The reality...

Owning your own business is TOUGH! Who knew?

I love being able to do what I do, but there are days, weeks and full months where I ask myself why I'm doing it... why I don't just get a job and the security of a pay cheque to do what I want with... work 9-5 hours instead of 24/7 with sleepless nights thinking over orders and how to change and improve things!

It's a great thing knowing so many others who also have their own businesses, because I know I'm not alone! Its a tough and competitive retail market out there, and even if you do offer that something a bit different, the work involved of getting people aware of that is ENORMOUS

I've had a bad couple of days... A lot has happened and I've taken a lot to heart that (in hindsight) I probably shouldn't have! You have to be pretty impervious to things to be in this (which I did think I was) but there is only so much I can take.

The Wedding and fashion industry are probably the most brutal industries I could have got into - but where's the fun in anything different, right? I daily take comments from people that I wish I didn't have to and as much as people tell me not to.. I ALWAYS compare myself to other designers. I've heard the whole "It's never as good as they portray" speech 1000 times over, but it still doesn't make you feel any better! Nothing kicks you in the gut harder than knowing someone doing the same thing who found the right contact has a little bit up on you!

I'm definitely one of those people that thinks to myself
"If they've got one up, I'll get one better"

I'm also a right stubborn twat. I like to think that helps me in business! I had SO many people telling me I would never open a shop and yet here I am, 23 and I've had a shop for a year and a half!

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that if you own (or are starting) a new business, don't let other businesses over shadow you and turn all of your negatives into a positive. Take the negatives and use them as your motivation!

Keeping my chin up is a constant lesson

There are some days I find it very hard to do it but eventually, it all works out.

♥

Wet & Windy West Wales

Super scrimper

I'll admit it. I am a MASSIVE scrimper

I recently found myself searching for some bits in a charity shop and saying

"It's got really expensive in charity shops lately"

what a joke!

It's not that I was brought up like it, I'm not even sure where it's come from (maybe the few years of trying to put a mark up on things) but I am a very determined person to do things on as little budget as I can physically do it on! Maybe it's because I love a challenge, and of course I love to make... I feel a sense of pride when I've made the things that adorn my walls.

I bought the cutest book recently called 'Vintage Home' by Sarah Moore. The quote on the front reads...

"Sarah Moore is who I want to be when I grow up" - Emma Freud

If you have a gander through the book, you'll most probably feel the same way. I know I did! 

I'm such a big fan of creative decorating and the images in this book are so inspiring. You may be able to see from the little shop that I love to decorate, I've always said if things go tits up I'd be trying to make it in interior design (or window dressing!). Anyway, I thought I'd share with you my absolute favourite image from the book - OH to have a beautiful wooden staircase in my own home with which to do this...

For details on this DIY and more amazing tutorials you can pick up Sarah's book from Amazon here

♥

2014 list...

Here's to 2014

I've been working on my 'Life List' for a little while now, but this one is for 2014.

It's short and sweet, a great way to push you to do what you've been wanting to do for some time!

It includes some bits from my life list, and some new bits for this year too 

1. Start my own blog

2. Get my nose re-pierced

3. Change my hair color at least 5 times  (5/5)

4. Make myself an outfit for an event 

5. Make my Mum an outfit for an event

6. Finish my Wedding collection

7. Give away a dress

8. Do something for charity

9. Move out

10. Visit Paris

11. Make a desert

12. Cook a romantic dinner

13. Have a picnic

14. Start Yoga

15. Read at least 5 books (3/5)

16. Paint a picture

17. Try 5 new foods (2/5)

18. Go to 5 gigs (2/5)

19. Teach someone to sew

20. Visit Scotland

21. Leave a happy note for someone

22. Fill a sketchbook

23. Get the tattoo I've been meaning to get

Check out the full list here :)

♥

A little story about me...

I've had a few blogs before, but none that I've ever started about myself, so here's a little about me and how I got to where I am now!

I grew up in a small village with an average population age of about 60, went to a tiny primary school with 12 in my year and from there to Cowbridge Comprehensive with a lot more in my year! I got all my GCSE's and went on to get 3 A Levels in Art, Maths and I.T before heading off to uni. 

I took a while deciding what I wanted to do with my life - even though a lot of people think the opposite considering I started my own business at 21! But I flitted in and out of Uni, starting with Architecture, then deciding I'd rather be in Hawaii (for 3 months), then re-starting in Fashion Design in Birmingham and swapping to Cardiff, only to drop out! I have to say, I wouldn't be where I am now without doing that and although I spent a ridiculous amount of money doing it, as far as I'm concerned it was completely worth it. 4 months at Glamorgan Uni tought me what I needed to know to start my business, I still look back at what I learnt there in that short time for just about everything I do now.

My business started as jewellery. When I dropped out of Uni, i started customising mens shirts in an amazing shop called Happy Days in Cowbridge. This is really where I developed a love for vintage - it didn't take long! I had my own sewing room there and spent a lot of time tucked away as I was going through a lot of stuff in my head. After that, I emerged with my first collection and photoshoot of some 100% recycled 50's style dresses.

I do lots with my business and I am constantly busy designing and creating! My dad (big Steve) is one of those people who just doesn't 'get' vintage. He's a very traditional man. He likes his routine, he loves IKEA and complains about just about everything. A true Brit. However, recently a friend of my parents was buying furniture and complained about how ugly something was and my dad replied with "Sophie will fix that. She can make anything look nice"

I love my dad and I love knowing he thinks that! 

On the other hand, there's my Mum. My business partner who 100% gets everything I do (ok maybe 95% gets it) and supports everything. She's a nagger (sorry mum) but it keeps me working and I truely appreciate everything she does. I'm ridiculously like my mum, I take on way too much work, whinge about it constantly, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I'm currently living at home (after spending a few months in a few different cities and countries) and I'm dieing to move back to Brighton where I spent just a few months studying Architecture.  I fell in love with the city, it's a combination of everything I love and I don't think I've been better suited to anywhere else. As soon as I moved it felt like home. Each dress I make gets me one step closer to heading back there :)

I write posts for my other blog - E&W - with the help of the wonderful Sarah who keeps up to date on ethical products and what I'm designing and doing. I also tweet and facebook for my 2 businesses and joined the wonderful world of instagram with mainly pictures of coffee, my dog and the obvious selfies of my different colored hair.

So that's me in a nutshell. I hope you enjoy what I plan to do with this blog! It's my adventure and my plans - something for me.

♥