Roaming In Rome

So it's been a while! I actually haven't thought about writing for such a long time as I've been crazy busy making glittery plans and working on my small biz of colourful and sparkly accessories. And then the other day I was just going through my photos looking for something and I started going through some holiday photos. It was then that I thought, as much as I truly love my small business and the passion and drive I have to work hard for it, I really just need a short break to somewhere new. I started going through old photos from a trip to Rome beginning of last year, and I just got that exciting feeling you get when you reminisce about a holiday. So I decided to share some of my photos, not just on Instagram like I usually do, but actually write about it.

I fell in love with Rome from the moment I saw it. There is just something so beautiful about seeing so much history and culture, remains of a place that still gets more and more magical by day. Even though it was literally zero degrees most of the time, the walking around and exploring was so much fun. Italian food is one of my favourite cuisines; there is always something to choose from no matter what you fancy. Travelling to a new place always makes me feel inspired as soon as I get back home, and it definitely makes me work smarter with a clear and refreshed mind.

So even though I'll be posting a lot about my small biz in the future (well I intend to), I hope you enjoy looking through my photos, and if you've not yet been to Rome, I'd highly recommend it! Please just don't do what I did and go in the midst of Winter, when it was way too cold to eat any gelato or enjoy the rooftop view from the hotel.

Clothes Show Live 2016

I've been meaning to write a post about this but towards the end of last year everything was so hectic. I'd had a crazy, stressful but VERY exciting time at the Clothes Show, and after getting back home I had so much catching up to do on orders and re-stocking my Etsy shop. I hope you've all had an amazing start to the year. I can definitely say that I had the best Christmas/New Year/Birthday this year to date. And now a month or two later down the line I've decided that I wanted to share my experience on my blog.

If any of you went to the Clothes Show, you'll know that it was the last EVER! It was actually quite emotional as it brought back lots of memories from when I used to work backstage in the fashion theatre. And it was just an amazing experience that I got to be there at the last one. I met so many amazing people and everyone was so friendly and kind. I'd found out exactly a month before the Clothes Show was starting that I'd got a stand with ASOS Marketplace. So in between having a full time job and all the other daily tasks I managed to make a couple of hundred bags in a few weeks.

I was very nervous but excited, and basically just didn't really know what to expect? We went to set up the day before and you could already feel the buzz around the halls. Quite a few of us who were there with ASOS Marketplace had spent the whole day getting everything organised. I had decided that I wanted shelves on the wall to display my clutch bags, which took a while to put up. I wanted to keep it quite simple and just make the bags stand out and speak for themselves.

So the first day of the Clothes Show quickly came around and I noticed that it was a lot of students on the first day. Every day was pretty hectic and as I was on my own it was difficult to even get a bite to eat or run to the loo, but all the girls around were really lovely and we all kinda helped each other out which was so helpful!

The five days flew by so quickly and even though I was so rushed off my feet I was absolutely buzzing! The event was such an amazing experience and I was ecstatic to meet so many lovely customers who gave wonderful feedback. The one thing I loved was meeting some of my customers face to face and finally putting a face to the name.

There were so many other talented designers and unique brands there and it was lovely to just have a few giggles whilst the quiet spells throughout the day. I've added a few photos below of my stand although as it was SO busy I guess I didn't have time to take that many photos. I wish I'd actually taken a few more and spent a bit more time on that. I've now got most of those bags back in stock in my Etsy store, so if you see any that you like, go pop over to www.sukisaburdesigns.etsy.com. You can currently get 15% off with the code 'LOVEGLITTER' at the checkout!

Macarons & Mirrored Reflections

So it's been a long time since I've wrote a blog post, due to my lack of creativity and being busy with every day things. Sometimes I feel like plans just take over and there's never enough time to do everything on my to-do list. But last week I was down in London for a few days just exploring and visiting places that I've never been before. I've always loved the night-time atmosphere of London and how it's so lively and energetic, but I've never actually viewed it from the top. I also really wanted to visit the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Victoria Miro, after seeing continuous Instagram posts on my feed I was determined to do that first thing even with the half an hour queue in the heat.

So I thought I'd write up a post about what we did, the new restaurants we tried (even if we were a little late to the party) and the things that we saw. As this was a midweek trip, it was a lot quieter than usual, which was actually better as I sometimes get a bit overwhelmed when there's too many people around me. On the day that we got there we had a quick bite to eat and then made our way to the Victoria Miro museum which was so packed but definitely worth it! I was quite surprised that they only allowed each pair in for minute in each of the rooms, which I don't think is enough time to take everything in as I could have literally locked myself in those boxes for the whole day! The exhibition is still on for a little while so if you're a fan of her work it is definitely worth going. To be honest the rooms seem a lot bigger in photographs because of all the mirrors, so I was pretty surprised at the size of them, but at the same time the photographs don't do them justice as everything was just SO SO beautiful.

