Pregnancy | Things that I have not enjoyed about being pregnant

While yes - this post may seem a little contradictory from my 'things I have enjoyed about pregnancy' where I preached about how pregnancy doesn't have to be 'that bad' it's not all doom and gloom and f course don't get me wrong I do still feel this way. That being said it ain't all sunshine and rainbows either - pregnancy can have it's tough moments - not necessarily in terms of symptoms and ailments but even psychologically, mentally an shockingly socially (you mean people DON'T love hanging out with the preggo who can't drink?! Shocking!)

Rude comments from everybody!
These unfortunately are not few and far between. In fact as soon as you mention the P word to pretty much anyone, suddenly EVERYONE has an opinion. Ranging from 'you should breastfeed' to 'are you sure there's a baby in there?' and my personal favourite 'you shouldn't be going back to work!' the world knows no bounds when it comes to weighing in on a pregnant persons choices. Feel free to have a read of my previous post 'S**t people say to pregnant women,' to continue the hilarity.

Feeling isolated from your friend group
It's difficult enough when your friends live in many and varying places in the UK but add pregnancy into the mix and it's a recipe for isolation. Being one of the first of my friend group to have a baby is very exciting and when we do get together for our chats it's lovely and supportive but it can feel like being stuck in limbo much of the time when you're the first and only pregnant friend - a bit like all of your friends going to the same school and you living outside of the catchment area and having to start a fresh.

The stretch marks

With my weight fluctuating throughout the years I'm no stranger to some stretch marks here and there, mainly confined to my thighs - but for me pregnancy has meant these unsightly purple looking tears are everywhere! I'm not one of the ladies who will be calling their stretch marks 'tiger stripes' because if it were a choice to have them there I certainly wouldn't. Of course I'm kitted out with all of the lotions, oils and bump butters you could imagine - do they work? I'm skeptical but only time I suppose will tell.

The wardrobe clear out

This certainly was a dark day in my house indeed, only worsened by the fact I found a pair of my favourite Topshop jeans, never before worn with the tags still on in a size 12. Regardless of pregnancy I was due a wardrobe clear out and tidy - but when you're packing away pairs of your favourite jeans, skirts that you'll miss and dresses you hadn't even had an opportunity to wear - I'm not going to lie it stings a bit. 

Feeling super unfit
Don't get me wrong before this pregnancy I was by no means at the peak of my physical fitness - but I'm not saying I miss high intensity spin classes by any means - what I really miss though is being able to go for a lunchtime walk and not have a stitch in my side, or being able to walk along the beach on a hot day and not have cankles weighing me down. I'm looking forward to getting back into doing a bit more exercise once the baby is born and get my body back to feeling more 'myself' again.

Sorry if this post seemed like a rant, but I'm generally quite a ranty person so what else did you really expect from me with a post of this title? Hopefully you have enjoyed having a bit more of an insight into my pregnancy in general - as I said previously I am aware many people have gone through far worse during their pregnancy and being pregnant in itself is a blessing this is just my experience because really who elses experience would I be writing about?!

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Pregnancy | Things I have enjoyed about being pregnant

Pregnancy is not all doom and gloom - to be quite honest I feel as though I may have got off pretty lightly when it comes to symptoms. There have so far been no major aches, pains, trips to the hospital and no odd cravings at 2am which has really been a blessing, though my affinity for ice cream recently could be put down to pregnancy, or the nicer weather, who knows?

Today in light of my relatively good fortune I wanted to share some of the little things I have  really enjoyed about being pregnant because some of these things I don't feel are spoken about enough. When we were trying for a baby I read a tonne of pregnancy blogs and watched hundreds of You Tube videos revolving around the pregnancy experience, signs and symptoms and essentially what I could be in for and I'll be honest, most of those posts were damn scary! But it doesn't have to be, at least it doesn't have to be all of the time, so here are my top 5 things I have so far enjoyed about being pregnant.

That glow though 

I never in a million years expected that the 'pregnancy glow' would be real. I had images of nine months of having, dull, dry skin and feeling quite miserable with my appearance simply because of morning sickness (which I had convinced myself I'd have forever - I didn't by the way!) After my first trimester I had a surge in hormones that helped clear up my skin and give me a nice, healthy glow which I have never had before. My skin has quite literally never been better, it feels more plump, hydrated and glowy - long may it continue!

