I
packed up my few belongings and with about $75 in my
pocket and a ten speed bike, I moved to Los Angeles.
It was there I began working in retail sales. After
spending 5 months in L.A., I moved back to Washington
state and a few years after that to San Jose, CA. In
total I spent a decade in retail sales learning the
basic skills that would later enable me to create my
own business.
How
did I become a bridal accessory designer?
It
all began the day I wandered into a fine apparel boutique
where my friend, Wendy, was working. As I walked through
the door I heard the owner ask, "Where are we going
to get veils for the bridal fashion show?" Wendy looked
over, saw me, and said, "This is my friend. She's really
crafty. I'm sure she could put some together for us."
Never one to be daunted by fear of the unknown I took
up the challenge. I went to a fabric store, bought a
pattern and made six sample veils. Within days the boutique
was sending clients with custom requests and so began
my career as a bridal accessory designer.
People
often ask me where I learned to make tiaras.
Honestly,
I don't know how I know how to make them. My work has
a vintage, old world feel to it and I have often been
told I use a centuries old French and Italian jewelry
making technique. Many people have speculated over the
years that perhaps it's a skill carried over from a
past life. Maybe, I just know I love to make them and
that the ideas and inspiration just keep coming.
They
say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.
Ten months after making my first veils, I found myself
going through my own divorce. With a new beginning,
it was the perfect opportunity to pursue a new career
and I decided to try to turn my veils into a full-time
business. Ignorance was bliss. Had I known how hard
it would be, I probably never would have tried. On a
shoe string budget, I created my first collection and
a modest showroom. I now laugh at the irony that I chose
to name my new business Happily Ever After even
as I was going through my own traumatic divorce. "I
remember leaving the divorce attorney's office in tears,
driving home and putting on a happy face to meet with
brides. It was awful; I was so sad but all of my clients
were so understanding and they all encouraged me to
follow my passion."
That
was in 1997. Looking back I realize the best lesson
I've learned is that when you really want something,
you have to find the tenacity to make it happen. You
can do whatever it takes! At times that meant
working a part-time job (for the first year), getting
four hours of sleep a night, learning to use power tools
to refurbish my display cases and living on fried eggs
and noodle soup for months at a time. But even during
those tough times, I found I was often the envy of many
of my clients and friends. "All of that doesn't matter,"
they would tell me, "Do you realize how lucky you are
to have found a way to make a living doing something
you love to do?"
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