Hey girl, you’re way too hard on you. Let’s switch things up & start to love those things we hate about ourselves.
Double tap if you’re with me👆🏼💜#internationalwomensday

Real talk. So I don’t often get too personal on here, because, well, we all have our own struggles, but I’m going to now *sorry*. So for those who don’t know me personally, you won’t know that my Dad has very severe Alzheimer’s, so when @livelokaiasked me to create this artwork for their latest campaign, I was honored to be able to do my bit. They asked me to put my experience into words, so this is what I shared..
‘Having to explain to your Dad that you’re his daughter, knowing that in a few minutes you’ll be a stranger to him again, is one of the hardest things I think I’ll ever have to do. The torture of watching someone you love fade away so rapidly, whilst on the outside they remain fit and healthy, is so difficult to come to terms with for everyone involved. Any development in the fight against this cruel disease is a triumph in my eyes.’⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Every purple Lokai sold helps fund research to beat this horrible illness💜Here’s to one day beating its ass⚡️
Nails by @ohmynailsnyc

It’s fair to say my first few days in LA have been a whirlwind. I’m still very much finding my feet here but loving every minute of discovering what this beautiful place has to offer, one tasty ice cream at a time🍦
I’d love to know if you have any recommendations for me, comment below with any places you think I should hit up / people I should meet etc.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(PS thank you for all your lovely messages wishing me good luck & welcoming me here, I hope I get to meet lots of you along the way)💕

Ladies & gentlemen, welcome to Los Angeles. The local time is happy hour & the temperature is☀️

✏️NEON TO DECLARE✏️
Suitcase: DELSEY USA

Introducing the newest member of my #NeonGirlGang The fiercely wonderful @lupitanyongo. Adding this Kenyan-Mexican beauty to my hall of neon was a no brainer. She embodies everything I admire in a hard working, strong, kind, compassionate female. She’s perfection. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Who should I add to my #NeonGirlGang next? I’d love to hear your suggestions..

💔We had a leaving party at the weekend, and if you know me at all, you’ll know that I don’t need much of an excuse to bake a cake. I’m excited about our new venture, but thought a broken heart summed up exactly how I feel about leaving this place I’ve called home for over 4 years. So thankful for each and every single person that’s made this place so special. From the incredible friends I’ve made (I’ll treasure you forever), brilliant clients I’ve worked with who have trusted me with some extraordinary briefs, bartenders that have crafted the perfect margaritas for me (knowing that when I say spicy, I mean spiiicy), food delivery guys that recognize me from my orders & add extra hummus (you know who you are) and Muhammad the fruit and veg guy on 1st Ave that I used to go to every week (he used to save zucchini’s for me in a secret box under his cart). There’s a million reasons I’ll be heartbroken to leave NYC, but I’m excited to find a million things to fall in love with in LA. XO

Guys, guess what?!? I’m moving to Los Angeles! Trying not to tear up as I type this because New York has been incredible & I’ve loved every second of this crazy city & all the forever friends I’ve made here, but it’s time for a new adventure for me & @johnnybudden. I can’t wait to share this journey with all of you on here.
Have any LA tips for me? Things to see? Creatives to follow? Places to go? Shops to visit? Things to eat? People to meet? I don’t know ANYONE, so the last one would be reeeal handy!! XO

Sending all the smooshy neon kisses to each & every one of you💋 Hope you’re having a perfect Valentines, Galentines or even a Nothingtines if you just straight up don’t like today. 💋Tag your BFF, soulmate, crush or just someone you think needs a extra sprinkling of rainbow kisses today XO

High five, we made it through Monday *phew* Time to take off your bra & crack open the🍷go on, you deserve it for putting up with the reoccurring nightmare that is the start of the work week. Anyone else get actual tummy ache on Sunday thinking about waking up & it being Monday? Wish I was better at pretending it’s just any other day. Even though I’m freelance & work from my home studio, I still get it. Any tips?
Side note - how good would it be if pink tigers were really a thing?! Maybe I should create a whole zoo of neon animals? I mean, stripy green🦓!! XO