Hair envy
Not only has my skin taken a turn for the better but my hair has too. Gone are the days of rubbing oils, lotions and potions on to my scalp to encourage hair growth, I can't seem to get it to stop! While Nick now says living with me is much akin to living with a werewolf I'm just so happy that it's growing that I don't mind a bit of shedding...or, more accurately plunging the shower drain on a weekly basis - grim, but worth it.

Comfy clothes all day everydayMaternity clothes really aren't that bad. With stores like Topshop, New Look, ASOS and Boohoo killing it with their range of flattering maternity clothes I haven't found getting clothes I like to be a struggle and seriously though - where have maternity jeans been all of my life?! I don't think I'll ever give up my comfy stretchy paneled clothes now - pregnancy or no pregnancy it's comfy clothes all the way.

Kicks and fluttersThough I didn't start feeling my baby until much later than others due to my anterior placenta cushioning her every move, when I did it was pretty special. It's an odd and surreal feeling of course considering the only movement I'd been used to in there previously would be a dodgy burger, but it's nice to know she's in there communicating thorough her movements to let me know she's doing just fine.

Closer as a couple
Most women say they feel quite isolated from their partners during pregnancy, I understand why, it is of course the woman who goes through the carrying of the baby, the lifestyle changes and of course the physical changes and it can be tough. But I feel as though since being pregnant Nick and I are closer than ever, from spending time talking about important future decisions to the more fun aspects like baby clothes and nursery shopping I feel as though we're more in sync than ever as a result.

So you see ladies and gents? It's not all doom and gloom. Of course I'm not by any means saying pregnancy is a breeze and it can definitely be difficult at times (when you have to say goodbye to your fave outfit for example!) but it doesn't have to be scary.

Thank you so much for having a read of yet another pregnancy post I'll be back with my second trimester update pretty soon and I may share some of the things I haven't enjoyed quite so much about pregnancy if you're interested in reading that too. Until then though you can catch me on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Pregnany Update | The First Trimester

I'm going to write this while the hell that is the first trimester is still very fresh in my mind. As you can tell this has so far been my least favourite trimester - and I'll be honest in comparison to some of the stories mine doesn't even seem that bad but hey, this is my experience of those first few blessed weeks of pregnancy.

For those of you who don't know the first trimester generally begins from week 1 of pregnancy and lasts until week 12 so approximately the first 3 months of your pregnancy and is generally considered to be your pregnancy 'danger zone' and funnily enough is also considered to be the most difficult of your entire pregnancy (other than the obvious pushing the baby out!) which, even though as I write this I'm only 19 weeks along myself, I wholeheartedly agree with thus far.

My first trimester symptoms

Following the initial first 5 weeks or so pretty much symptom free it was around week 6 and 7 where things really started to ramp up for me - marked first by me eating an amazing Aberdeen roll, slathered with butter and my fave jam I proceeded to projectile vomit in my kitchen  (sorry guys but pregnancy ain't pretty!) The thing about 'morning sickness' is that it'll pretty much just suddenly hit you without warning or very much of that 'sickly feeling' you normally get (usually accompanied by a hangover or otherwise food poisoning) I must say I didn't have morning sickness all through the first trimester I was only really quite sick about 5 or 6 times and this wasn't even my worst symptom.

My worst symptom came in the form of something SUPER unexpected and something I personally had never heard of as being a symptom of specifically pregnancy before experiencing them myself and those are headaches. Headaches so bad I found it really difficult to function and at times I thought I was maybe being sick as a result of just how painful they were getting as opposed to morning sickness. Working solely with screens at work of course didn't help and most days I just felt as if I wanted to crawl into a pit. I'd come home, grab something quick to eat and go to bed - water and lying in a dark room seemed to be the only things that helped me. Since my midwife had warned me off of having any pills or pain relief I unfortunately just had to suck it up - and the fact I was cutting down on the amount of caffeine I have on a daily basis the effects were not pretty.

Overall, headaches aside I guess compared to some I have been pretty lucky during the first trimester, other than one other tiny scare during my 5th/6th week (which I may do another dedicated post for since the midwives I dealt with during that time were so great at their jobs and just so lovely)  I've escaped with pretty minor symptoms REALLY, though at the time in the throws of sickness, headaches and fatigue it certainly didn't feel like it. 

