My Pregnancy Update ~ Week 20

Ohhhhhhhhhh....we're half way there....now that I've got Bon Jovi stuck in your head to, I'm going to get right down to things.

I have been following my Instagram friend Kendra (VeganStrong) 's pregnancy updates on her blog, and it's made me realise how her posts are such a lovely way to document her pregnancy. I'm going to be borrowing from her prompts and sharing more of my pregnancy journey with you here.

I have made a couple of videos (click here to see them) but videos take a whole lot longer to create (not to mention the hours and hours and hours they take to upload on the farm) and so I thought I'd start a series of pregnancy posts.

I think I'll do a round up of the first 20 weeks at another time but today I'm going to jump right into my first official post in this series, and start where I am today (May 13th) and that's in Week 20.

How Far Along:

20 weeks (or 5 months for my friends who have yet to understand the whole 'weeks and days counting method that pregnant women rule their lives by). I'm technically half way there if our little one decides to join us on the exact due date (which is Sept 22nd).

Size/Food Comparison:

Cantaloupe (Spanspek or sweet melon for my South African friends) and weighs about 300g.

Weight gain:

7kg's

Considering my little one only weighs 300g...I can't blame it all on her. Im going to go with the fact that my blood volume has increased dramatically, and not blame it all on the hot cross buns.

Gender:

I planned on doing a whole gender reveal with the whole balloon/part/cake surprise shebang and then life kind of ran away with me. So I'll let you all in on the surprise...we are having a little girl <3

Everyone who knows me would have assumed I always want to have girls (maybe it's my love of all things pink and girly?) but before I was pregnant, I ONLY wanted boys.

Five of them.

The idea of a little girl going through all my makeup and cosmetics gave me shivers...I am fiercely protective over my things... but since I found out I was pregnant, I have been secretly hoping it would be a little girl.

I definitely want a boy (or two, or three!) but I am delighted to know our first will be a little girl. Now here's to hoping she gets my dark hair and her Dad's gorgeous blue eyes!

Baby bump:

It's most definitely there, and no longer mistakable for an over indulgence in Wimpy hamburgers or hotcross buns!

All jokes aside, I have been eating very cleanly 85% of the time as I do understand how important your diet is. Also, baby really has no choice in the matter and it's not fair to give them junk food when what they really need is healthy and nutritious things to help them grow big and strong. But I will tell you this, your willpower will diminish in pregnancy...those cravings are every bit as out of control as people say!

Movement:

I haven't felt anything yet, or at least I haven't been able to distinguish kicks from gas and other normal tummy movements and changes. I THINK I may have felt a few little butterfly kicks a few days ago...but it may also have been the Kale chips I had for re-dinner snack.

Sleep:

I haven't been sleeping too badly. My first trimester I was up A LOT during the night to go to the bathroom (which is harder and harder to do now that it's getting so cold!) and then had a very good first few weeks of my second trimester. Now that I'm a month into my second trimester, I'm up at least once a night to go to the bathroom. I do toss and turn a bit at night, but in general I've been sleeping well. Speaking of sleeping and tossing & turning, I'll be doing a full review on a preggy cushion soon. I'll also go into more detail about how I have/haven't been liking it so far. Stay tuned for that.

Exercise:

I've been trying to keep up with my walking, but having an extra 7kg's of body weight (I'm quite petite and only weigh 62kg's now) really takes it's toll on you. I find just walking around the garden makes me quite of of breath.

I have been LOVING Pilates though, and have been going at least once a week since the start of the year. I don't go to any fancy preggy Pilates classes...I'm luckily enough that we even actually have a qualified Pilates instructor here in my small farm town...but I did tell my instructor that I was pregnant from the beginning so she's aware and was able to discreetly help me with certain positions in the beginning. Now that it's my tummy is very obviously in the way, certain positions are harder, but it leaves my body feeling amazing, and ALLLLL that stretching is only good for the time labour and birth come around.

