Back To The Drawing Board

Since the age of 15 when I started to make and sell cards to order, I wanted to run my own business. Making stuff for a living is all I've ever really wanted to do. Now that my little girl is getting bigger and I have a little bit of time to myself- I'm going back to the drawing board with my business. I'm currently re-naming, re-branding and re-designing... everything. How did I get to this point?

I graduated from university with a 2.1 in graphic design in 2006. I love graphics, I love colour, type and pattern, but I don't think the graphic design industry ever really suited me and I don't think it ever will. I'm not competitive enough, I'm definitely not commercial enough and do you know what? Having studied graphic design for three years- I'm really not that great on Photoshop and I know next to nothing about web design. Phew! That feels good to get that off my chest!

Throughout uni- I constantly felt like a square peg in a round hole. I enjoyed the ideas process and I  really excelled when it came to making anything, like a book or the board game I designed in my
3rd year. But generally graphic design was far too tech-y for me. Too much time on the computer and not enough cutting and sticking for my liking.

Here are some of the projects I enjoyed.

These wallets were made out of duck tape and covered with memorabilia from my summer job at a crazy golf course.

For this project I had to design a greatest hits album cover for an artist/band of my choice. I inevitably chose Stevie Wonder. The album cover was based on sound and the ear. When it's opened up it revealed a pop up representation of the inside of the human ear.

As part of the project we had to design a promotional gift to go with the album. This little box was designed to contain a set of headphones.
































At the end of my final year of university, I racked my brain over what I could do with my life. I went round in round in circles and never came to a conclusion. In fact the board game I made was designed with that in mind. Some of the points on the board include 'Marry a rich man and become a lady of leisure' or 'go home to your mum' and if you actually do make it to the end you're sent straight back to the beginning. It's only now, looking back on this, that I realise how cynical I was.

However, to my delight- Hallmark Cards spotted my work at my degree show and invited me for an interview. I was so excited and thought that this was it- the beginning of a long and prosperous career in design! But it didn't go to plan. An aloof man in a Hawaiian shirt leafed through my portfolio with what can only be described as complete disdain. I sat quivering in front of him, as he ripped me and my work to shreds (not literally- that would have made an awful mess of his shiny, white studio). I went home and put my portfolio behind my bed and vowed that that's where it would stay.

So I convinced myself that teaching was the thing for me. I worked as a teaching assistant in a secondary school and then a primary school. I enjoyed it. I loved helping the kids that struggled. But I preferred to be making resources for them or making scenery for the nativity play. I soon realised that design was where my heart was. I attended an interview for Junior Designer at a children's publisher in the city. This time, the interviewer loved my portfolio, but.. lack of industry experience went against me.

Having been rejected again, I decided to start work on my own designs. Mainly greetings cards and wedding stationery- which were really popular amongst friends and family and then friends of friends. Now this may seem a little hasty and possibly a tad irresponsible, but having only just started out on my little venture- I handed my notice in. I really thought this was what God was telling me to do. I have no idea how I convinced my husband, Steve of this.

I spent my time designing and making cards and stationery. I designed bespoke wedding stationery for several couples. I sold cards at craft events and in craft shops, as well as to friends and family. I attended business courses and worked on my website.

I began selling  my work in a co-operative craft shop in St Albans. Here I made friends with several jewellery designers, who inspired me to learn some new skills. So I began an intensive business and jewellery course at The London School of Jewellery. I left this course feeling thoroughly inspired and began work on my own range of jewellery. I wore my jewellery everywhere and it soon began to attract attention- even from random people on the street- which was really encouraging!

I made enough money to pay for my materials, courses and industry magazines- which I was really proud of. But the money I earned definitely didn't pay the bills. We really wanted to move out of our flat and into a house- so I needed to get a job. I got a job as Assistant Manager in a ceramics cafe- which was a real blessing. The regular income was brilliant, it settled Steve's nerves and enabled us to get a mortgage on our house. It also meant that when I left to have Ruby that I got maternity pay.

The year and a half that followed  has consisted of full time employment, pregnancy, refurbishing a house, depression, giving birth, moving house and taking care of my very active little girl. Therefore my little business has been seriously neglected and I miss it!

Having come to the end of my maternity leave we realised that it just wasn't cost effective for me to go back to work where I was, so I made the bold step of resigning from my position. My life has obviously changed considerably in the last year and so my head is now brimming with new ideas to explore. I'm getting back to researching, making, planning and selling and I'm excited.

So watch this space!