Hopefully this has given some of you who are still in the throws of morning sickness, fatigue and all of those lovely symptoms that come alongside the 'joys' of pregnancy a little bit of hope -my specific first trimester symptoms went away around the 13th week, so I promise it does get better and far more bearable!

As always I'd love to hear from you all, pregnant, not pregnant, mums, dads, brothers, sisters anyone at all be sure to leave your comments re pregnancy, coping and first trimester woes in the comments below I'd love to hear all of your experiences (and I'm sure my husband would too since he had to cope with my whinging!) Otherwise you can catch me on Twitter, Instagram and more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks,

H.Elizabeth

My Rent Experience | Shit landlords say

Quick disclaimer:

Okay I'll admit, the following post was written in anger. Anger that may or may not have been spurred on by the excessive stresses that come with buying your first home, so where all of the below is true, my feelings towards them may be exaggerated...a tiny bit...

In celebration of our emancipation from the shackles of renting properties from thieves, crooks and downright con artists, here are some of the funniest things I've heard from my previous landlords in relation to housing issues, costs and their general idiocy and refusal to undertake their jobs or duties.

Upon the shower going cold after 10 minutes and calling to get this fixed


* Showers only stay hot for 10 minutes, that's the nature of showers, I don't see why you and your partner need more then 10 minutes of hot water.

Upon pointing out there is no extractor fan in our bathroom and damp had started surfacing

* Damp isn't a health risk.

After letting himself and a trades 'friend' in to have a look at some repairs that needed done...while we were out with no prior warning!

*Ach I just let myself in.

Upon finding out that their coveted 'counter lights' feature in the kitchen doesn't even work

* You don't need under counter lights to live the property is livable without them.

After living in the property for a total 30 seconds and noticing the fridge doesn't even close

* You don't need a fridge to live, just keep it closed with some heavy books.

After meeting with the landlord to discuss the damp, leaks, creaks and disrepair in his structure...

* That weed in the driveway is 'out of control'

After meeting number 2 about the damp, leaks, creaks and disrepair in the house

* Oh no damp, that leak from the previous tenant is back is it?

After refusing to lower the rent despite the structure quite literally falling a part!

* £900PCM

After being too embarrassed to show potential new tenants around the property himself because of the damage he had left for near 10 months!

* Just you show people around to re-let the property

(Said on a Thursday) Less than 1 week until our big move we should drop everthing...

* Can't you show 2 / 3 people around before Saturday?

Honestly guys sometimes while I was renting I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or become a homicidal maniac (could you really blame me) all I have to say is my thoughts and prayers are with those still renting from private landlords. I have literally never come across one who is willing or able to do their jobs correctly, or care for their tenants in the slightest (oh and did I mention the costs they're attempting to charge for their 'services' yeah see ya!)

As you guys know I love a good rant so please be sure to share your thoughts, musings and heinous landlord experiences in the comments below! But as per you can catch me and my shiny new home on Twitter and Instagram as well as more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm free at last!

H.Elizabeth x

Lights Camera Action | My First Photoshoot

Putting your new business out there can be one of the most daunting things you'll ever have to do, you'll be filled with doubt and anxiety and above all questions, like, 'will people respond positively,' 'will I get any business from this,' and 'am I good enough,' and this feeling only intensifies when you land your first ever paid brief. And this is a feeling I experienced for the first time only a couple of months ago when I worked my first ever photoshoot as a make up artist with a local photographer, model and hairstylist.

The shoot itself took place at Red Dawn Photography Studios in the centre of Aberdeen with photographer Chris Denslow, model Jenny Clewlow and hairstylist Kerry Mackenzie and after talking for a couple of weeks on Facebook we decided on a vintage theme for our shoot, which of course is RIGHT up my street. After the initial set up, introductions and getting over the wibbly, wobbly nerves we got stuck right in to the first few looks.

We went for a traditional 1950's 'housewife' look complete with a vintage 'cat eye' flick and a defined crease, complimented by a great up do by Kerry, pulled off marvelously by Jenny and shot professionally by Chris. After a couple of touch ups and outfit changes we were good to go on to our second make up look of the day. This time we went for a twiggy inspired cut crease which I had great fun creating.