Clothing:

I can no longer wear any of my pre-preggy pants, and am loving my recent CherryMelon purchases I made on the Spree app. They even delivered to my tiny town within 10 days! Now that's impressive. I'm a HUGE fan of their linen shorts, and the side guage T-shirts are so flattering and comfy. I've never felt 100% comfy wearing tight tops, even though I've always been in pretty good shape. My body shape is on the curvy side, and I've always felt a bit self conscious wearing tight tops around my tummy. But now, I'm all for showing off my belly and love that I no longer have to hold my tummy in all the time...it's wonderful!

Being here on the farm is also much easier when it comes to clothes, as I'm mostly in a pair of tracksuit pants or shorts, and Farmboy's baggy shirts. I think I would be having a much harder time if I was living in town and wanted to look nice everyday. Luckily the cows here don't really mind me looking like a scruff ball.

How I’m feeling:

Great! I've been very lucky and had a very easy pregnancy so far. No morning sickness...teeny tiny moments of nausea, and only a bit of fatigue in the first trimester. I have had a few very bad moments of heartburn lately (I've pin pointed to a combination of carbs and fizzy drinks which only happen when we go away for the weekend) and so have stopped buying my favourite Sparkling water from Woolies. Living out on the farm means we don't have a lot of access to treats and other snacks so I'm thankful, and we mainly eat a low carb diet during the week.

I've only had Rennies on hand for the heartburn and it has seemed to help. But I'm making sure to stock up on Gaviscon for our upcoming trip to Italy next week. Any other heartburn remedies you may know? Please let me know in the comments below :)

My eczema has also flared up in the last few weeks, and seems to have made it's way onto my face. The areas around my chin, nose and sides of my lips are SO dry. I've had to completely adjust my skincare routine (let me know if you'd like a post on that too!) and have it sort of under control. The change of seasons has also been a huge culprit so here's hoping my skin settles in the next few weeks.

Cravings/Aversions:

I'm still not really into tea. Our farm milk is full cream and I find I've gone off having it in my tea & coffee. I have the odd cup of coffee (which I always enjoy when made by my Father-In-Law...I have no idea why?!) but I haven't been very strict with caffeine allowances (or any other diet do's and don'ts when it comes to being pregnant).

I've even been drinking our farm milk (which is unpasteurised...and many mommy-to-be's would be horrified that I've been drinking it) but it's not practical for me to be married to a dairy farmer and living on a dairy farm and not drink the milk. I have found I've naturally gone off the taste so don't drink very much of it anyway.

My cravings throughout my entire pregnancy have been pretty savoury in nature:

• Salt & Vinegar chips with tuna (literally, using the chips to eat the tuna out of the can...don't judge me till you try it!)
• Cheese Doritos
• Hotcross buns 
• Pretty much ALL carbs (I have now found pretty a good balance and use cous couse for meals instead of pasta etc when I'm really cravin something filling)

If you're interested in what meals I've been eating, let me know in the comments below and I'll do a post on light/low carb pregnancy meal ideas

What I miss:

• Lying on my tummy. I like to sleep on my side with my one leg pulled up, but my poor tummy just gets squashed and it's sooo uncomfortable.
• My 5 cups of tea a day.
• Easily putting my socks on! Can't believe what a mission this simple task has become! 

Nursery:

So far we have our compactum (which I picked up second hand in Durban and after a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint it looks as good as new) and I've ordered our cot (from CoziCot which has their showroom in Joburg).

Purchases:

I've bought a few cheapie receiving blankets and bits of fabric to attempt to sew my own pre-folds and flats to use with cloth nappies/diapers. I'll keep you updated with how that goes. 

Hubby:

Farmboy gets a shock every time he sees my tummy. It's a very happy shock and he can't resist hugging it and having long chats to his little girl. It's been such a wonderful seeing how excited he gets when he is reminded (by my bulging belly) that he is going to be a Dad soon. He is also very excited to carry her around the farm and take her to the dairy in the early mornings and show her the cows and chickens.

Best part of the week:

Our 20 week ultrasound. We had an in-depth visit with the Sonographer who did a very detailed scan of all of baby's organs and body parts. We were even able to see how full her little bladder was. It was pretty incredible!

