It got me thinking about my own blog. I don't post very often - I guess I don't really have a clear focus when it comes to the purpose of the blog. Its predominantly about my business, and the wedding industry, but i've always been a bit of a gas-bag, and I often find I really curb myself when i'm writing so that I don't get too *involved*, at least not on a personal level. Honestly - I spend more time editing my waffle than I spend writing it! But what the heck....
Let's start with me. This is me (no not Isme, I *really* hate those adverts!).
But I have to balance my sparkly side, with another side that is Wife and Mum. This year sees my husband and I celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, and we have two beautiful children, Aliya who has just turned 6, and Austin who will be 2 in a couple of weeks. So really I suppose, THIS is me --->
I often use the words "we" and "us" and "our" when I talk about Starstruck Designs, and that's because, although I run the business, and I make all the pieces, this is very much a family business and all four of us are involved. My husband Andy, is my ultimate sounding board. He is the one person that I can guarantee will stomp all over my fantastic (expensive), creative (non-commercial), never-been-done-before (impossible/unrealistic/away with the fairies) ideas without a care in the world. Sounds harsh? Hmmm...but he keeps me grounded. He helps me sort the chaff from the wheat when it comes to the crazy think tank that sits on my shoulders. He also critiques my new designs, enourages me during the lows, pours me a glass of wine to celebrate the highs, and nags me to complete my tax return on time. He's also not afraid of the early Saturday morning run to the post office, with both children, so I can have a lie in. And he sometimes comes back and wakes me with tea and a bacon sarnie. For that, I love him forever.
My children tell me when i'm working too hard, or working when I shouldn't. They run their fingers though my boxes (and boxes, and boxes) of crystals and pearls and diamante and ohh and ahh over my "sparklies". Their delight when I twirl a tiara around in the sunlight and cause rainbow flecks of light to fill every wall of the room reminds me of the beauty of the materials I work with. Aliya likes to try on the samples that I make up, and if she can pop a tiara on and then completely forget she is wearing it, I know that its not going to cause a bride a headache on her wedding day. Austin also likes to try on my samples...
Last year was a tough one for me. It was the first year I was back at work full time since having my children. Its hard to balance a business and a family, and I don't always get it right - and if the balance isn't right then both sides suffer. If I spend too much time working and not with the family, my children miss me, I feel guilty about neglecting them and that inhibits my creativity. If I spend too much time with my family and not enough working, then of course, my business, client relationships, and credibility suffers. Sometimes one side needs me more than the other and identifying those times when a shift is required is tricky...that's why it takes more than just me, to make sure I get it right. But believe me, Starstruck Designs is made up of a team of experts - we might not all get involved in making tiaras, but we are all brilliant at the parts we are in charge of!
Lovely article! And what a great family you have.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was a lovely post to write, and its always easy to talk about my family!
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