, taking his hand as he turned to kiss her on the cheek.

“Oh yes,” mused Jackie with a giggle, making a silent promise to herself to seize as much fun as possible from now on, “Clockwork Orange is just what the doctor ordered….”

Are you suffering from Mid-Life Malaise? (Trust me, it’s a very common affliction). Clockwork Orange takes place every six months in London, in March and September, as well as a weekend of events in Ibiza each July. For more information and to become a member check out the Clockwork Orange website here. 

Sam x

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (Life:ABird’sEyeView)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post Danny’s Marvellous Medicine appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

1. Glitter and face gems

No self-respecting party girl goes to a festival or Ibiza villa party without at least a smattering of facial sparkles these days, and if you know me IRL you’ll also know that I don’t like to do anything by halves. This little haul is a collection Andy and I (‘cos men like to shine too, yanno!) have built up over recent months from various sources, including Primark and New Look, although my absolute faves for quality and sparkle have to be Dust And Dance and The Gypsy Shrine:

2. Headdresses

Some people are of the view that wearing full-on feather headdresses is cultural appropriation, and disrespects Native Americans. I disagree, although I don’t necessarily fancy a debate about it when I go out partying, so rather than go the whole nine yards with a full-on traditional headdress I have worn a smaller feathered headpiece. If you want to play it safe, this little feathered headband is a gentle nod to the trend without ruffling the feathers of the party-pooper PC-brigade:

3. Feathered accessories

So if you like the idea of adding feathers to your outfit but want to stay away from hats and headdresses, the other option is to add a cute feathered bag or cape, like these fluffy little fellas from Topshop. I just had to get the bag, to be worn cross-body of course, for hands-free raving:

4. Sequins

I’m like a foraging magpie when it comes to all things sparkly, so I’m certainly no stranger to a sequin. This look may not be the height of understated sophistication, but is perfect for a fun day/night (and the next day?) of partying. My recent purchases have been this white irridescent dress from Pretty Little Thing and a bargain mint green one from Zara in the sale. Makeup in complementary shades by Kiko, my newest beauty crush. The Ibiza Nights jacket is from Pink Boutique:

​
5. Metallics

If glitter and sequins are a bit in-your-face bling for your liking, a hint of metallic looks party-ready without requiring sunnies to reflect the glare. Me, I’ll wear glitter, sequins and metallics all in one outfit, but if you prefer a more subtle approach, why not simply add a metallic bag or platform wedges to your usual look? Mine are from LilyLulu online:

I am also crushing on these rather special orange, purple and silver heels from And Other Stories, another fave Regent St haunt of mine (fine for dancefloors, not fields, mind):

Sooo now you’re all dressed up and ready to party like it’s 1999. If things get too hot in all that sparkle, just strip down to your Matthew Williamson bikini (orange of course, seeing as the party I’m attending next is the Clockwork Orange Ibiza weekender) from ASOS and shake what yo’ momma gave ya!

Enjoy!

Sam x

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (Life:ABird’sEyeView)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post My Festival Festi-haul  appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

Here’s a little taster of some of the things we spoke about:

TANIA: Tell me about yourself…

SAM: From the Deep Heat cassette tapes of the late Eighties to the current Knee Deep In Sound podcasts on iTunes, I’ve always loved vocal house, deep house and techno. Aged 17, I had my first taste of Ibiza on a Club18-30s holiday with my 12 female BFFs, returning religiously each year before settling on the White Isle aged 21 to work the summer season of 1997 and star in the Sky1 fly-on-the-wall documentary Ibiza Uncovered alongside my pal Kez Wells. It was this programme, the first-ever reality TV show, which spawned a whole new genre of guilty-pleasure television. This led to various TV appearances, magazine and radio interviews as well as several documentary follow-ups. We loved living in Ibiza so much that we did the same stint in ’98.

Tania is live on FunkySX 103.7fm on Mondays and Thursdays 3-5pm. Click here to listen to Funky SX or go to www.funky.sx

 Sam x


Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (Life:ABird’sEyeView)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post I’m A Guest On FunkySX radio appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

And lo, thanks to the almighty combined superpowers of Messrs Hashtag and Keyword, those marvellously mystical Twitter algorithms brought us together. Ahhh. It was a match made in digital heaven: I welcomed her into my Non-Mum club and in return immediately signed up to feature in her project. Naked. <Gulp>.

Are you out of your tiny mind, I asked myself? (especially since the rest of me is not quite so tiny). Why would you want to do such a thing? Well, as a childless woman I feel we are underrepresented (and often misunderstood) by society, who regard us on the whole as witches, freaks or cold-hearted cat-ladies. I fully support any initiative that seeks to tell our stories, to push back against prejudice, smash stereotypes and simply depict us as we are: human; complex; flawed – with a back-story, just like anyone else.