Overall I was really pleased with how the day panned out, if I could literally do photoshoots and make up all day everyday I would consider my life made (with of course a couple of blogging moments thrown in there!) and I'm really looking forward to working on my next one.

Big, huge, gigantic shoutout to the team for the day who just made it a fun and professional experience. If you'd like to see any of the teams work simply click on their names, photographer Chris, Model Jenny, Hair Stylist Kerry and of course thanks to Red Dawn Studios for the space.

If you'd like to see more of my work however you can always catch me making faces on the various channels, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and weekly updates from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, cue the lights! 

H.Elizabeth x

She's Got Style | HJC Styling Launch at Malmaison Aberdeen

How many of us have wished and hoped that Gok Wan would come and clear out our wardrobes? Or fancied a Wintour esk fairy godmother who would whisk us away to the shops and help us love our bodies  (and wardrobes) that little bit more and style us to Vogue like perfection? Well luckily for the ladies and gents of Aberdeen that fashion godmother is here in the form of HJC Styling.

Last week I was lucky enough to attend the fashionable, fantastic and fierce launch of HJC Styling at Malmaison in Aberdeen where we got the chance to meet, Hayley, the face behind the fashion. Hayley saw a gap in the personal styling market and leapt at the opportunity to fill it, previously a stylist for various brands Hayley felt limited by brands, sizing and the stores in which she worked, her solution? Become a self made Girl Boss and get it done yourself!

Hayley and HJC Styling currently offer a range of services, whether you're due for a total wardrobe shake up, just fancy a colour consultation or going all out and asking the lady herself to be your personal shopper for the day! I have copied Hayley's full list of services and prices below, I think you'll agree that they have all of their bases covered where helping out the fashion failures (like me) are concerned:

Price List:

Online Styling Service: £25.00

Colour Consultation: £80.00

Shop and Style: £120.00

Wardrobe Consultation: £150.00

Fashion Workshop / Bridal Workshop: £170.00

 

 Not only were we treated to cupcakes and prosecco a plenty as part of HJC's launch but Hayley took the opportunity to show off some of her sensational styling skills with a mini fashion show based on current SS16 trends. Through the show Hayley went through the current trends, how to wear them, what they look great with and the concept of patterns (which TERRIFY me!) I learned quite a bit that evening and wish I had brought a notepad or something to share some of her top tips, but alas I guess I'll just have to book in with her instead. (Also I want to add I was chuffed to find that one of the dresses she chose to dress her model in was actually one I almost bought in Topshop!)

I am so excited to see where Hayley's business goes in the future, it has been so refreshing to see so many new, innovative and creative businesses popping up all over the city where people have thrown the towel in and decided to chase their passions and dreams. If you'd like to hear more about Hayley and HJC Styling be sure to visit her website at HJC Styling  or email the lady herself on hayley@hjcstyling.com 

As usual you can catch me on all of the social medias, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, getting my fashion on (trying to at least!)

H.Elizabeth x

Linton & Mac Nail Bar | Nails by L&M

As many of you know I have a love hate relationship with false nails and usually, if I'm completely honest, it's my own fault. I'll ask for them to be too long, I'll be too impatient and use stick ons (don't do it guys, don't do it) I'll rush to do something and bend one backwards (ouch ouch!) or I'll just be straight up clumsy and break one opening a purse! But having ventured forth into my new mini side career of make up artistry I thought it was high time I got rid of my badly taken care of bitten fingers and invest in myself (and my clients) and make sure my mani was maintained! So off I popped to my fave nail bar Linton & Mac for some TLC.

Now I feel this might be a little bit of a cheat because this ain't my first rodeo with Linton & Mac, nope I knew what I was getting myself into as they rescued me just one day before I was due to go on holiday this year when I had acrylics from HELL that not only looked nothing like what I asked for but also cut and made my cuticles BLEED! (Yeah it wasn't pretty)

So following the advice from Linton & Mac's nail tech when I do get my nails done these days I opt for gel extensions, which granted may not last quite as long as acrylics but are much gentler on my natural nails underneath. Kayleigh is so lovely and attentive when she's working away, taking me through each step, asking if I'm comfortable and just generally doing a fantastic job (I'm still in awe at how she is able to freehand the shape of the extension!!!) and it helps that when I go I'm guaranteed a good natter as well as great nail service.