But, we are probably going to be moving Gynae's when we get back from our overseas trip mid June. I am really happy with my Gynae, but she charges so far above medical aid rates that it's just ridiculous. Every time we see her it's an extra R800 on top of what medical aid covers. We are on a hospital plan with Momentum, but also have their Maternity plan which is really great. We also have Gap cover for when baby comes and I'm in hospital, but having to pay so much ontop of those fees (especially considering how often the Gynae insists on seeing you!) I think we are going to make a move to a Momentum associated specialist. Luckily I have found another lady not too far away who charges only medical aid rates. I am in two minds about switching, as I have been really happy with my current Gynae. But as my pregnancy has been so easy so far, I don't think I will have any problems moving. And if I find I'm not happy with the new lady, there is still enough time for me to move back. So will keep you updated on that front too.

Can’t wait for:

Our trip to Italy & the Mamamagic Baby Expo next week! I'm in Joburg at the moment seeing family (plus I needed my moms expert sewing hands to get a good start on sewing cloth nappies) and Farmboy will join me next Thursday. We fly to Italy next Friday for a wonderful holiday (or babymoon as it's affectionately called) to adventure, eat all the gelato & pasta and simply enjoy some special alone time before baby gets here in September.

Until the next update!

Lots of love

x

Shadow The Korean Jindo at home in South Africa

It's nearly been a whole year since our rescue pup, Shadow The Jindo, arrived on South African soil.

Farmboy and I found Shadow as a teeny tiny little ball of fluff wondering along a dark country road late at night. We were living & teaching English in South Korea at the time, and had absolutely no plans, whatsoever, to adopt a dog. We were far too independent,  loved traveling, and if we were to get a pet, we would absolutely have to bring them back home to South Africa with us. Taking animals to South Africa is FAR more expensive than taking them to any other country (bar the UK which is also crazy) and so it never once crosses our minds. That is, until Shadow came along an stole our hearts.

Here he is as a teeny tiny pup:

If you're wondering what a Jindo is, it's a dog breed native to South Korea. Not much is known about them, and they aren't seen much outside of Korea unless bred by authorised breeders. A lot of the 'street' dogs in Korea are Jindo mixes, just like our precious pup Shadow.

Pure breed Jindo's come in 5 main coat colourings (white, brown/yellow, brindle, black & tan and grey). Shadow is of the 'black & tan' variety, but is most definitely a mix due his long hair and very long ears. We think he is crossed with Husky/German Shepard, but there is no real knowing unless a DNA test is done. He has 100% all of the characteristics of a Jindo (click here to read more about the breed) and we just adore him.

Shadow grew up in our teeny tiny Korean apartment, and is now loving his life roaming the wide open spaces of dairy farm life now that we are home in South Africa. We've had a few issues with him and getting his bathroom routine sorted out (well these issues are more to do with the fact that he is an incredibly private dog when it comes to his toilet time, and now regards out entire garden as his 'home' and will not, under any circumstances, soil his home!). This means he quite literally  'holds it in' until I take him for a walk where we can run free and find a suitably private place to do his business. Funny dog this one haha.

Anyway, here are some recent photographs I've taken of him in the months since we have been home. He is such a happy pooch, and the most incredible dog either of us have ever had. We both can't wait for the many happy years ahead of him as a big brother to our little baby coming along in September this year. My camera is going to be FULL of baby and pup pictures...I can't wait!

In the mean time, I hope you enjoy these photographs.

x

You can follow Shadow on his adventures with his cat siblings over on Instagram:

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Free Stock Photos for Bloggers, Creatives & Business Owners

We are nearing the end of the first quarter of 2017 and to make your life a little easier when it comes to your blog & social media graphics, I've just released a new set of feminine styled stock photographs just for you.

If you're new around these parts, you might not know about the CGScreative Resource library; a treasure trove of resources for Bloggers, Creatives & Business Owners. 

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The CGScreative resource library is a FREE online space filled with blogging worksheets, business resources & helpful printables.

It's also filled with what has made my library famous; my unique selection of styled & natural stock imagery.

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Here's a little sneak peek into what's inside:

The CGScreative resource library is a pretty space for bloggers, creatives & business owners & is  designed to be a place that helps you grow your blog or business and a place to visit to feel inspired.

