releaseAutor: Bold Business ContributorApril 30, 2019
Dream horses, dream houses, dream beaches and dream pants – what more could a girl want? Aztec Diamond interviews one of our longtime collaborators and favorite equestrian blogger, Eloise Stevenson (@artisan)baby.nz) and asked her about everything from building her dream life with her family to vacationing in New Zealand and never coming home.
As all our followers know, you seem to live the most amazing life surrounded by family and horses! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you made your dream come true in beautiful New Zealand?
Hello advertising girl, I'm so glad to talk to you! Of course, you watch me as much as I watch you - working hard, improving and growing this amazing brand. I love wearing your trendy outfit, it really gives me energy to drive and do my daily activities.
Speaking of hard work, that's really the secret to what you call a good life. Hard work plus location! Adam and I work hard to ensure the best quality of life for us, our daughter and our horses. Often, when you see people living their ideal lives, others may assume that this has always been the case. I grew up in a loving family but cowered from the fists of bullies at Crawley Grammar School for several years followed by heavy daily business trips to West Sussex/London. I ended up on a mission to New Zealand with my travel hungry boyfriend (not my New Zealand husband!) and immediately felt relieved and refreshed in this amazing country that I have never left. It's a very cliché but true "I found myself in New Zealand" and after spending a few months carving my own path here, I definitely couldn't be more ready for my husband. It was love at first sight (at least for me), and after some crazy nights in adolescence, we brainstormed and designed the life we wanted to lead. It took dedication, serious hours of work, determination and hard work, but now we're sailing and yes, it's great! Not a day goes by that I don't thank these lucky stars. The life you see on my insta is absolutely real and we celebrate it so much because it's something we created together.
How did you start documenting your life? Have you ever felt pressured to keep up with social media demands?
Early in my stay-at-home mom job, we explored additional sources of income and began to conceptualize the brand - The craftsman's child. A company that sells high-quality baby products made in New Zealand worldwide - I know babies are boring, sorry about that! A luxury brand founded with my equestrian best friend - a talented hostess playing with beautiful horses, sparkling eyes, naughty fairy, my idol! This angelic lady passed away suddenly and sadly and the business idea faded into the background but I continued to photograph and live with the beautiful horses and our girls and it developed into what it is today - really needs a name change, don't I? Any suggestions! ?
When it comes to Instagram stress, that's something I've always known. I quickly pull out my phone to capture the beauty in front of me, but I'm a seasoned professional and my real skills are being efficient and making sure I'm not taking advantage of anyone or imposing family time or quality driving time. I have hundreds of photos in my gallery and my mantra is always to do or risk something for love, with the added bonus of capturing the glory with my phone. My Instagram identity is unique and everyone's journey is different in a beautiful way! I don't compare, I really like what I do with it. Sometimes I think I wish I had a good camera, but as an already busy mom, this is dangerous territory for my constant quest for perfection!
We are a bit obsessed with your two horses, can you tell us a bit about them and how you balance your riding/family life?
let's forgetBalance, talk about integration. Everything flows very smoothly and I never really feel like I have to compromise on one thing over another - maybe because we've spent years preparing and shaping the way we look at life, always aiming to get to that point .
The horse's temperament plays an important role in the perfect mix. Rua and Otelo are created seasonally. Many people have seen his calm personality and have asked me about his breeding status, but this is a breed unique to New Zealand. Stationbred is a term that describes the environment in which the horse is bred, not the breeding of it. Mixed-bred horses are bred to spend long days in the saddle, often on uneven and steep terrain. He was at the fair when I bought my gray street, but before Georgette was born we had the honor of visiting the farm where he spent the first ten years of his life. It's absolutely amazing. The view of the clear blue sea, lush tall trees and green hills stretching to the shore is breathtaking. There he grew up and roamed the earth as a young man, seeking shelter and water, and learning valuable life lessons. Self defense is her mantra! The creators raised him to use his mind and always stay calm. My main goal when looking for a mount is to find a safe hunter who has registered many hunters and jumps as a bonus. Everything we do is 99.9% reliable, ready for good times. In thirty years of riding, I have never had such a predictable and capable equine friend.
Adam and I bought Othello our blue eyed brioche for our date! Adam invested in him financially and promised that I would teach him how to ride a horse. Othello is not as athletic as Rua, but just as easy to handle and is now a beautiful old gym for girls in the jungle. It's like it has a "child switch" that automatically puts it to sleep when few people are worried about it. Horses know they have to watch out for children, but of course we still have to be vigilant. The atmosphere at home is very relaxed and there is no room for a wonderful frisky horse here at the moment. This is a carefully managed situation that we are keeping a close eye on.
As equestrians, it is often easy for us to fall into a competitive lifestyle of showing off our competition competitiveness and ethos when it comes to equestrian competition.
I am against the idea of competing with other riders and their horses. I believe that the competition is individual to your combination and that you and your horse can achieve results by overcoming the obstacles in front of you.
My ethos is that every time you ride with like-minded people, it's a privilege. When I go to a party and see that everyone is doing the same and probably more than I am to get them and their bikes to this point, I admire them and have great respect for them. Smile. I don't think they are the ones to be beaten.
Hunting is by far our favorite sport - nothing beats tradition, excitement and camaraderie, but I race, chase and jump all season long. Rua can turn his capable hooves into anything and we went through beginners and showed jumps up to 1.10m. Triathlon is something none of his previous riders have achieved so I am very proud of our achievements in dressage and cross country. Long days at shows with the kids at home are much harder now, but Adam is very helpful and always lets us go out and find ribbons to take home to decorate the girls room.
What are your plans for 2019?
I have been involved in the equestrian community on Instagram for three years and it is amazing how many true friends I have made, but what is most impressive is the overall approval each rider has for the other through this channel. This was inspired by the power of connection with Instagram, which is certainly a powerful network. go to riding journal - a place that celebrates our desire and obsession with horses. This has sparked many new friendships and as our girls grow, we look forward to exploring these opportunities and meeting people and their horses from all over the world.
I see a bright future in existing partnerships and love working with Aztec Diamond's leading brand, enjoying a clean channel of mutual respect. One of the most exciting collaborations this month was with my good friend the beautiful and talented Ash from @theblachat
Ash and his partner (3*** events) handsome Luke stay here. Your photographic and creative skills are second to none and we plan spectacular and unique equestrian adventures, including an exclusive Aztec Diamonds photo shoot in your home. Ash and I met on Instawaves many years ago when she booked a plane ticket from Australia to come with me! They are The Saddle Club and Soul Sisters of the Saddle Club recently met on a Christmas trip to the Gold Coast. He is a senior cat.
The look of the future! Hunting (hunting) season has started, so I'm expecting a big chunk of aviator's lap, though Adam insists on skiing on weekends when winter sets in. We're on a family holiday in Fiji (sounds more tiring than relaxing) and we're discussing plans to build an all-weather arena, but I won't let myself dwell on it for a moment because it sounds too good to be true amazing! Watch this space... literally.
Quick fire question:
Favorite place to ride:
Great black sand beaches of New Zealand
Favorite handle brand:
Dapple Equestrian @dapple_equestrian
Party Tips:
Bounce strange and wonderful objects on my horse
favourite food
smoked salmon
The best way to relax:
eat lox and sleep
Favorite advertising outfit:
Black jeans and a black base layer #ROOTD
favourite movie:
Old but good - Francis Ford Coppola's black stallion
All photos in this feature are by Ashley Grant (@theblachat)