This time I went for an almond shaped extension and a nude pink gel polish (fittingly named la tee da!) so far as I write this they have been on one week and are still looking fabulous! The length is so manageable to I can still do make up on myself, others and undertake tasks in day to day life no problem at all (even though my mum reckons there is just no WAY I can clean my house with these talons.. trust me I can do anything!) I'm booked in for next week to have my infills done and I do reckon between now and then I may have a couple of accidents and may have a couple of casualties but luckily with Linton & Mac all repairs and renovations you require are free of charge (great news for clumsy gals like me!) 

Overall I recommend if you have a big night out coming up, a fancy to do or just want to treat yo self then get on down to Linton & Mac for a mani / pedi treat. Hopefully some of you girls and guys in the Granite in particular have enjoyed this post, found it helpful, informative, or maybe just had a giggle at my expense as per, do leave all comments, thoughts and musings in the box below and feel free to have a stalk of my other social media sites, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the likes.

Until next time folks, feeling my majestic mani.

H.Elizabeth x

Cake with a cause | Afternoon tea with RGU & Drugs Action

Usually you don't see me do a 'follow' up post of sorts when it comes to an Aberdeen event. In fact you're more likely to see me Tweeting, gramming or Facebooking during an event, but this one in particular deserves a very special mention.

As you know from my previous post me and my blogging gal pal Anastasia from Natbees attended a cake off and afternoon tea, hosted by the events management students of RGU in aid of local charity Drugs Action. Not only were we thoroughly entertained by the cake off competition and of course fed to the point of exhaustion (really guys when I got home, I napped!) we were treated to a sensory experience, laughed out loud at more than one cheeser of a joke from our host, enjoyed a fun game of bingo and took part in a raffle that had a tonne of fantastic prizes!

This event itself raised over £1,500 for Drugs Action, and rightfully so, the event went seamlessly an everyone in attendance, including us, had a fantastic afternoon! All I can really say is that as we discovered the event was part of the RGU students event management course brief, we sincerely hope these students are given an A++ for their attention to detail and seamless running of a fantastic Aberdeen event!

Until next time folks, having my cake and eating it too!

H.Elizabeth x

Pure Gym | Pure Loser Weight Loss Course

Today I'm coming at you with a rather special 'what to expect post' as you guys will probably know in the past I have covered a wide range of things from pure gym including kettlebells and spin most recently and I'd like to share my most recent gym going endeavour with you which is a little different to the usual half hour class and you're outta there that I'm used to, and that ladies and gentleman is the Pure Loser 6 week course.

It was the New Year (figures!) when I saw Pure Gym advertising their weight loss programme, I was always quite put off of trying it before now because the programme was very restricted and focused solely on what you can't eat rather than easing you in with a balanced diet, but since their course restructure the options feel a bit more open and therefore I was far more willing to give it a bash. The course itself lasts for 6 weeks and costs £20 in it's entirety, and includes a binder full of foodie and fitness info, a food diary, nutritionals as well as a weekly weigh in to keep you in check.

The first week the course was explained to us and we had our first ever weigh in and body fat measurements taken, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that in week one I had lost 3lbs which was fantastic as my weight plateaued months ago! Our trainer and holy spiritual weight loss guide, Andrew, is great he is full of tips for the week and recently introduced us to my new favourite snack psyllium husk with mixed seeds (don't worry domestic goddess post pending!)

I'm not going to lie the toughest part has been keeping myself in check during the evenings, I went vegetarian for a week and a bit but hubby wasn't all too pleased with the amount of quorn I was serving up nightly, he eventually had enough and succumbed to a McDonalds (and a Dominos, and a Burger King etc...) Since I work a 9am to 5pm job and attend the gym until around 7.30pm most evenings, I'm shattered by the time I get home and need to get myself into more of a routine of Sunday batch cooking - maybe you guys could act as my Sunday alarm and reminders? (please!)

To date I have lost 4.5lbs and ideally I'd love to lose 3 more before the formerly fat lady sings, I have upped my game in the gym, cleared my cupboards of smackery and asked my husband to hide everything else (though I reckon he has just hidden things in high places!) so as Shia says, JUST DO IT!

