It's being too long since I posted a blog but that honestly doesn't mean that I haven't been busy. As you may know from reading some of my previous blogs I began my business after becoming disabled due to a number of chronic health conditions. What started as therapy for my hands in response to suggestions from an occupational therapist has now become Gilli's flowers.
As you may or may not also know I was continuing to work three days a week as a reading interventions manager in a large primary school a job I love and was passionate about. Unfortunately over the course of the last academic year it became apparent that my body did not love the job as much as I did resulting in work becoming more of a struggle and with more of a knock-on effect at home.
In the end after a lot of thought, discussion with my daughter some soul-searching and prayers I realised that the time had come when I really had to listen to my body and say goodbye to teaching and apply for early retirement.
My biggest seller.
So, that's the endings, what about the beginnings?
I've been working on my Etsy shop and you can now get straight to that via the shop button on my homepage and in my menu. I've added lots more items with new ones coming everyday particularly as we head towards the (sorry to have to say the "C" word) Christmas season. I'm also taking part in some online shopping events which will be promoted via Facebook, one of which will includes my only pre-Christmas sale so to make sure you don't miss out go to Facebook and like/follow my Facebook page, Gilli's flowers jewellery.
A new Christmas design for this year.
The most exciting thing though was getting my first large retail order which was from the William Morris Gallery in London. This meant quite a bit of work and put my Christmas designs on hold. However last Friday I was able to deliver all the earrings. I'm hoping to develop that side of my business so if you, or anybody you know runs a gift shop and might be interested in stocking my jewellery please give them my details.
So as you can see it's a time of mixed emotions for me but it helps so much that at the time I've had to give up my teaching career which I love and which meant so much to me I've got something else to focus on which provides me with a challenge and new learning but which is much more manageable as this time I am the boss and can take time off whenever I want or need to.
Plus to be honest the extra money comes in handy too.
So thanks for taking the time to read this and while you're here why not pop into my shop and have a browse.
Gilli
Lots of origami cranes for earrings. These are in a design by May Morris, William Morris' daughter and a designer in her own right.
Much more fun than a school INSET day