And now I'm sure you're probably wondering how you can gain access. To keep the library exclusive (and to make sure that only serious creatives have access) you only need  pop your email in the little space below.

Join the CGScreative Resource & Stock Photo Library!

* indicates required

First Name

Email Address *

By popping your email address above you'll be joining the  CGScreative mailing list. From there I'll be sending you the password for the resource library will allow you to log in.

You'll be able to download any and all of the resources and you can rest easy with regards to image copyright as my photographs are licensed under a creative commons license.  This means you can use the photos for all non-commercial purposes i.e you can use them for anything related to your blog or business that you are not intending to sell.

Feel free to crop the photos, add text to them or layer them with other images and graphics to create the perfect visuals for your site.

---

Here's a pretty Pin to add to Pinterest so you can ave this post & come back later. Simply hover your mouse over the image and then click the little red Pinterest button in the top left corner.

I add new items to the library every month, so the content always stays fresh. I hope you find these resources useful to you in your blogging or business journey and I look forward to seeing how you use them.

If you do enjoy them, post a photo on Instagram of your experience with these resources and use the hashtag #CGScreative. I would love to share your images on my social media accounts (with your permission of course!) for extra exposure to your blog or business.

Join the CGScreative Resource & Stock Photo Library!

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Happy blogging friends!

Prenatal Vitamins - the low down on what to take as well as some South African brand names I recommend

One of the first things you will start reading about once you are pregnant (or perhaps you were very prepared before hand and had already started taking these) is the advice to take a good prenatal vitamin.

If you have been trying to have a baby, you will probably have already been taking one for a while, but if you are pregnant already and haven't been taking one yet, don't worry too much but start taking one as soon as you can. Not only is your body going to need lots more nutrients in the coming months, but your little bundle is going to need all the help he/she can get to start growing.

There is  lot of great info out there on the quantities you need of each vitamin, but as I am not really a label reader and was very relaxed in my first few weeks of pregnancy, here are the basics:

1. Folic Acid (good for BEFORE, DURING & AFTER pregnancy)

Neural tube defects occur at a very early stage of development, before many women even know they're pregnant – which is why it's recommended to start taking folic acid before you start trying to conceive.

Recommended Dosage: 500 micrograms or (5 milligrams) per day

You don't need to buy a fancy folic acid, you can get a bottle of them (little yellow pills) over the counter at Clicks or Dischem. Just make sure you do check the labels properly...I nearly walked out with what I though was a really great deal on Folic Acid at Clicks, only to look closer and see that the R22 bottle was for 0.5 micrograms per tablet.

Folic Acid is a teeny tiny yellow pill that is taken once a day. If you take nothing else for the duration of your pregnancy, at least ensure you take Folic Acid.

Price: +-R80 for 100 tablets (which is just over 3 months supply)

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2. Prenatal Multivitamin

Pregnavit M ~ (BEFORE, DURING & AFTER pregnancy)

For the first 3 months I took Pregnavit M (pictured above) which I bought from Clicks and Dischem for about R70 for 30 capsules. I had NO idea what was considered a 'good' prenatal multivitamin, and so picked something that was middle of the range in terms of price. After going to my Gynae for our first check up, she mentioned that most of them are much of a muchness, and so I finished all of the capsules I had before going on to a fancier brand.

Pregnavit M contains folic acid (but not as much as is recommended) so I took both this as well as a Folic Acid tablet once a day for the first 3 months.

I wasn't great about taking either of these vitamins  and as much as the internet and some mommies out there will frighten you into thinking, baby and I seem to be doing okay ;)

Bear in mind that no multivitamin can take the place of (or should ever take the place of) a good balanced diet.

I'm not talking about the occasional hot cross bun or packet of chips you may have guzzled in bed last night.

I'm referring to a diet that consists of mostly fruit and vegetables, low GI or complex carbs (for those of us not able to stick completely to the Banting/Low Carb High Fat eating plan) like rice cakes, oats and whole grains as well as a good amount of dairy. I have been a bit all over the place with my eating habits over the last 4 months of pregnancy, but I do make sure to eat clean/healthily about 75% of the time. I'm planning on doing a blog post on my pregnancy eating habits soon, so bear with me on that one!

