MICHELLE’S STORY
My name is Michelle, and I am the artist, designer, admin and packing clerk of this small creative business.
I live on the sunny south coast of England with my hunky husband Jon and my tuxedo cat Harry.
We love Christmas and New York, especially New York at Christmas. Here we are ice skating in Central Park.
How it all began
This unique venture started back in 2013 as just a tiny little seed, it wasn't even a business back then, it was just me, some paint and a desire to be creative. At the beginning of that year, my life was turned upside down. I was presented with an opportunity to do something I never dreamt I would do, cycle 4000 miles from the Arctic to Africa.
It was a crazy, epic adventure that terrified me to my core, but I knew to heal and move forward in my life, I had to take it on. I spent three months cycling my way from the most northern point in Europe to the dry sands of Africa. I cycled across the Arctic circle line, peddled the length of Scandinavia, up and over the Swiss Alps, along the undulating Spanish coast and eventually into the heart of Morocco. It was an incredible, impossible challenge that genuinely changed my life and set the wheels in motion for Eat Pray Pedal.
Somewhere along the Spanish coastline during my 4000 miles cycling from the Arctic to Africa.
A long-forgotten passion
During the hours and hours of cycling, I was confronted with all the hurt and pain of my past. I had to deal with it, there was no hiding, no escaping and certainly no way home: just the open road, me and my bike. Throughout the trip, a new desire began to bubble away inside of me, a long-forgotten passion.
I wanted to be creative, I desired to paint, I needed to use my hands to make beautiful things. But I also wanted to encourage, inspire and motivate others. The hurt and pain I was experiencing I was learning from. I came home from that crazy adventure, knowing that I had a unique opportunity. To share what I had learnt creatively and to help others who may be experiencing something similar.
Painting baubles live for the Selfridges Christmas Press event in 2019. A pinch-me moment for my small business.
hope and light
Once home, I took this tiny seed of an idea, and I planted it, I have since watered it, given it sunlight and prayed it would grow. And it has, it has grown into Eat Pray Pedal, a small business with a single mission, to bring hope and light into the world through creativity and colour. It is still a seedling, but with your help, it keeps on growing. Every purchase, every positive review, every new opportunity, and follow is a chance for it to thrive and flourish.
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