About
Hello, thank you for being here and welcome to Pep Talk Pebbles!
I'm a little bewildered that I have ended up here, life perplexes me on the daily and I don't think I will ever figure it, or myself out.
Where it started
My name is Em and looooong story short, Pep Talk Pebbles came about as I was coming out the other side of mental-health-crisis-number-unknown, and awaiting diagnosis. It's June time 2022 and at this time I am 44 years old.
Over the previous months, my behaviour and mood had been somewhat erratic, so when I came home one day and proclaimed to Richard, my partner, "I have bought some paint!" I don't blame him for groaning "oh God!" and slapping his palm to his forehead. I had started to tear the melamine off the cupboards in the kitchen with the intention of giving it a makeover but I'd agreed to wait a couple of months. I replied something like "Don't worry babes, I'm not painting the kitchen" [Side note, as of May 2024, the kitchen cupboards still have no melamine and the kitchen is not finished, whoops.]
With trepidation, Richard asks "So, what are you painting?" I jubilantly reply "PEBBLES!" In truth, I did not know that when I bought the paint, I just knew I needed to scratch a creative itch with something. Years ago, I had a small business designing and producing greetings cards, wedding stationery and gifts. I had no clue what to do with paint or a brush. I decided in the car, with the paints on the passenger seat on the way home, that I would paint pebbles.
It is of little surprise to those that know me, that within just a couple of days, there were paints, rocks, doodles and notes everywhere. I had a business name, a logo, an Instagram and a very grand plan in my head. *Slaps my own head with my own palm
My home consists of 2 dogs, myself, Richard and my two adult sons - There is a lot of banter and piss taking - but they were actually very complimentary. "They're actually really good!" and if I had a quid for every time someone has said to me "I didn't know you could draw!" to which I reply "I bloody didn't either!!"
The direction of the business quickly evolved from painting pebbles to designing greetings cards, stationery and gifts - I feel like I've come full circle and I'm back to doing what I was meant to, before a previous mental health crisis derailed me from my previous business, putting me on a different path once I'd power-balled out of depression.
My mind is less frantic when I am designing or creating something and it seems to have helped to lift me out of particularly dark time. In November 2022, I left my NHS job (Diabetes/preventative health coach and educator) to pursue my little business full-time
I love to write, I absolutely love words and I love a good quote....and I also love a good profanity, so expect that from me here. Oh, and unfiltered blogging.
Don't be alarmed by the mental health crisis thing. In July 2022, I was diagnosed with Bipolar and ADHD but I am ok, and knowing means that I can learn to better cope with the intensity in which I experience things, and how ridiculously frantic my brain gets at times. You can rest assured that with that, I care deeply, I'm tenacious and my values sit strongly in authenticity, honesty, integrity, kindness and gratitude. I don't have much of a filter, but I'll no longer apologise for that.
How it's going
It's been some time since Summer 2022. In the beginning I worked from the dining table. Then the conservatory. Then the dining table, and conservatory and the kitchen. Oh and the garage. So, in February 2023 I emptied the garage of garage things, and moved all of my shit into there. 12 months later, in February 2024, I moved out of my garage and into a small unit 3 miles across town. I can pay my bills - just.
If you'd like to know how my business has grown and follow along as I continue to pursue my dream you can follow the journey on Social Media or the full studio vlogs on YouTube.
My measure of success - you can read about this on the blog, here > Imposter syndrome, defining success and the story so far
If you have read this far, I sincerely thank you. There's a saying that goes 'When you support a small business an actual person does a little happy dance" I want you to know that that is true but, that your 'support' can mean many things, not just parting with your money. It can be a hello, a kind word, a thank you, an enquiry, a review, a social media follow, like or share.
Lets be friends.
Shit tonnes of love,
Em xx