We then went to Dishoom in the evening for dinner where you get THE most tastiest Indian food EVER! Along with a little stroll through the markets in Covent Garden as strangely every time I've visited Covent Garden the markets have always been closed. The next day we decided to go to Laduree for breakfast and I chose the fried eggs with tomatoes and crispy bread. I've only ever tried macarons and a few cakes as every time I go I just can't resist the temptation of the pretty desserts on display, but the breakfast was really yummy and I'll definitely be going back there.

After that it was the usual trip Harrods and shopping on Oxford Street, which always includes a visit to Lush and Topshop! The evening was spent getting dressed up and going to Sketch for dinner, which I will write up a separate post about later on. I'd love to know if any of you guys have favourite spots in London or if you know of any good restaurants etc, drop a comment below and let me know. I hope you enjoyed reading this post, xo

Craftisan Bay Spring Fair 2016

Can't believe we're already into the month of May, this year is just flying by! Spring has just sprung and it'll nearly be summer soon. Am I the only one that hasn't yet planned a summer holiday?! Well anyway as you'll find out in this post I've been very busy with events such as the Craftisan Bay Spring Fair, which took place a couple of weeks ago at St Martin's House in Leicester. It was their first event of the year, with the summer, autumn and Christmas fair taking place later this year. I've only recently just started doing fairs so I guess I'm still learning about what is selling, who my market is, and how to improve my setup.

I've found days like this really helpful as I not only get to showcase my products but I've also met some lovely people who hold stalls, and other designers and crafters. As I'm quite new to this I've had a few of the stallholders giving me advice which I've found has really helped me. Having other people who show you confidence and support is probably one of the best things about doing these events as it can get quite lonely sometimes when you're so caught up making new products and getting your name out there.

It's normally a very early start for these fairs so I'll be up bright and early with everything packed up and ready to go! For this event I had my lovely friend Prim helping me, and you can read his blog here if you want to know more about him. He does a lot of beauty/skincare/lifestyle/food posts on the blog. The location was in the city centre of Leicester, and the day turned out to be warm and sunny which was definitely a bonus! It did take quite a while to set up as I can be very indecisive about how I want everything laid out haha. You can see my stall setup below and if you do see anything you like you can pop over to my Etsy shop www.sukisaburdesigns.etsy.com or my website sukisabur.co.uk to purchase any of the products.

It's a Colourful Spring!

It's that time of year again where Summer is just around the corner, but with all those April showers the days just seem to be dulled down. The pink skies in the evenings and those bright sunny mornings are taken over by midday showers and grey clouds. You've got so many exciting plans for the summer and cannot wait to get your hands on the latest summer trends for your holiday. But the long days of waiting are sucking that energy out of you. Yes I pretty much feel like that at some point during the Spring months, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.

So I wanted to brighten up those dull Spring days with a few colourful accessories. And so I thought about making more of my makeup bags in lots of lush colours. Of course the colours I've used go perfectly with my silk scarves as I wanted all of them to match. I've put these new bags up on Etsy, which you can find here. I also feel like these would be the perfect gift for bridesmaids or as travel accessories for your summer getaway! and They are now available in a rainbow full of colours! You can also find them on Depop if any of you girlies use the app, just search 'sukisaburdesigns'. xo

www.sukisaburdesigns.etsy.com

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Business

In no way am I saying that I 100% know what I'm doing, or that I've gone about doing things the right way, taking a straight path. But if you read my last post about diving in and going for what you want, you'll know that I mentioned not knowing what to expect and learning along the way. There are a few things I wish I'd been prepared for in advance.. although I'm not sure if that would have put me off before starting anything? But I guess I've learnt a few massive pointers as I've gone along.

Make sure you've saved enough money to live comfortably for the next six months.. maybe even longer. You've got to work out a personal budget of what you'll need to save extra money for and what expenses you'll need to account for monthly. Always remember to leave a little bit extra for going out and enjoying yourself, and also emergencies.

Don't mix your personal and business expenses. Even though you might be so involved in what you're doing and you don't feel as if it is necessary, TRY to keep them both separate. It'll probably save you a lot of confusion in the long run when you're trying to work out your expenses.