Time flew by, as it has a habit of doing; before I knew it I was sitting in the passenger seat of Andy’s car as he whisked us to Brighton for the Sunday morning shoot – shaved, plucked and buffed to within an inch of my life, liberally marinated in self-tan; practising sucking in my tummy without looking like a constipated warthog in the wing mirror.

At the point of setting the date for the shoot I’d started an internal dialogue, attempting to convince my sceptical inner self that we’d be eating nothing but mung beans and courgetti spaghetti in the run-up – the outcome being that I’d regularly be mistaken for Elsa Hosk or some other sylph-like Victoria’s Secret model in the photos. No need to fret about my (Non) Mum Tum or dimpled thighs. Sorted.

Of course we both knew, my inner voice and I, that this game plan was more BS than VS. I was spinning a yarn in my head; I had zero intention of sweating it out at a spin class or sitting at home of an evening farting about spiralising veg. I’d rather gouge my own eyes out with the complimentary chopsticks than exist on vegan bento boxes. It was never gonna happen. Sure enough, the pre-naked-photoshoot “diet” consisted of my usual calorie-laden carbs washed down with prosecco…but on the morning of the shoot I skipped breakfast. Yep, that should do it.

Denise greeted us at the door to her studio in the hippy haven of Brighton and we set about prepping for the money shot. As the women in the sequence must all be photographed in the same way – curled in the reverse foetal position on a bed, shot from above – it was vital that everything was just so. Denise has been working on the series for two years now, gradually expanding her portfolio of images of childless women. I’m number 17 in the sequence, with her target being 66, so there’s a fair way to go. It’s a work in progress; already exhibited at Somerset House in London as well as in Cologne; nominated for a Sony World Photography Award amongst many others and has attracted tons of media attention. Denise, herself a childless woman aged 49, says: “Mum’s Not The Word brings together images of the female form, positioned in the foetal position, in reverse. The foetus is representational of an intimate and introspective metaphysical investigation. It is a posture that relates to the female as reproducer and acts as a metaphor for the seed within and the world without.”

To further personalise the piece, each woman involved brings her own duvet cover, something which I found comfortingly familiar as I disrobed and got into position on the bed. The camera clicked; Denise busied herself around me, arranging my hair, the mattress and the bedding, giving me directions as to the exact positioning of my hands and feet. Andy assisted with lighting; he enjoyed being involved in “creating art” as he put it. A few minor issues with annoying shadows and ugly creases (on the bedcovers, not me, fortunately)….and then we were done!

I got dressed and we gathered around excitedly to check out the photographs on Denise’s laptop. Sure, I had my rounded belly and the VS girls wouldn’t be out of a job anytime soon, but I felt empowered, elated. I was proud of myself; finally accepting of my body and forgiving it for the fact that I’ll never be a mother. I looked perfectly imperfect – refreshing in today’s world of photoshop, airbrushing and adding filters.

The figure in the picture is strong; real; vulnerable; at peace. The figure in the picture is me. Each image in the series is briefly captioned with the subject’s story in her own words. We represent a growing number of women who aren’t mothers for various reasons, but are still valid members of society with a lot to offer; we don’t want to remain invisible.

I may be a Non, but I’m not Anon.

If you’re a Non-Mum interested in taking part in Denise Felkin’s project Mum’s Not The Word or you know someone who may be, please share this blog post with them or contact Denise directly at denisefelkin@hotmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and join the Mum’s Not The Word Facebook group. 

Sam x


Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (Life:ABird’sEyeView)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post Mum’s Not The Word appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

Back at the beginning of March, I wrote this post entitled You’re Ovary Acting in aid of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and pledged to hold my own event to raise funds and awareness for gynae cancer charity, The Eve Appeal. Having set the date for my Make Time For Tea charity fundraiser, I figured I’d best tackle two of my all-time personal pet hates: coffee and cooking.

I know most humans are drawn to coffee like cats to catnip, but for me it’s a major turn-off: the aroma, the bitter taste, the tar-like appearance. Just…no. Similarly, the very notion of trying to conjure up a Jamie Oliver creation in 30 short minutes is completely alien to me – I mean why would you even put yourself under that kind of undue pressure? Just thinking about pans bubbling over and utensils clattering is enough to bring me out in hives. The thing with cooking is that there’s just so much effort involved. You do the maths: take a gazillion ingredients, add several different cooking durations and temperature requirements, sprinkle in a few distractions such as Facebook and the telly, then subtract the luxury of enough time…equals so many opportunities for things to go pear-shaped. Far too much admin, if you ask me.

