Articles Tagged with: sparkle
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August 28, 2014
Stand Tall and Sparkle

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Illustration of JLo in Charbel Zoe Couture at the MTV VMA’s

There’s times in life when you just have to put the petal to the metal and go out there and DO IT.

With big risks comes big rewards, like I said last week. The SCARIER the better.

Jump in – face first into the unknown and trust that you will learn how to fly.

Fear feeds on doubt and indecision. Trust your gut and figure out what it is you want and need to do.

“Don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid not to try.”

Sometimes what you’re most afraid of is the very thing that will set you free.

I just made a huge decision in my life this week and honestly – it was the scariest thing I did in YEARS and also one of the most liberating, exhilarating and amazing experiences.

I committed to designing and MAKING my wedding dress!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the best things and biggest accomplishments I have ever created  in my life was start my fashion line (RockHardAtelier.com). One of the hardest things I have ever done in my life was NOT be able to continue to fund it in the last few years.  So I stopped.

I stopped LIVING MY PASSION.  I skirted around the issue and lived AROUND my passion.  I did the closest thing I knew how to, to draw, to illustrate. But that is only PART of my dream.  I know I am put on this planet to be a hugely successful fashion designer and to dress women all around the world and to make them feel gorgeous and empowered. This feeling is the truest most freeing, and certain fact I have ever known.

To stop in the face of fear, uncertainty and doubt has honestly been slowly killing me. Due to lack of funds – I was stopped temporarily. Due to being scared out of my mind of failure and EVEN MORE scared out of my mind of success I stopped all together and nothing has ever been the same.

If I have learned anything in this life it’s that IMPOSSIBLE is NOTHING. Right now I may not have the funds to support a major fashion line and company but I know that I can’t give up and I know that making this wedding dress is the truest form of expression of myself. It will be the most loving thing I can do to put my heart and soul not only into my future marriage and husband, but also to love and support myself.

I have been looking all over, trying on dresses, wanting to be able to purchase one, wanting to fall in love with that special dress and I realized – no matter how gorgeous or “perfect” the dress is for me – It will never be everything I want.  I will never be my design.

I have the permanent mind of a fashion designer – even if I try to shake it there will always be things I want to tweek, change or improve. I wakeup everyday thinking about what I WISH was in my closet and what I would design.

Fast forward so much stress, anxiety, suppression and pain – I realized that I need to just practice what I preach. I need to surrender to my calling and create the dress of my dreams.

And the process has begun. I just took a huge leap of faith, trusting that the UNIVERSE will have my back. And it DID. In a huge life altering way.  I got major signs along my journey. Everything from Owls made of sequins (something my grandfather used to collect was Owls), huge 530’s on buildings (our wedding date) and the exact lace I used to design one of my best friend’s and bridesmaid’s wedding gown 4 years ago. I know that I am on the right path and the Universe is CELEBRATING, letting me know that I am supported.  I know that there is just so much more to come.

This is what has been holding me back for so long. Fear. This is how I just busted through my blocks to living a life of my dreams.  Just DOING It. Going for it. Looking fear in the face and knowing that Inaction will be the worst thing I could do.

Take this journey with me now. Leap into your dreams with the faith that you hold buried deep down in your heart – the faith that you know is there – with the faith that built these NYC skyscrapers.  Stand tall and sparkle!

Hope that inspires you!  Like WOAH.
xoxo
Emily

P.S. Check out my new branding on my websites:

And check out my first fashion line at 
www.RockHardAtelier.com

Follow me on Instagram @EmilyBrickel and my new account for all things fashion illustration @EmilyBrickelillustration

November 14, 2013
Like Stars

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“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare.

“Our deepest, most heartfelt desires are like stars in a constellation… brilliant, twinkling lights that show us the way and create pathways to our true destines. It is our soul’s mission to connect with, cherish and realize our desires in order to live our lives to the fullest and to make our greatest contributions in the world. In fulfilling our heart-held dreams we flourish, serving ourselves and others from a place of bliss, generosity, and love. Our journey starts at the beginning, in the center, as we go within to listen to our deepest truth.”  – Deepak Chopra.

This is a passage from Day 1 of the Oprah and Deepak Chopra Meditation Experience on Desire and Destiny. I could not pass this up to share it with you.  I have been listening to these free meditation experiences each time they come out and this I think is the third. It just started this Monday and you can still catch it at https://chopracentermeditation.com/challenge and I suggest you do because they are truly inspiring. If you are thinking of starting a meditation practice this is for you!

This first day of meditation inspired me greatly for this blog, as we are all meant to live our destinies, and something about the stars leading the way for us really hit a cord with me.

The celestial bodies, years ago – when the streetlights were not as rampant – were always looked upon for guidance and inspiration, to show the wondering traveler a guided path. The heaping feeling one must get, alone and feeling small when they lost their way, only to look up and get direction from the stars is surmounting. The “knowing” that something greater than them is present and concrete enough to follow and trust is such a comforting feeling. If only we could see the stars on a nightly basis and remember.

We are all made of stars. Me, being a science nerd (could you have guessed it?) has enamorously watched many discovery channel shows on the Universe and our origins. It is something that has always sparked my interest. These astronomers and cosmologists concur that the matter making up stars is the same matter that makes up everything in our Universe, the same matter that makes our sun, makes our trees and makes our cells. So we, are literally all made of stars.

That’s why when you look up in the night sky at those twinkling bodies you feel a connection.  That guidance in the stars, is in all of us.

Is that enough reason to trust your intuition?  It’s there for a reason and it’s ALWAYS right.  To guide you towards your dreams.  I know this may seem a little lofty to hear but it is reality.

No matter what your deepest desires are, the answers to your questions come from listening to your deepest intuitive voice.

It’s fitting that my illustration be of a “Hanukkah girl” my version of a cross between a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Angel (which was last night) and a Menorah – and in true VS Angel fashion, I added a little turkey feathers since Hanukkah falls on Thanksgiving this year.  Hanukkah is the festival of lights and a once in a lifetime occurrence that it falls on the festival of giving thanks.  No matter what religion you are we can all be grateful for the guidance we all have access to if we tap into it. Our intuition, and the guidance of lights – the light from the stars, the oil in our lamps, the fire in our fireplaces and the flame in our hearts is what will get us to where we want to go, no matter what obstacle may come in our path.

I hope you like this holiday illustration and for those of you who celebrate Hanukkah, you can purchase these cards in my etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyBrickel or through my website at www.EmilyBrickelillustrations.com

Hope you like it!

And as always,

Hope that inspires you to reach your deepest desires, forge your destiny and reach for the stars!
xoxo
Emily

Gift Certificates Available! Purchase one as a Holiday or Wedding Gift! Click the image below. Or check it out here.

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