Recommended Dosage: 1 capsule per day

Price: +-R70 for 30 capsules (1 months supply)

Preg Omega Plus~ (BEFORE, DURING & AFTER pregnancy)

PregOmega Plus is seen as the Gucci of the prenatal vitamin world, and as such carries with it a hefty price tag (+-R250 per box). Luckily my sister-in-law gave me the heads up that you can often buy it on special at Clicks for about R190 - R220 and so I waited until I saw it was on special before stocking up. I've been taking it for the past 2 weeks.

It's more of a pain to take because each 1 month supply box comes with 3 separate tablets (30 vitamin and mineral tablets, 30 Omega-3 Fish Oil vegicaps and 30 Calcium, Vitamin D and Magnesium combination tablets). It also contains folic acid (a whole lot more than the recommended dosage) and extra calcium to promote good bone and teeth health. This means you don't need to take Folic Acid alongside this multi-vitamin so at least there's that.

**I was told by a friend that her Medical Aid covers one box of pre-natal vitamins a month, and she is able to claim back for the full cost of the Pregomega Plus. So make sure to read the fine print on your medical aid policy to check whether you can claim back for prenatal vitamins**

Recommended Dosage: 1 capsule from each foil pack per day (3 in total) after meals

Price: +-R250 for 90 capsules (1 months supply)

There is a Pregomega version (without the Plus) which is a bit cheaper than the Plus version, but it doesn't contain the calcuim, magnesium or Vitamin D tablets.

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Are there any great prenatal vitamin brands that I'm missing in this post? I'd love to hear from you!

Please leave me a comment below letting me know what you took while pregnant, and if there's anything else that us mommy-to-be's need to know about prenatal vitamins!

Previous Client Work: Bespoke Brand Photography for Travel Blog - Live Learn Venture

Just before finishing up our final year in South Korea, I had the pleasure of working with Natasha, the lady behind the popular travel blog Live Learn Venture.

Natasha had gotten in touch with me to work on her brand photography for her travel blog, and was in the middle of a rebrand. She needed beautiful, high resolution images for her to use on her blog posts, as part of graphics for the main layout of her website and also wanted some updated headshots. All of what she needed forms part of Creative Headshot package (click here for more info) and we got started straight away on the planning stage of her shoot.

I also worked alongside my stylist friend Samantha (find her over at There She Goes Again) who is incredible at what she does. I've worked on lots of styled shoots with Sam and always love the energy and creativity she brings to shoots. 

The Live Learn Venture brand is feminine and fun, but Natasha wasn't sure what her brand colours would end up being, and so we used the shoot to determine that for her. Using the backgrounds and textures of the various locations we shot at, it was very clear that shades of peach, grey and brown would form a big part of her new brand.  A big part of my work is ensuring my clients feel 100% comfortable in front of my camera, and this is how I am able to ensure I capture the personality and essence of each client and their brand. I loved working with Natasha, and I have loved seeing her brand develop and evolve since this shoot. She has put all of her new brand images to use on her new website, and it's incredible how the images have helped  her develop a wonderful cohesive style.

Below are a selection of the images I created exclusively for Live Learn Venture. If you're interested in finding out more about my headshot packages, then please feel free to get in touch. Each package includes a good mixture of styled stock type images as well as pretty portraits.

Enjoy!

x

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Find out more about working with me on your own brand images by clicking the button below. I'm so looking forward to hearing from you!

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Want to see more of my previous client work? I've worked with florists, skincare product designers, copyrighters, yoga enthusiasts, life coaches, bloggers and just about everyone in between. Click here to see more of my previous work.

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Wondering whether you need brand photography and how you would even use it?

Click below to find out more:

We're having a baby!

We have such happy news to share with you today! We will be welcoming a little bundle into the world in September this year, and we couldn't be more excited.

I have to be very honest and say I wasn't sure I was ever going to feel 'ready' for kids, but that feeling of readiness really does come to you when the time is right. Of course, it doesn't alway happen as quickly as it did for us (the moment we both decided the time was right, I was basically instantly pregnant) and I know a lot of people for whom the process can take a while.

