Spectacular Soul - Che Johnson

Che Johnson is the magical soul behind The Polka Dot Flamingo. How rad is that name! I first came across Che and her blog while perusing online spaces (as I tend to do a lot!), clicked on her site, read some of her stuff and realised that I liked this girl. She seemed very much like me, and not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Haha.

Che is honest, gorgeous and writes from her heart. She shares her ups and downs, while trying to inspire others to be awesome.  We connected online, support each others blogs and writings, but most of all each other.  I know you'll love her just as much as me, and I thought that she would be the perfect person to interview for my Spectacular Soul series.  Make sure you visit her blog - she has a brilliant new series of posts she will be starting.  Exciting times ahead for this girl, and I can't wait to watch everything that the universe has in store for her to unfold.

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1. Introduce yourself in three sentences.I'm a Social Worker by day and a blogger by morning and night. Sunshine, lavender, furry friends, loved ones, wholesome food and alone time fill me with joy. My favourite thing to do is laugh - HARD!  

2. Share with us a day in the life of Che
No two days are the same in the life of Che but to give you an example, this was my day yesterday ...An early start at work and a super rad work day. An early finish and a visit to the pub for a sneaky cider. Volunteering. Puppy walk. Cuddles with my loved one. Blogging goodness. Trash TV. Bed.
A rather nice day in my eyes! 

3. What is your guilty pleasure?
I have not one, but three, guilty pleasures! Chocolate, ice cream and reality TV (some of which I admit are low brow and trashIy). I love them. Especially when I can have them all at the same time!

4. Why do you do what you do (BIG QUESTION!)
I do what I do because I care about people. I want everyone to have a happy life and I want everyone to reach their full potential. I want people to meet me/speak with me/read my work and walk away feeling positive, hopeful and inspired to create beauty in their own lives. That's all! Simple really!   

5. What are you really digging at the moment?
Plastic shoes, versatile pieces, podcasts, Gala Darling, yoga, time alone and coconut yoghurt. 

6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Oooo I love this. I'm thinking big in the hope that the universe will hear me and give me a helping hand! I see me working for myself and doing something that I LOVE. Having a place to call home. Being in a healthy and loving relationship. Travelling. That's all. That would fill my heart. 

7. What lessons have you learnt since starting your blog?
My goodness I've learnt SO much since I started blogging! I'll share with you the two biggest lessons that I've learnt: 1. We can do anything that we set our minds to. ANYTHING! It just takes courage (sometimes a heck of a lot of it) and self belief.2. The more we do something, the less scary it becomes. I used to have severe heart palpitations when I would press 'publish' on a blog post. I used to freak out thinking, 'oh my god, what will people think', 'maybe it's not good enough', 'what if no-one reads it'. Now I don't even think twice, I LOVE pressing 'publish'! Just like anything in life, the more we expose ourselves to something, the more we get used to it. Anxious in social settings? Get the heck out there and socialise! Driving freak you out? You gotta do it babe! Give yourself time, be patient and be brave! 

8. Why do you believe you have A Spectacular Life?
I know I have A Spectacular Life! I feel it in my bones! Every day I challenge myself to grow, reflect and learn. I make decisions that are right for me. I prioritise myself. Everything that I do feels good and right and wholesome (most of the time). That's what drives me to connect with people - I want them to feel this way too because I know that it is possible. It excites me to think of women out there waking up every morning with a great big smile on their face feeling ready to take on the world! 

On this (watch out, here comes a bit of shameless self promotion) I have just launched a new feature on my blog called 'Hello Flamingo'. It's a grown ups version of 'Dear Dolly' - haha! In order to move forward and live 'A Spectacular Life', I think that it's sometimes necessary to trawl through our past experiences and baggage. We need to understand ourselves. Some people find talking about their experiences to be scary/embarrassing/confronting - hence why I gave birth to 'Hello Flamingo'. It's a 100% anonymous space for people to post questions that they have about all things life, love and the crazy stuff in between. I will respond to these questions via a Facebook post, blog post or in my monthly newsletter. Not only will people be helping themselves, but they will also be helping others by asking questions about the challenges that so many of us experience but often sweep under the rug. Together we can feel good and reduce stigma! You can input your question directly here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8BJY9D3 or head on over the the blog. 