You've got to put in ten times more than what you'll get out of it at the start. This may be for the first year, maybe longer. This includes not only investing your time, but energy, ideas, and most likely even money! (Unless you're starting a business that doesn't require much spending and investment.) It will be so draining and exhausting at first, especially when you feel like you're putting in so much of your time and not seeing any results. But everything takes time, and you've got to build a strong foundation.

Don't listen to all the advice you get. Everyone will want to share their opinions with you and tell you what they think is best. Thing is, all businesses work in different ways, and there is no right or wrong way. Listen to what other people have to say but don't feel as if you have to take any of it. Don't think too much into it as most of the time people will either tell you not to take such a big risk or they will tell you to go for it in kind of a fake way. Follow your heart and trust your instincts, as this is YOUR adventure, no one else's.

Plan. Plan. Plan. You'll of course have a long list of things to accomplish, some which may not seem within your reach. But until you write it all down on paper and have something to compare your successes to, you won't be following a proper plan. Nothing will go to plan. You'll come across new obstacles and face difficult decisions. But unless you've been mentally prepared for it and thought about it beforehand, you'll be completely knocked off your feet.

Don't be overwhelmed by your competitors. There are already SO many people doing what I've set out to achieve. But a little competition is always healthy. Yes you may want to start a beauty blog or a graphic design business. And yes there may be a million other people writing about the same product or using a similar colour palette to yours. But what's different is that you're putting your own spin on things. If you're passionate about something then don't be scared to take that risk and be worried about other people doing it better. Your work and your project will be different because it's YOUR opinions, YOUR designs, YOUR thoughts and YOUR brand! And that's something you can transform into your own, with your unique touch.

I hope this advice has helped, I'd love to know what you guys think. If you're planning to start your own little venture, I'd definitely say the advice above would help, even if it's a few of the most obvious points. Let me know if you want to see any more posts similar to this, and GOOD LUCK! xo

Starting a New Business Venture

We've all got dreams and goals, no matter how different they are. We all have so many different things that make us happy and make us feel content. Some of us may plan these things with to-do lists, little sticky notes, making mental notes, and even crossing these things off. But how many of you actually complete the tasks you've always wanted to do? Maybe some things you can't complete, if they are long term goals, maybe they could take months, even years to build up.

Isn't it such a scary thought? To go after something you've always dreamt off and wanted, yet knowing that you could simply fail and lose it all. Maybe you feel as if not going after it will be better, as you won't be defeated and be disappointed. Thing is, if you don't ever go after your dreams you'll never really know. And those hopeful dreams will gradually turn into doubts and regrets and you wondering about what you could have done better, more of or just simply DONE.

After finishing university there were so many things that I wanted to do, but I just didn't really know what direction to go in, what to do first, or what I'd really love to do and enjoy. So I procrastinated for a really long time. I carried on with my day job and being completely unhappy every single day. I thought about all the things I could do and what would make me happy. Yet I did not do anything about it for a really long time. I guess I had the same worries so many other young people have. Money and finance, failure, not being fully clued up, getting stuck, feeling alone, there's just SO many things to think about.

And then one day I just decided to go for it and dive into the deep end. I didn't really have much to lose and if I was already completely unhappy there was no point carrying on the same way. So I put more time into designing and planning a collection. I sat for hours sometimes just procrastinating and planning, feeling lost. Yet every single time I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere, I was moving one step forward. I was definitely the most nervous and worried I'd ever been, yet I was so excited for this scary, unknown venture that was giving me butterflies.

I read a pile of books on branding, building a collection, and starting a business. I searched for suppliers and decided what products I wanted to get made with my designs. I got clued up on how to build my own website and planned how I wanted it to look. There was so much planning to do, so many decisions to make, and of course I'm still making them as I go along. I spent most of my time trying to get one step further, and by doing so I realised that sometimes the place you think you want to get to isn't actually where you want to be. But the more you research and the more chances you take, the more you will discover about what is the best route to take.

Once I'd completed some of the things I was previously scared of, I realised that I felt so much better. That it wasn't actually as nerve wracking as I thought it would be. And I realised that I had learnt something completely new and grown as a person. I've come to realise more of my strengths and weaknesses, I've found out how I work best and what I actually like doing, and what I despise but I am actually quite good at. I've still got SUCH a long way to do, SO much more to learn and SO many goals I've not yet achieved.

But if you've been thinking about doing something you've always dreamt off but you're not so sure, just take a chance and just go for it! Of course there will be things that will get in your way and obstacles that you've not expected. But if you don't atleast try you'll never really know what you're capable of. There's so much help out there you've just got to look for it and ask for help as you go along. Maybe you don't see it know but you'll learn so much about yourself and even if the end goal changes, or you don't get there, you will definitely get something positive out of it! xo