Floofin' into 2022
Oh hey there! So, in all honesty, I’m not entirely sure where the rest of last year went. I kept trying to put time aside for Floofin’ but I felt other things were more important, and I went into burnout. The good news is that this one-woman band got her business rolling, and with your help, I managed to finish 2021 on a gentle high.
I am very excited to get working this year. Having now taken my weekly deliveries down from the website, I am focusing on the major flowering days (your valentine’s, your mother’s day, etc). and all the weddings, events, and shoots. There are still floral subscriptions available, for those that need their weekly fix! HERE and Valentine’s Day Orders will be up end of next week for pre-orders. Once they sell out, there won’t be any more.
Highlights and Lowlights of 2021
Highlights were most definitely doing weekly deliveries and getting to know my loyal customer base. Whether it’s a few bouquets in the year or every week, it has made my heart sing. So, it’s hard to let go of them now but I know it’s much more efficient that I put them on the back burner whilst I focus on work that makes me money so I can afford to keep Garage going from strength to strength. Plus, my favorite thing to do is make the big floral installations and arrangements!
Then the weddings, oh the weddings. From small and intimate in Hoxton to a delightful late-summer vibe in Richmond, to autumnal and crisps tones at The Savoy and ending on midwinter meets tropical in Hackney. I had the pleasure of making numerous weddings all around London, Surrey, and even further last year and I LOVED EVERY SINGLE ONE!
I also was asked to make my first ever Chelsea in Bloom window for MOSCOT. We collaborated to make a growing, yellow-themed trellising with flower-filled air balloons. Using only British flowers, and four new flowers farms run by women we filled the display with their signature yellow-coloured blooms. My team and I created the window in the pouring rain within 4 hours, and then by the afternoon, it was blistering with sunlight- scorching a lot of the softer stems. I replaced the window 4 days later, and watching the flowers slowly wilt in the summer sun over the course of the next few days was actually quite beautiful. It was natural, the way it’s supposed to be. We won silver!
I’m pretty sure we all know when there are highs there are lows. Last year I don’t think I took care of myself enough, in the sense that I couldn’t mentally switch off. I know it’s a privilege and a pleasure running your own business, but with how little money I had made during the pandemic I was trying to work twice as hard to make up for it. my body and mental health suffered, and I don’t think there’s any shame in saying that I struggled.
Having started to train as a counselor and realising I was struggling to find things in my life that I enjoyed or found relaxing outside of my work, I aimed to come to some sort of resolution that I would put the business first but not before myself. That’s why I’ve decided to stop with the weekly deliveries and focus on the things that I can cope with and won’t cost me each time.
Whats’ the plan for this year?
Well, I really want to work much more closely with those farmers who I found and grew some amazing flowers last year. I have joined a very specific flowering course for the year which will allow me to build on my skill set, as well as learn in far more detail how to make really specialist bouquets, floral arrangements and work, and all toxic-free.
I aim to still provide a service that is utterly beautiful. And be as transparent as possible to you, as well as always being inclusive, non-judgemental, and completely safe space for my customer and future clients to work in. Here’s to more floral events, more incredible learning and most of all here’s to you for keeping me going!
