#Designerdiaries // Designer Faux Pas

There are many problems I face daily from being a designer, today I tweeted about it (I'm completely useless at twitter) and found a profile called Designer Problems, what a treat!

When I left the shop today, I walked back to my car, jumped in, looked down and realized the thread in my bag had unraveled. Turns out it had unraveled all the way from the shop... to my car.

There are many things that casually annoy me and tend to happen more than I'd like them to.. here's a few that have happened just today!

#1. Trailing and/or being covered in thread on every item of clothing you own (also works with owning ridiculously fluffy pets - both of which are true for me. Fur & thread are not a good combination)

#2. Pins. Inevitable disaster. Pins in your feet. Pins in your hands. Pins in your butt. Pins get EVERYWHERE. But when you need some, where are they? Forever buying pins!

#3. Scissors. Or lack there of. Never ever being able to find a scissors when you need one. What is that about?

#4. People thinking you'll do stuff for them. As if I don't have enough on! Altering your Coast dress - not my forte... Sorry.

#5. Never being happy with your design. No matter how much good feedback I get, I always see that one seam slightly puckering that would NOT sit flat for the life of me.. (even though I re did it um, 6 times? Goddamn seam.)

#6. "You made this? YOU? No. Your lying. I refuse to believe YOU made this"

Reminiscing // Year 23

So, it's been quite possibly the busiest few weeks of my life!

After finishing my collection, it had to be photographed, shown in Cardiff and shown in London, all while finishing some (AMAZING) orders and while taking the super hard decision to close my little vintage shop.

It's been a hard time setting up shop - a lot of work has gone into everything I've done and I am completely gutted that things haven't worked out as well as I'd hoped but now it's on to better things (hopefully). We had 2 weeks to close and heading into our last week of being open it feels like the end of an era for me. Although I have had the most amazing feedback about the shop, (the decor, the stock and everything in between) it unfortunately hasn't worked out financially which I guess in some cases - you just have to accept. P.s owning a shop is SUPER expensive!! On top of the collection, a phenomenal amount of orders, leaving the shop, trying to find somewhere new and wedding fayre's (stressful just thinking about it all) the boyfriends left for the RAF making everything a little harder. I'm too used to taking everything out on him!

My birthday is coming up (May 27th) and I'm so proud of myself to say by the age of 24 I have owned my own shop, launched my own Bridal wear collection and above all made double figures of beautiful Brides happy on one of the best days of their life. How many other 24 year old can say that, right? And that's just career wise! Obviously, I still feel like I have a million and one things to accomplish before I get anywhere... But it's nice to finally feel like I'm getting there.

"To conclude" (like being back in English class) year 23 has had some MAJOR up's and down's... and looks like its ending the exact same - with an down that could also be an up? Always keep a positive outlook as they say. From the wise words of Dolly P...

"When I'm feeling a little low, I put on my favorite high heels to stand a little taller" 
(and remember what you've accomplished!)

S ♥

2014 List check // Finish my wedding collection

OK so I have to admit I can't fully check this off as I was completely unhappy with one of my dresses which still hasn't seen the light of day and has been balled up in a corner until I can deal with it again! But I did it!

The 2014 collection with the amazing With Love from Bobbin (Aka Ashley) is (nearly) all finished! Hoorah!

It's been months of solid work, ups and downs and some bits I'm not completely happy with but it looks the part and that's what matters!

(Left to Right : Adalynn, Eva, Ameline & Pearl)

Had such a good night celebrating all the hard work and continued amazing feedback on the dresses

(it's been such a confidence boost it's unreal!)

We're in the middle of arranging a SUPER photoshoot - product shots and editorial shots for press etc. (yay!)

So here's a big CHECK on this one!

Now onto the next...

S x

Life List check // Ride a gondola in Venice

That's right, I hopped on a 2 hour plane to Venice, we fought our way onto the water bus, walked 2 miles with suitcases in the rain to arrive at our hotel in Venice - definitely worth it!

From stepping off the Water bus, I was in complete awe. The beautiful architecture and surroundings were something I could never have prepared myself for. The whole place looks like a movie set, like the buildings are really cardboard that has all been set up around us! Even though it was pouring with rain - it made it feel even more surreal. At 8pm walking to our BEAUTIFUL hotel Locanda Ca Del Brocchi I was sold an umbrella on a cobbled square and I walked an hour and half in a daze.

The hotel was right across the Accademia Bridge, around the corner from Peggy Guggenheim's collection - which obviously meant a visit! 

Love locks on the Accademia Bridge

The next day we walked around the beautiful city trying to cram in as much as possible, but really the sights were more than enough. I had so many plans to visit so many places and it took me so long to get there that I just wanted to walk around, eat and drink!

 Then we finally got to the Gondola ride! A must do in Venice right? I'm very happy we did it although to be honest, it was a dissapointment... Dispite being a tad hungover as well (one too many Italian Cosmos!) it cost an arm and a leg for a half hour ride to see stuff that you see from anywhere along the river - although it was nice to have a personal tour guide while being escorted around!

We visited the cutest local restaurant on Saturday night and before heading off home on the Water Bus we went around St Marks Basilica. The entire mosaic interior is surreal and made even better when you visit during a service - the eerie singing below us was incredible.

All in all, what an amazing place! I would recommend anyone to go and they have some fantastic deals - although it is pretty expensive out there so take a lot of spending money! I wish we'd had a few more days

Saint Maria Basilica

View from one of many bridges

Incredible Architecture

View from St Marks Basilica

The mosaic interior of St Mark's Basilica

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

♥