Have you guys ever joined a weight loss programme or had personal training sessions at the gym? I'd love to hear how you got on and how you managed your work / home / gym balance! Be sure to leave all thoughts and kindly comments in the box below, come share your experiences with my on Twitter or if you would just like to keep up with how I am getting on be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, JUST DOIN' IT!

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girls New Hair | The emotional stages of cutting your hair

You know in life when you just need to change everything all of a sudden and all at once? This month has seen me move house, start my driving theory (for the second time), buy all new furniture (part and parcel with a new home I suppose), change up my entire fitness routine and last and certainly not least, chop the mop that resides on my head. My hair has always been relatively long and as much as I loved it, it was just getting a bit lack lustre, difficult to manage and most of the time hung like a hippy wig on my face. I found that most days I'd end up throwing it into a bobble, so my answer? Chop it all off, naturally.

Now don't get me wrong I love my new look, though at first when I saw all of the sad looking split ended hair on the floor of my hairdressers I did think I would need treated for shock, it isn't every day you leave the hairdressers chair with an ewok at your feet, but in light of my recent 'ordeal' I feel as a blogger, woman and general all around good gal I would use my experience as a means to impart some wisdom on the thoughts you'll likely have if you decide to go for the chop;

1. It's so light and swooshy; Now that I've ditched the dead weight I can conquer the world with my light head and newfound carefree head swishes and I don't even have to think of my hair slapping someone in the face anymore!

2. Oh my god I look like a boy... or Miranda from Sex and the City...; is this what if feels like to be a boy? Oh my goodness is this my Dudley Moore / Monica hair cut fiasco moment?!

3. My endless supply of bobbles are useless; I wonder if there is a charity shop specifically catering to those who have bobbles, kerbies and hair clips all of which are useless now?

4. Though having said that I'm going to save a ton of money on shampoo; what I wasted on bobbles I'll be earning back with the shampoo I'll use, pea sized I tells ya pea sized!

6. Wow it's dry already! Towels and hairdryers may also be useless; my life is about to become so much more productive, I'll never have stiff arms from blow drying AND I'll have an extra 5 minutes in bed....or you know, something worthwhile and productive.

7. Ah this dress only suits long hair damn; aw geeze now I'll have to buy a WHOLE new wardrobe...what a hard life

8. Who cares? I look flawless; every day is like a catwalk... and I can finally be one of those #shorthairdontcare people!

BONUS: Now it doesn't dip in my beverages (which has previously happened on more than one occasion)

So now I have firmly become a proud member of the 'short hair don't care' brigade and shared my words of wisdom I think I have done my part for the cult (just so you're aware our lords are Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner... just sayin) be sure to share your thoughts on hair cuts, hairdressers and just all things hair in the comments below, on Twitter or if you'd like to become part of my cult you can keep up with the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm going to say it #ShortHairDontCare,

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girl's Career | The Worst Job I Ever Had

Well guys here we are, I have been wanting to write this post for a very long time but unfortunately I have had to subdue myself and wait for a couple of years following this anger inducing incident purely because I felt my head would explode from the sheer rage this particular post would inspire in me. As you can probably tell from the title of this post today I'm going to be sharing my experience of the worst job I ever had and just before I begin I just want to say it was nothing to do with the nature of the work or the industry and in no way do I want to put you off of this line of work as I have actually gone into it myself, but I am a big believer in that your environment can influence a great many things and that has never been so clear than when I worked in this particular role.

The job was advertised through my university email newsletter which students received every week, I was 19 at the time and had just finished my first ever work placement at a film festival in Glasgow and with that behind me I was ready to take on my next work challenge and do something a bit more relevant to my degree than my regular Saturday job. The role was for a part time marketing assistant (2 days per week) at a garden centre in Aberdeenshire and sounded right up my street, from writing up press releases to helping maintain their website, social media channels and assist in organising events to attract visitors I was there and I was ready.

The initial interview was held by the centre manager and the current marketing manager which is when it was in fact revealed that as opposed to assisting someone as the job title suggested I would be doing maternity cover for the actual marketing manager and would therefore be on my own from the off with a one day handover. But being the young, enthusiastic, budding career woman I so am I decided it was just another stepping stone and the experience would be well worth it. I started the job two weeks later. The location of the job meant that I would need to walk to my local train station and get a train for 20 minutes then walk a couple of miles through an industrial estate but I was willing, ready and excited just to get a paid marketing opportunity at my age, I convinced myself that it would all be worth it in the end.