Fortunately, my distaste for all things coffee and culinary is countered by a love of tea and eating, so with a little determination I was able to overcome my lazy-girl issues and get cracking with the preparations. Well, it’s all for charidee, mate, after all. As my partner Andy imports coffee for a living, he supplied the good stuff (I’ll take his word for it), then I rolled up my sleeves and got my bake on…

Now I doubt Mary Berry will be fearing for her job anytime soon, but I have to say my lemon drizzle cakes (yes, plural!) came out remarkably well – so much so that a couple of friendly neighbourhood mice (or perhaps it was my parents), scurried in and nibbled one of them and I had to bake another. Weirdly, I didn’t mind at all – having overcome my concerns about the edibility of anything I could create in the kitchen, got past the faff of having to buy all the various cake-making components and worked out how to grate lemon zest without reducing my acrylic-nailed fingertips to bloody stumps, I actually began to relax and enjoy the bake. There may have been a flour cloud above my head and sticky lemon juice on every available surface, but licking the bowl was heavenly and the finished result made up for all the mess.

Whilst I cooked up a storm in the kitchen, my family rallied round to help get my house tea party-ready: mum loaning me the best family china; dad repainting my battered garden furniture that has definitely seen better days. My sister took one sceptical look at my child-unfriendly house full of angular units and breakables and began carrying out a full risk assessment…quickly concluding that a trip to her place to collect enough primary-coloured bits of plastic to open our own branch of Toys R Us was required. (Later, when I clocked her easing grubby little mitts off my travel memorabilia and back towards the toys I was extremely grateful for her contribution).

Zipping round the supermarket for some prefessionally-baked back-ups, I was aware of the judgemental glances of other shoppers; eyes sliding away as I clocked them peering at the cake mountain in my trolley: lemon meringue pie, swirly strawberry cheesecake, scones, red velvet cake, Taste The Difference carrot, morello cherry bake (that one was delicious, by the way) – you name it, I bought it. I looked like some crazed sugar junkie on a bender. I slung in a few bottles of prosecco for good measure and I was good to go.

On the morning of my event I awoke early to prepare the treat-filled feast for my guests. Having performed yet another last-minute supermarket sweep, the spread was looking even more bountiful: baked goods balanced on every surface. Sprinkling heart confetti on the table and adding flowers, I stepped back to admire my handiwork…

My sister, mum and cousins were my first guests to arrive. A special mention must go to my cuzzy Lucy Blake, a cake-baking whizz, whose impressive cupcakes complete with Eve Appeal logos and edible glitter drew gasps of delight from my guests.

Hungry ladies began arriving in their droves and we finally allowed my little nephew Hayden to get stuck into the cake table – something he’d been slyly attempting for the last hour, his mum and I swatting him away until the other guests arrived.

All my nail-biting fears of no-shows, mumbled apologies and texts of regret dissipated as the doorbell chimed; the tea was poured, the cafetière plunged and cakes gratefully eaten. Neighbours popped in, friends dutifully appeared; there were even a few surprise appearances and tears.

A timely collaboration with those lovely folk at TeaTourist meant that as well as my trusty PG Tips, I also had an abundance of interesting herbal tea blends to offer my guests. Available as a one-off purchase, a thoughtful gift or a monthly subscription, the company selects an array of carefully-crafted artisan teas from various respected suppliers and then delivers them to your door in a slimline box that fits easily through the letterbox, so no hanging around for deliveries. The complementary taster box I received included some intriguing flavours such as Chocolate Orange and the cinnamon-tinged Mulled Apple Brandy – although my favourite of them all is Rose and Strawberry. Each taster sachet has enough for four cups and includes information about the tea as well as the company who produce it, along with a discount code if you’d like to repurchase directly. Seeing as there’s a subscription box for just about everything these days, it makes sense to have one for tea too. (Use code FIRST10 for 10% off your first box).

By mid-afternoon the first sitting of tea-guzzlers had thinned out, so there was just time for a quick washing-up session and a replenish of cakes before round two. By this point I was buzzing: partly due to the sugar rush from all the cake-sampling, but even more so upon seeing my strategically-placed collection boxes overflowing with crisp banknotes. Way to go, ladies!

To add to the warm fuzzy feeling that gave me inside, Mother Nature provided a warm fuzzy feeling on the outside: Thursday 30th March turned out to be the hottest March day for five years, enabling us to spend the entire afternoon in the garden eating yet more cake and quaffing prosecco. High five, Sister!

The final guests left at 6pm, so I kicked off my shoes, had a cup of Wilderness Honeybush from my TeaTourist box and totted up the funds raised. The cash on the day totalled £265, with another £298 via my Just Giving account, giving a grand total of £563! Add to that the 25% gift aid and the total raised climbed to £703.75! How cool is that?! A pretty productive day, if I do say so myself…

So on behalf of The Eve Appeal and myself I’d like to say a huge and heartfelt “Thank you!” to everyone who donated to my campaign – either in person or online. Your generous contributions will enable this fabulous charity to continue their great work: protecting women’s health by helping prevent gynae cancers.

The word I’d use to sum up the day? Much like the cakes themselves actually:

“Sweet!”

The post Make Time For Tea – in association with TeaTourist appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.