Everyone's body is completely unique, and you really just have no idea how long things will take or what your pregnancy will be like. It's great hearing other ladies share their stories as it helps to open your mind as to what might happen for you. But definitely be prepared for the chance that it might take a whole lot longer (or a whole lot shorter) than your friends.

On that note, I read the most amazing book that covers everything and anything you've ever wanted to know about getting pregnant, but were too nervous to ask. I learned SO much from this book and can't help but tell everyone I know about it. Even if you're not thinking about having kids now, this book will help you prepare mentally & physically for what's to come. It helped me understand why I kept getting negative results on my pregnancy tests, even though I just knew that I was pregnant (turns out there is a waiting period after actual conception and you won't be able to test for pregnancy until your next period is due...around 2 weeks later).

The book I keep mentioning is The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant and I just loved every page. It's written by Jean M. Twenge who is as informative as she is funny, and each chapter is filled with everything you need to know about getting pregnant, including when you can test for pregnancy, how to prepare your body both physically and mentally and it also has a whole chapter dedicated to natural ways of enhancing your fertility.

I actually only bought the book for the chapter on how soon you can test whether you're pregnant, but found every single page to be full of useful information.

It's not just for first time mom either, Jean also talks about trying to conceive baby number 2 and 3 and also goes into great depths dispelling myths around older women not being as likely to fall pregnant as younger women. It's a must read for anyone even thinking about possibly having a baby at some point in their lives.

I am now in the last week of my first trimester (I'm 12 weeks pregnant) and that means I'm a third of the way there...eeeek! Nine months has always felt like a long time, but it's just flying by. 

And now for something a little different.

I've decided to create short weekly/monthly (I haven't decided how often I'm going to make them) videos to document my pregnancy, and I've just wrapped up the first one.

I hope you enjoy this little look into my pregnancy so far, and if you have any questions/comments/queries please feel free to leave me a comment below! 

Unique & Feminine Stock Photos for Bloggers, Creatives & Business Owners

It's the start of a new year (even though we are already heading towards the end of January...how is this possibe?) and make your life a little easier when it comes to your blog & social media, I've created a set of feminine styled stock photographs just for you.

If you're new around these parts, you might not know about the CGScreative Resource library; a treasure trove of resources for bloggers, creatives & business owners. 

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The CGScreative resource library is a FREE online space filled with blogging worksheets, business resources & helpful printables.

It's also filled with what has made my library famous; my unique selection of styled & natural stock imagery.

---

Here's a little sneak peek into what's inside:

The CGScreative resource library is a pretty space for bloggers, creatives & business owners & is  designed to be a place that helps you grow your blog or business and a place to visit to feel inspired.

And now I'm sure you're probably wondering how you can gain access. To keep the library exclusive (and to make sure that only serious creatives have access) you only need  pop your email in the little space below.

Join the CGScreative Resource & Stock Photo Library!

* indicates required

First Name

Email Address *

By popping your email address above you'll be joining the  CGScreative mailing list. From there I'll be sending you the password for the resource library will allow you to log in.

You'll be able to download any and all of the resources and you can rest easy with regards to image copyright as my photographs are licensed under a creative commons license.  This means you can use the photos for all non-commercial purposes i.e you can use them for anything related to your blog or business that you are not intending to sell.

Feel free to crop the photos, add text to them or layer them with other images and graphics to create the perfect visuals for your site.

---

Here's a pretty Pin to add to Pinterest so you can ave this post & come back later. Simply hover your mouse over the image and then click the little red Pinterest button in the top left corner.

---

I add new items to the library every month, so the content always stays fresh. I hope you find these resources useful to you in your blogging or business journey and I look forward to seeing how you use them.

If you do enjoy them, post a photo on Instagram of your experience with these resources and use the hashtag #CGScreative. I would love to share your images on my social media accounts (with your permission of course!) for extra exposure to your blog or business.

Join the CGScreative Resource & Stock Photo Library!

* indicates required

First Name

Email Address *

Happy blogging friends!