I quickly found my footing and within my first week was able to secure some press for the garden centre in their local newspaper, a member of staff was taking part in a charity skydive and not only did I succeed in getting her story picked up by the local press, but she was photographed in the garden centre with her uniform on, exposing the branding to the wider community. I held social media competitions, maintained the website and began looking in to advertising for the coming summer months, overall everything was running smoothly. Now I just want to say that despite the actual work running smoothly the social aspect of the job left much to be desired, nobody spoke to one another and it basically consisted of 8 hours worth of solitude mixed in with super awkward lunch breaks where attempted interactions were met with steely silences, and I was about to find out why.

I was introduced to the owner of the garden centre fairly early on in the time I worked there, he was an older man who was very much a country, farmer type man who didn't take to me from the off, we had different interests, different sense of humor (though I now know he didn't have one) and to be honest he found my job as a nuscience and didn't see why he needed marketing at all. Which disheartened me when I found that any and all adjustments, events or money I spent had to go through him after going through the centre manager, which is where the problems really began.

It happened that when I started the garden centre was looking to host some new events and invite new businesses into the garden centre and I was asked if I could come up with some event proposals, so with that in mind I got right to work. After I had a list of event suggestions and about 5 detailed event proposals I handed them to the manager and the owner (who discarded the proposals immediately without reading them) but as they said they were busy at the time I decided I'd continue my work and come up with even more and go back to them the following week. Again the following week the owner knocked me back, not reading my proposals and I then asked about marketing budget, he didn't really explain but he said well we'll see what the events are we don't have a marketing budget as such.

The following week I had a 3 page document full of events the centre could do that would bring in customers, social media likes, press activity and most importantly revenue and about 10 detailed event proposals and I went in with my go getter head on and I insited on scheduling in a meeting with the owner and the manager so I could move forward with my work. We sat down in the office with the event proposals, just so you know this was a tiny office right in the middle of the garden centre and I was excited to finally get the opportunity to present my ideas (because guys not to toot my own horn but those ideas were amazeballs) and that's when the shit hit the fan (excuse my language but for this man I have said FAR worse in the past)

The owner slammed my proposal down on his desk and proceeded to yell at me over why his garden centre was not as big as another rival Aberdeenshire garden centre (who are known pretty much all over the UK) and that it was my fault and I wasn't doing my job and essentially belittling my skills, my degree and my character. Of course attempting to get a word in appeared futile and by this time he had not only attracted the attention of the other members of staff in the office, but the attention of customers passing by the office. He said and I quote, 'Isn't social media your degree isn't that your job, aren't you supposed to be getting my Facebook page likes?' spoken like a true technophobe, this drove me crazy and yes I did snap back, and yes I did get emotional to which he did make a sexist comment. I explained that I had gained them press coverage, engaged with his customers (a damn sight more than he did) yes I had improved likes to their Facebook page, a very tiny tiny part of my job, which if he had spoken to me he'd could have asked me to prioritise that. But, and this was the stinger that really wound him up, I explained that in order to be able to post on social media and attract business as a whole you actually need to do something, for example have promotions that will interest customers, host events, competitions etc which had been pitched to him but ignored on several counts.

But, and as I'm sure you guys already know. There is really no talking to some people and this man ladies and gentlemen appears to be more interested in making a show of his staff and belittling their skills than actually aiding his business by creating a positive environment, I guess that's his prerogative.

Anyway, getting back to that day, I understandably left early, I was quite upset by this encounter actually and I'm not proud to admit that but you know I was 19 and it was my first experience of marketing and being thrown in at the deep end and it left me rather disheartened. I had about 3 / 4 days to think things over, I discussed with my family what I should do and the general consensus was for the garden centre owner to stick his job where the sun don't shine, but I decided to seek help in the marketing manager on maternity leave before making my decision and I was gobsmacked by her response.

She basically came back and said she was expecting an email like this from me some time before and said she understood and that this particular man was a bit of a misogynist and difficult to work with due to his prejudices towards his female staff, mixed in with his general dislike and disdain for anything new, innovative or relatively technological I was destined to fail from the beginning. And that was it for me, I wrote my resignation letter and handed it in the following week without working out a notice period. There was no way I could work for such a man and no way that this experience would aid in furthering my career whatsoever. Upon handing in my notice the manager of the centre made a desperate attempt to vouch for the owner offering up all sorts of excuses about a difficult home life and stress to which I replied, you know leave it at home, as a business owner you can't take every little encounter out on your staff, then I made my exit and moved on to bigger and better things than pansies and garden gnomes.

