'How you started'

For me it all began when my children were babies, I knew that was my window of opportunity to go for it.  I had planned and saved to be able to spend the first couple of years at home with my children.  Back in 2010, I set up a blog and began taking part in weekly illustration challenges.  On the back of that I set up a Folksy shop and ordered my first collection of greetings cards to sell from my Folksy shop.  It all grew from there. 
A few years ago, the story of how I started my little business was used as a case study in a book by Emma Jones from Enterprise Nation ' Start A Business for £99'. It was from those very small steps and a small investment at the beginning that things grew. 

​Obviously, the £99 headline on this very helpful book, is just to get the first things started (initial set up costs). You will need cash to live on and to invest and grow the business. It takes a few years of consistent, dedicated, hard work before things start tipping into feeling like a viable job with growth potential. Often that means building multiple income streams to help make the business stable and sustainable.  This all takes time. Which is why, if you are starting out and don't have savings in place, you may need to work a second job to give you the cash you need to keep going in those early years. 
Everything has to start somewhere, often it just needs a few small actions to get things moving and then bit-by-bit, day-by-day it grows if you keep at it. If you love what you do, it makes it all worth everything!

'Full or Part-time'

'I swapped 9 to 5 for 24/7'
I think most self employed people will resonate with this statement!
This is more than my job, I think about it all the time. I've always had ideas for images, designs and can't remember not ever thinking about drawings, art, things to make and create.  I daydream in full technicolour and felt most 'myself' at art college - it was a very natural habitat for me!  After Uni I lost a bit of that, trying to make my way in the world, but found a little bit of that creative environment working in advertising and spent a good decade working with lots of bright and imaginative people.  However, it was never quite right for me. Looking back, it felt like a piece of me was missing and not true to myself.  It was always my aim to get back to that full creative life I had at uni. To be able to do that working around my children was my dream. Now I feel very lucky to be able to work the hours my children are in school doing creative work.  Sometimes I work at the weekend or in the evening, but only because I want to... and it's not really work, it's portfolio building which I LOVE doing!

'You' 
​
This is me, lovely to meet you! 
I am a mother of two girls and designer of stuff who loves drawing most of all. I'm also a Generation X, music lover, novice gardener and cake fanatic. I love escaping to the coast to sit by the sea with a good book, or explore a city or town on foot... but don't get as much chance to do that as I used to, bringing up girls and running a creative business, so now I relish those opportunities even more!

'Workspace'

This is my corner empire!
A comfy space to bring drawings to life with colour and to carefully pack orders. It's very cosy on dark winter days and light and bright on sunny days.

.I hope you enjoyed a brief round up from my Instagram #MarchMeetTheMaker.

I'll sign off today with an image of my Easter card selection, available from my Etsy shop.

Have a wonder April and Easter!
Best wishes

Happy March!

Spring has sprung upon us.
This month, my FREE desktop wallpaper for my email subscribers is channelling all the spring vibes.  I saw a little blue tit perched at the top of the cherry tree in our garden this week.  It was a beautiful blue sky day and the little bird was singing it's heart out.  
​As soon I saw it, I knew what this month's desktop wallpaper had to be!

If you would like to get the FREE desktop wallpaper, then here's a link to where to join my mailing list:

JOIN MY MAILING LIST HERE

I always come away from events like this with my head buzzing with ideas, it can be very overwhelming.  Thankfully, I am a few years in to my creative business and know that it's important to fill that notebook up straightaway and then put it to one side.  There will be obvious things to prioritise and action straight away, and other things that would be great to re-visit.  That's why I enjoy travelling to events like this by train as it gives me a few hours straight after the event to gather my thoughts and jot them all down on the journey home....

Now that we have reached March, that means that it will soon be Mother's Day
here in the UK.
​
The date to remember is Sunday 31st March this year.

Over at my Etsy and Folksy shops, I have a bright collection of floral and sweet Mother's Day cards and gift ideas.  The images featured here include some new designs for this year...

I hope you have a lovely month.
Don't forget to look up to the branches of the trees,
you never know who you will see singing their song for spring
from behind the blossom!

​Best wishes,