I’m super pleased with myself because on 17th October I started my Christmas shopping! Yes, that’s right. I hit TKMaxx and managed to find a few bits.

For obvious reasons I can’t list them here (you never know who’s reading), but it feels good to be ultra-prepared – this is the earliest I’ve actually been shopping.

And the other thing I’m super chuffed about this month is that I went on a candle-making class with a few friends (see the main pic!). It was especially important to me as this guy uses only plant-based products to make the candles so there are no nasties in them at all. We all made our own scents and could give them a name – mine was Dr Mle (Elm Road backwards), with Elm Road being the name of the candle company.

We all enjoyed the class and decided that it would be good to do some sort of crafting class once in a while, so I’m now on the case in looking up local classes – so far I have upcycling and pottery making on my research list!

#BCDiaries

Nothing much to report on the breast cancer side of things, but I did have some MLD the other day (manual lymphatic drainage), and I did find it really helpful with the fluid retention in my arm.

The only thing is, sessions are £60 a pop and not something I can afford to do on a monthly basis. I’m hoping to get some funding from Benenden to help with the treatment – my goal being to improve my condition so I get on top of it rather than it controlling me.

But there is something that I really want to share on here that I think is important. When I went to see my MLD nurse for treatment, she asked me if I’d heard of something called Phluffing The Girls, conceived by Cheryl Chapman. The look on my face must have said it all. But here’s what I learned…

Chapman says…“Breasts are the least touched part of a woman’s body. The body’s immune system circulates lymph fluid to destroy cancer cells, viruses, bacteria, microorganisms, toxins and waste material. When the lymph fluid is restricted (as with a bra), the lymph fluid cannot circulate freely.”

So….by adopting a ‘Phluffing The Girls’ technique on a daily basis, we can soften the breast and increase awareness of changes in the tissue – and remember, early detection saves lives. Below is more information, but you can visit Chapmans page and download a pdf to print for yourself.

Blog life & business

I’m super proud of myself this month because I FINALLY finished uploading my Favourites page on the blog! It’s been a long time coming as I worked on it in the background, but I had enough content to post so it’s up and running – it contacts everything from my morning routine and how I earn money, to bucket lists and blog I enjoy.

I also managed a couple of new blog posts – New Porch Décor On A Budget – using stickers, I managed to transform my porch into something quite cool! I also put together 13 Fab Tips To Blog Like A Boss When You Work Full Time. Having three jobs, running a blog and raising a family, you can imagine how busy I am. But we do what we can to bring in an income don’t we? I’m very fortunate to love the jobs that I do – and I look forward to doing them, but it’s hard to juggle them AND run a blog that has become my hobby. So I thought others might appreciate some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned to help that process go smoother.

I was lucky to receive some gorgeous mini ‘Happy Cards’ from The Happy Design Company this month – I love the ethos behind the company (spreading positivity, motivation & happiness), and I can see how I’d utilise the cards. Sending them to my nearest and dearest (important right now when we’re going through unpredictable times), popping in the kids’ lunch box or school bag to remind them they are loved, leaving in VIP’s shoe to remind him we’re a team – and now I’m thinking of making a montage of positive quotes to stick next to my desk. They also make a unique gift for someone too – great with Crimbo on its way! You can check the site out here.

In other news, my wonderful Tropic bag arrived so I could put all my goodies into it. It’s an incentive that us Tropic Ambassadors aspire to achieving and I was delighted that I had affectionately named ‘the BB’ (for the bloody bag!)

The BB, full of my Tropic products takes pride of place in my boudoir so that I can pamper myself to my heart’s content. I’m still loving being an ambassador – selling skincare and cosmetics whose ingredients are 100% naturally derived, vegan and cruelty-free. But I also love the fact that for every £50 of products I sell, I’m helping some underprivileged kid in Cambodia, Nepal or Myanmar get a day of education. And that’s the real feel-good factor right there. If you fancy joining my Facebook Group I’m right here!

Especially for my Tropic newsletter subscribers (you can sign up here), I have started producing videos showcasing some of the products. My latest two showcase the Dream Team collection and the Men’s ‘Groom For Improvement” collection – which would you believe it have sold out and won’t be back in until mid-November! – you can can watch the video here!

And I’ve also recently produced a ‘Beautiful baubles’ video – skincare baubles for you, your family or your friends to hang on the tree.

My latest purchases

I bought and have started reading a book called Letter To My Younger Self, where 100 inspiring people (from Danny DeVito to 50 Cent) have written about the moments that shaped their lives. The idea came from The Big Issue, when it began to ask some of the most interesting and most successful figures in entertainment, politics, food, sport and business to give advice, offer hope and share a few jokes with their younger selves. What I love is that all royalties from the sales of the book go to The Big Issue to continue their work dismantling poverty and promoting social justice.

I’ve also gone and signed up for something called the FlexPlus account with Nationwide. My parents told me about it and it seems like a great deal. For just £13 a month, I receive worldwide family travel insurance policy, UK & European Breakdown and Recovery Assistance Cover AND Worldwide Family Mobile Phone Insurance Policy. It’s great to have peace of mind on insurance – now all I need is to find a great deal for pet insurance! If you have any suggestions – please let me know!

The other thing I discovered, after being bought The AncestryDNA Testing Kit is that I really am half Turkish and half English – oh and a bit Scottish too, which is apt as I’ve just returned from a mini getaway to the wonderful city of Edinburgh. With Christmas coming up, this makes an unusual gift for a family member or friend.

What I’m grateful for

I’ve been inundated with work for my new business, Luna Creative Media, and it’s wonderful to be able to spread some joy, use my creativity and deliver some bespoke videography for local clients. I’m really very lucky to be able to work for myself and I remind myself of that every day.

My goals from last month included

1. Upload my favourites to the blog – oh yes! I finally did it!
2. Start taking up regular exercise again – I start this Friday…I’m signed up at the gym
3. Keep on top (as much as possible) a schedule so I feel I can cope with the workload. I’ve got much better at this and I’m feeling the overwhelm a bit less.

My goals for November include

1. Start my Christmas shopping in earnest!
2. Look into getting a landing page for my videography business
3. Look into getting a little site for Tropic

I’d love to hear how your October went – and what you’re looking forward to in November.

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