Can you spot where you live? 👀
I’m from Wales, but live in NYC - I can see both places😍
Even though so many of you are strangers, it doesn’t feel like it. You guys mean the world to me (well three worlds tbh👆🏼). Thank you for always saying such lovely things on here (trying my hardest to get back to all your DM’s too!) Your sweet, encouraging & kind messages always brighten my day (especially in my last post). High five for keeping me motivated on this weird social media journey & making the world feel just that little bit smaller & friendlier.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
BTW this was a lot harder to paint then I’d anticipated - had all the fuzzy eyes by the end of it. Creep down my feed a little to watch the video of me painting this from start to finish XO

and tell them when they have spinach in their teeth 👑 REAL TALK👇🏼
I'm pretty competitive and driven, and when I'd see other girls in my field doing wonderful things, I'd think *Gahhh, why can't that be me?* | *I could've done that* | *Why didn't I get that job offer?* But it wasn't long before I realised that was NOT helping. If anything, dwelling on others success was actually holding me back.
The moment it clicked that there's space for all of us out here, was the moment I became much happier doing what I do. Trust that the right opportunities will come along if you just be true to who you are and what you're aiming for. We don't always see the struggles others go through (especially with the added *sparkle* of 'everything's so perfect' on social media) but everyone has them, some just conceal them better then others. I'm now inspired by wonderful strong women, killing it in their field. It empowers me to more forward and keep working on me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We can't build ourselves up by tearing eachother down, that's just not going to work, so let's cheer each other on, and then follow in their footsteps.

Who empowers you? Let's share some love XO

Fall in love with as many things as possible. In no particular order, here are a few things I’m in love with:
Neon🖤People who are themselves, no BS, no fakery🖤Crafting, drawing, painting..obvs🖤 @johnnybudden 🖤Trashy TV🖤My Mum🖤Mango Chutney🖤Recycling🖤Reading your lovely messages (honestly blows my mind every time you guys leave kind comments)🖤 @hereisgina & @scarlett_moffatt (we’re bffs in my mind)🖤Discount codes🖤Day dreaming🖤To do lists🖤Wales🖤When my loyalty card is fully stamped & I get a free coffee🖤Freckles🖤Rainbows🖤That feeling after a workout🖤Craft shops🖤Colour coordinating🖤Getting to ‘inbox zero’ (rarely)🖤A cwtch (if you know, you know)🖤My nails EVERY single time by @ohmynailsnyc..I could go on, but I won’t, it’s Sunday & I have mango chutney to eat XO

Time to make 2018 the year of being extra. Extra pink in my case 🐅💕✔️I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! XO

Wishing I was back in Palm Springs wandering through this dreamy cacti dessert right now🌵instead of facing a chaotic Monday of emails, meetings & LOTS of planning💭(I can’t wait to tell you what I’ve been working on though📝).
Sending positive vibes to everyone else struggling through Monday, dreaming about Friday..we got this 💪🏼

One of the many great advantages of being Welsh is that we get to celebrate Valentine’s Day twice. Happy Santes Dwynwen to all my Welsh followers (or to anyone that wants to join in & get double the chocolate, flowers & wine!)💋

Yup, even mermaids come in all different shapes & sizes. Embrace your uniqueness & be kind to yourself. You’re perfect just the way you are XO

BE A 🌈 IN SOMEONE’S ☁️
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(This print is now in my shop)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NikiPilkington

I’ve just added 8 new prints to my store (link in bio) & for all of you that have been requesting them, that includes smaller sizes in all 3 versions of my unicorn print! 🦄 Tag a friend that you think would like one of these..or a cheeky hint if you’d like one yourself 😜 XO
(PS. Please don’t tell my Mum I’m wearing shoes on my bed 😳)

What colour would your mermaid tail be?