Over the last few months I experienced something I never expected I needed to face.  My longest, oldest friend who has been beside me since we were at Primary School, died unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest.  

It's been a testing time and as I looked at quotes on Pinterest, I found one in particular caught my eye. It read how "sometimes you need to spend time in a beautiful place alone to clear your head".  I decided to take its advice and allow myself one of the few luxuries of being freelance and left work and London for a month to spend the entirety at home in the Cotswold's. 

Since I started my freelance life I have worked regularly to un-sociable hours, edging past 4am, and also work 7 days a week, including many bank holidays.   My fellow freelancers and business owners will understand the responsibility and stress you face when you have to rely on yourself to bring in work.  However the death of my beautiful friend, forced me to see a new perspective, one I wished I had learned for myself long before Jemma's passing, as she would always tell me to stop working so hard and that she missed me as I was "always here, there, and everywhere".

I don't regret working myself so hard as I have always had a strong work ethic and I fortunate to have the most wonderfully satisfying career. However a part of me will always regret the times I chose to work over coming home and seeing her and my other friends.  I will not make the same mistakes again. I want to invest more time into living life and this is something I think Jemma would be very happy to have attributed to her, knowing that I can't change the past however many seconds of the day I try to in my mind.

Being at home I felt comforted to be in the most beautiful place, where we have so many happy memories. Being in the open countryside and allowing myself time to slow down was an important stage in my grief.  It also gave me the perspective to realise that allowing myself to be present in every moment rather than thinking ahead was something I needed more than ever.

 love from 
Sarah-Hayley xoxo

Excitement alert for all Gloucestershire fashion lovers, Cheltenham Fashion Week 2012 launched tonight at Chapel Spa, profiling a week of stylish events celebrating fashion for all ages!

I mentioned last June how proud I was to be appointed Fashion Consultant, to this exciting new adventure and after a year of planning and organisation we are finally in the countdown to show season!

I am looking forward to the entire week, although my personal highlights will be the Student Fashion Show, where I am on the judging panel and also my Career Workshop at Gloucestershire College.  I was privileged to receive an excellent education at City and Guilds of London Art School, London College of Fashion & London College of Communication. Imparting the knowledge I received at these celebrated institutions and inspiring others in fashion is something I am passionate about.  To book tickets to my workshop click the 'book tickets' button in the image below.

There will be more CFW news throughout the coming months! Until then, plan your visit to the CFW events with the diary below outlining key events. For more information click 'here' and to book tickets click 'here'. 

Shop the Page
 http://www.tabitha.uk.com/

I absolutely adore this collection, be sure to underline 28th January in your diary and head to a beauty department near you.  Beauty addicts be early as otherwise expect queues!

Hello, hello hello! We are super excited that after many hours of deliberating, planning and non stop 'blog' conversations we have finally arrived!  It is however a working progress, so we do hope you stick with us and we can begin this adventure together!

Over the coming weeks, months and years, Sarah-Hayley, Holly and Daisy aim to bring you fashion, beauty and lifestyle news as it happens, straight to your laptop, mobile or ultra smart iPad. Let the fun begin!