Journal, news & useful stuff
(also procrastination fuel – you’re welcome!)
Multipod streamlining
The last couple of years have been a continuous rollercoaster - and I hate rollercoasters at the best of times! As you'll know if you also have a business of any size or stage, your personal and professional lives are very intertwined and very hard to separate....
I didn’t meet my younger self for coffee…
I haven’t met my younger self for coffee, because she’s with me every day and we are both appallingly bad at diary duelling. My home, my business, my friends & my life are all the things she dreamed of, and we’ve worked together over many years to make it a...
Words of the year: 2025
Every year, I choose three words to guide me through the year, and to keep close. They help me with decisions, plans, and sometimes just with feelings - because they're chosen based very much on how I want to feel and be and show up. Some years words repeat - in 2024...
New studio & office – squeak!
Welp, time has got oozy again and just seems to fly past when I blink - but as I've been in my glorious new studio space for nearly nine months I figured it was high time I did a little introduction and let you see it! You might have seen odd snippets on Instagram,...
Returning to: well, everything
It's been a long time since I've felt like blogging anywhere, despite having so many and varied outlets for my written thoughts. Something which was once essential to my wellbeing and happiness (my "oversharing online" as more than one person has put it in the past)...
Systems September (a systems audit for your business)
This September I'm doing my annual systems audit - looking at systems, tools and processes across my whole business - because it's amazing how many different things we end up using to make our businesses work, and how infrequently we review them. (and it has a...
Non-scary networking
When someone first suggested I try networking for my business, I thought they were mad. I'd had some experience of it when I worked in the City - 6am breakfast meetings populated by very sensible, suit-wearing men who had absolutely no idea what to do with even the...
Finding balance as your own boss
I've had the word "balance" as one of my yearly words at least three times. It's a word you see and hear bandied around a lot whenever you're googling speedy self care at 4am after another late night working. (I know this isn't just me, though reckon 4am is probably...
How to DIY a business or creative retreat
You see those amazing retreats for business or creatives, in gorgeous places, with experts on hand, and cocktails in the evening, full of likeminded people, and you think to yourself how wonderful it would be to have a chunk of time to work on your business or your...
Why I’ve moved my new year to Imbolc
I've mentioned in passing that I decided this year to change my new year - and move it to the start of February. While it feels like the most sensible and aligned decision I've made in some time, a few people have asked me why, so I thought I'd explain in a bit more...
My words for 2023
Each year, I choose three words to take through the year with me. They vary depending on the year I've just had, the mood I'm in and the way I'm feeling about the year ahead, but they are always useful. This year, as I made the decision to move all my new year rituals...
Press: Typewriters & old tech, The Guardian
Typewriters, my blue and cream Bakelite rotary phone and my enduring love of old tech - a wonderful spread in the Guardian today with some fellow old-tech-loving weirdos! Read the full article here:...
What are your brand stories?
We tell stories all the time - about our lives and the things that happen to us on a day to day basis. Stories are how humans make sense of the world, and are a huge part of how we communicate. It makes sense, then, that your business has stories too - because your...
Tendring Business Fortnight 2022
Essex never fails to amaze me with its support of the amazing variety of businesses based here. Admittedly, I started my first business shortly after moving here 14 years back, but it has always felt like a creative, supportive and entrepreneurial part of the UK -...
Excuse the wonky bits!
Ooof, long time no post! It's been a mad few months, and I have a whole bunch of new things waiting in the wings for you - new posts, refreshed email newsletter shininess, shoot packages, exciting shop updates, and also glorious things to tell you about like a writing...
Open Studios 2021 – we’re back!
After all the upheaval of the last 18 months, I'm so excited to tell you that Open Studios at Ardleigh Studios is on again! I'd absolutely love to see you - it's the weekend of 6 & 7 November, so perfect timing for Christmas shopping, I'll have some lovely things...
Autumn is approaching…
And with it, the last quarter of the year - how did that happen? I'm currently working away behind the scenes tweaking this site to match my brand refresh, and also changing up some stuff because that's what being a business owner is all about, right? Constantly...
Booking update May – July 2021
What a difference a year makes! In normal times, but especially in covid times 🙂 I'm a bit quiet on the blogging front at the moment because I'm mid brand refresh (and cannot wait for you guys to see my new logo & look!) but here's a quick nose at my availability...
The difference between headshots and brand photography
If you're thinking about booking photography for your small business, I suspect you've come across all sorts of terms - headshots, brand photography, personal branding, documentary - how do you tell the difference between headshots and brand photography and decide...
Booking update – January to March 2021
Wow, January came around fast! Just a quick update on where I am bookings wise if you're looking to work with me: Brand photography and headshot sessions can be booked now for May 2021 onwards. Mentoring is currently fully booked but I should have spaces open from...
2020 roundup… where do I even start?!
Well, that was a year... and honestly, although I've been writing these roundup posts in various places for over sixteen years, I have NO CLUE where to start with 2020. Over the Christmas/New Year break I have been looking at what actually happened apart from the...
Hello Lovely!
I’m Carla – it’s fab to meet you!
Want more magic and a free brand story planning worksheet?
Hop on my mailing list!