See - what a doll.

Give Che some love with a comment, or head over to her blog and connect with her there.

Keep smiling
xx

Spectacular Soul - Breanna of 'The Blak Line'

So begins a new little series that will (hopefully!) appear on here regularly - Spectacular Soul.
The aim is to introduce to you to a soul who is doing something amazing, rare, inspirational or is all round Spectacular!

Today's Spectacular Soul is my gorgeous friend Breanna.  I have known Bree for many years, living in Geelong and last year she decided to up and leave us for Bali. Jealous much? Also she decided to create her own business over there called The Blak Line, while working in interior design. The Blak Line is a jewellery and accessories business. Bree sources all the materials locally, using authentic beads, leather, silk and more. She has only just started and already the line is popular and growing by the day.  Inspirational hey? She has an eye for detail and trends and her stuff is super spunky! I am proud of everything she has done (especially cause she is a young-un) and to call her my friend.

I decided that Bree was the perfect person for my first Spectacular Soul interview, so she kindly obliged even though she is super dooper shy. What a legend.

Can you explain what The Blak Line is and how it came about?

I had always dreamed of living abroad. On my travels I had the opportunity to create the concept and design various retail spaces in world-renowned locations. The Blak Line products include a range of handmade leather accessories fit for every girl's wardrobe. I draw inspiration from my lifestyle in exotic places.

What made you want to start your own jewellery and accessories business?

It's something I have always been passionate about and dreamt of doing. I guess living in Indonesia was a great starting point for The Blak Line.

Why Bali?

To call paradise home is a once in a lifetime opportunity and to escape those cold winter days that we have to deal with back in Victoria is something that I don't really miss at all!!

Tell us about a typical day in the life of Bree

A day in my shoes....well normally it's just thongs...there is no such thing as time here. When the sun beams in through my window in the morning it means time to wake up, no alarms for me. Normally I would go for a run along the beach with my dog and enjoy the sea breeze before it gets too warm.  Life here isn't busy at all, if it isn't done today then there is always tomorrow. So most of my mornings I will either go off explore the streets on the way tp Denpasar to see what treasures and inspiration I can find. Getting lost is always the best part of the day!

The afternoons consist of me having to go into work for a couple of hours which is never a problem because everyone is always so happy. Everyday the staff are smiling which puts me in a good mood. It is very true that 'a smile is the perfect medicine for life'
The evenings are normally spent at the beach after work either surfing or just enjoying the final moments of sun before the day comes to an end.

What is your favourite piece in your collection?

Millie wallet - perfect size to go in your bag, but still cute to be used on its own!

What is next for The Blak Line?

There is a new style bag to add to the collection called the Agus bag. It is a great shoulder bag for everyday use. I use mine at the moment and can't put it down. It's perfect for everything - it  even fits your laptop without getting too heavy. Also the inside lining is to die for - amazing batik prints. Look out for them because Christmas isn't too far away.......

Where do you see yourself and The Blak Line in 5 years?

5 years...oh I get nervous even thinking about it! I hope to have a website up and running successfully and have my products stocked in selected boutiques. In five years time I hope to have had children, so this would be the perfect business to run while I raise them.

What's been the biggest challenge or hurdle that you have overcome so far?

The language barrier would have to be the main challenge. My leather and tailor supplier speak 10 words together in English, and at the beginning my Indonesian was not good at all. It was interesting! When I first began I would place my orders and be crossing my fingers and toes, because I would be unsure what they understood and what they didn't. After trial and a few errors we have managed to get that sorted so it's all good now!!

Why do you have A Spectacular Life?

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory" - Dr Seuss.
Life is too short! You never know when your life could turn upside down. Everything happens for a reason and while you may not realise it at the time, in the future it will all make sense.
I was a young girl who had a dream. Now my dream is my reality. What more could I wish for?


You can find and order products from The Blak Line on their Facebook page.
Check them out!