Apologies this post has been a little long guys, but I have been carrying this around with me for the last 3 years and I just decided to spill it all out of my brain for your education and entertainment here today. My general advice to anyone working in a toxic environment like the above would be to just get out as soon as possible, I was lucky in that I was working two jobs at the time and my other boss was so understanding and I was able to pick up as many hours as I liked there to support myself through university. I hope you guys have enjoyed this little insight into my career path hiccup today, I would love to hear if you have ever faced anything similar in your life or career, be sure to leave your comments and experiences in the box below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my latest posts be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, you can stick your pansies.

H.Elizabeth x

Retail Therapy | Examples of Great Customer Service

Have you ever had an experience in a store or with a brand that has been so great you just had to give it a share? Well in the last four weeks I can safely say I have had the good fortune of having at least three experiences like this, I have encountered commited individuals who stand by the company brand, uphold their names and just take general pride in their work and what they do. Individuals who I have personally seen go above and beyond just for me, the customer, and you know I find that so often when we go online and confront the interwebs that we are shown such negative views, opinions and reviews and everyone is so quick to want to complain when they have had a bad experience, but very rarely do we read about these magnificent little moments in life where a complete stranger has made your day in the simplest of ways, and I really just want to contribute to that positivity today and share my recent experiences of fantastic customer service.

 

Lush, Union Street, Aberdeen
As some of you know I recently bought a shampoo bar from the Lush store in Dundee as part of my Dundee shopping splurge. Unlike my local Lush the ladies in that store didn't give me any extra information on the product I was buying which is fine because I thought I had an idea of how to use it anyway... well I was wrong. Within a week my shampoo bar crumbled to ginger nut biscuity consistency and washed away in my shower, to say I was a bit disappointed was an understatement. Undeterred I went to buy another at my own Lush and said I bought one the previous week and it crumbled (along with my hair hopes and dreams) Hearing this the shop assistant was incredibly shocked and extremely apologetic that nobody had shown me how to use this product, as compensation she gave me a freebie of a little round tin to keep my shampoo bar fresh, working and she also gave me a set of instructions on how to use the bar. To say I was chuffed was another understatement and today I wanted to recognise this young ladies generosity and thank her for not brushing me off or treating me like an idiot for my mistake.

 

Pure Spa Head Offices
To say I love Pura Spa does not do justice to how intense my feelings for this brand are, I have never had a bad word to say about them their facilities are always above par, their staff are so friendly and the atmosphere is nothing short of sublime in terms of relaxation. However as some of you know at Christmas I gifted my mum  a voucher which she wasn't too keen to cash in, so seizing the spa opportunity I have patiently waited for a package to come available that would suit my pre holiday needs, and I found one in the form of their Spring Spa Sensations, a foot ritual, booster treatment and use of the sauna for £49, a pretty great deal right? Well upon taking my voucher (which I paid £50 for) in to book this treatment I was turned away and informed that their 'seasonal deals' were vouchers and I could not buy a voucher with another voucher, and my paid for spa voucher was therefore exempt from any and all seasonal deals they may have (which sort of renders the voucher pretty useless for anything I ever book in for) I wasn't chuffed and spoke to their head office, who could not have been more helpful! The lady I dealt with via email said that it was not the case I couldn't also benefit from the Spa Sensations offer and booked me in fuss free online, apologised profusely and has said if there are any issues on the day to display my email chat with her (fingers crossed there won't be!)

 

So I know this post has been a little different to what you may be used to seeing here on Granite City Girl (mainly because I'm usually ranting or moaning about something negative... sorry!) but I hope it has made you feel the warm and fuzzies as much as it has for me. Have you ever found that an experience of great and attentive customer service has brightened not only your day but your entire week? I would love to hear all about your experiences in the comments below or Tweet the companies you just love the service of at me on Twitter! As always if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City posts you can follow me on Bloglovin.

 

Until next time folks, continuing to feel the warm and fuzzies.

 

H.Elizabeth x