Why have I been so quiet on my socials, blog and newsletters? You may not have noticed, but maybe a few of you have wondered about my lack of newsletters and social media presence over the last couple of months.

The honest truth is that I had to take a business break to get my family home sorted. I didn’t share anything online about my home renovations but we have been renovating our family home for nearly 2 years! The project started to drag on and there was one issue after another.

I started to really struggle to keep my head above water managing all the issues with the builders and the house and also trying to run my business. I made the decision in January that I needed to prioritise getting my family back in their home as we had been living at my Mother-in-law’s. I had very little time and head space to keep the business ticking over, yet alone plan anything for 2023 or be creative.

Getting back in our home was my number one priority but as it happens I think the little business break was a blessing in disguise. It gave me some time to step back and reflect. I allowed myself the time to really think about where my business is and where I want it to be. It also made me realise a few things.

I realised that whilst my business has been running successfully over the last few years, I have not been enjoying it as much. This is mainly because I shifted most of my focus to my fairy lights. They are brilliant products, and don’t worry the core range isn’t going anywhere, but they don’t give me as much joy as some of my other pieces of work that I used to create.

I’m not sure how many of you remember some of my older products and projects? They included knitted upholstery, knitted blankets and cushions and other types of woven lighting. I used to do more bespoke projects and one off pieces that require more creativity. This was my other realisation - I miss being creative and having bigger projects to get my teeth into.

I don’t mean to sound dramatic that the break was a blessing in disguise. I’m sure the business would have carried on doing well without it and I do still feel so happy every time I wrap up a personalised fairy light, but it's allowed me time to explore ideas and find out what I want my business to be in the future.

Finding Inspiration in unusual places

Of course I still look for inspiration in the usual places - other designers and creative makers that I look up to. A few designers that I love include Vanessa Barragao. Vanessa is a textile artist from Portugal and she creates slowly using wastes and cut offs from Portuguese factories and she uses techniques such as weaving and crochet.

Photo credit: Vanessa Barragao website
Photographer: Pedro Sadio For Portugal Manual

Naomi Paul is an artisan lighting designer and Mischa Lampert really focuses on how her accessories are all hand knitted and hand spun. All these people really care about taking the time to design and are true artisans and creators. This has been another aspect that I have been missing.

I’ve also been able to find new inspiration in everything from museums to mundane chores. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed revisiting some of my favourite museums with my children over the school holidays. We visited the V&A museum and there are so many inspiring exhibits there that have helped me think about design and doing bigger projects again. I can spend hours in that place and I’ve already made my daughter promise we can go back soon as we missed the musical theatre exhibit last time.

Photo credit: V&A website - The Sunflower Knitting Needle Case, knitting needle case and knitting needles, manufactured by Bassat Powell, 1870 – 90, London, England

I’ve also become obsessed with gardening, particularly the weeding! This monotonous task seems to give my brain a chance to switch off from life admin and start exploring creative ideas on its own time. I highly recommend it if you are feeling stressed or you need to process some thoughts and ideas.

The break has also given me some time to read and indulge in trashy TV. I also recommend reading ‘What if?’ This book just got me thinking about trying new things and that I should give some new product ideas a go as really, what is the worst that can happen?

Similarly I have been addicted to ‘My Unorthodox life’, a show about a former member of an ultra-orthodox Jewish community. It's a good way to unwind but again it got me thinking about taking risks and just giving things a go.

What’s the worst that could happen? A product I design fails. But I will have had fun creating it so I have decided to just do it and try some new things.

This is my new outlook. I want to try new things and try to take the business in a more creative long term direction. I’d love to hear what people think and if you remember and miss any of my old products, or what new things you would like to see. I’ll be sharing more soon about new product ideas and where I see the business going in 2023 and beyond.

Why My Business Break Was A Blessing in Disguise