Beautiful & Free Feminine Styled Stock Photos for Bloggers, Creatives & Business Owners

It's the start of a new year (even though we are already heading towards the end of January...how is this possibe?) and make your life a little easier when it comes to your blog & social media, I've created a set of feminine styled stock photographs just for you.

If you're new around these parts, you might not know about the CGScreative Resource library; a treasure trove of resources for bloggers, creatives & business owners. 

---

The CGScreative resource library is a FREE online space filled with blogging worksheets, business resources & helpful printables.

It's also filled with what has made my library famous; my unique selection of styled & natural stock imagery.

---

Here's a little sneak peek into what's inside:

The CGScreative resource library is a pretty space for bloggers, creatives & business owners & is  designed to be a place that helps you grow your blog or business and a place to visit to feel inspired.

And now I'm sure you're probably wondering how you can gain access. To keep the library exclusive (and to make sure that only serious creatives have access) you only need  pop your email in the little space below.

Join the CGScreative Resource & Stock Photo Library!

* indicates required

First Name

Email Address *

By popping your email address above you'll be joining the  CGScreative mailing list. From there I'll be sending you the password for the resource library will allow you to log in.

You'll be able to download any and all of the resources and you can rest easy with regards to image copyright as my photographs are licensed under a creative commons license.  This means you can use the photos for all non-commercial purposes i.e you can use them for anything related to your blog or business that you are not intending to sell.

Feel free to crop the photos, add text to them or layer them with other images and graphics to create the perfect visuals for your site.

---

Here's a pretty Pin to add to Pinterest so you can ave this post & come back later. Simply hover your mouse over the image and then click the little red Pinterest button in the top left corner.

---

I add new items to the library every month, so the content always stays fresh. I hope you find these resources useful to you in your blogging or business journey and I look forward to seeing how you use them.

If you do enjoy them, post a photo on Instagram of your experience with these resources and use the hashtag #CGScreative. I would love to share your images on my social media accounts (with your permission of course!) for extra exposure to your blog or business.

Happy blogging friends!

Join the CGScreative Resource & Stock Photo Library!

* indicates required

First Name

Email Address *

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DIY Magnetic Pen Holder for the Fridge

After spending countless hours searching for pens around the house when I need to jot down notes in the kitchen, I finally sat down and made my own magnetic pen holder for the fridge!

And you know what...it was SO EASY!

The only thing you might not have on hand is the magnets, but apart from those (they are sort of the main element for this DIY though) you probably have everything else lying around at home.

I found these strong little round magnets at a hobby shop a few years ago, and used them for making my own button magnets for Christmas presents a while ago. I always keep some of them around because they are incredibly useful for all sorts of fun DIY crafts.

If you do end up making one of these yourself, I'd love to see it! Share a photo over on Facebook or Instagram and tag me in it (@CGScreative) so I can see.

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DIY Magnetic Pen Holder for the Fridge

What you need:

• small box (I used an old medicine box that was long enough to hold a pen)
• super glue
• strong magnets (I used 3 little ones)
• various bits of fabric tape/washi tape
• scissors
• lace/ribbon to decorate

Directions:

1. Cut the end off of your box. Make sure to keen the other end intact, otherwise you're going to loose your pens!

2. Wrap your box in washi tape (or fabric tape or whatever fabric you have on hand). I used a sticky backed fabric tape to cover most of the box as my washi tape wasn't thick enough to cover the writing. Once the first layer of fabric tape was done, I used a pretty floral washi tape to complete my box.

Don't worry about going all the way around the box with your tape. I didn't want to waste washi tape on the back as it's never going to be seen and will face the fridge anyway.

4. Using super glue, place glue on the centre of your magnets, and then place the magnets on the back of your box.

Be careful not to stick your fingers together (I've done this plenty of times...not fun!).

5. The fun part...decorating! I used a piece of white lace to make a pretty bow and tied it around my box.

You can really go crazy with this, using string, pegs, washi tape and all sorts of other fun elements.

And voila!

No more searching your home for pens when you need to write your shopping list!

These pen holders also make great gifts too!

If you do try this easy & fun DIY, share a photo on Instagram or Facebook...I'd love to see what you create. 

Happy crafting!

x