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Me & My Work Space- Laurel Lime

Rachel Simpson

Posted on April 28 2020

1. Give us a short description of your business

I’m Becky, and I am the owner of Laurel Lime. I make and sell handmade hair accessories and jewellery mainly for the bridal market.

2. How long have you worked for yourself?

13 years.

3. Tell us about your work space

I have the most wonderful harlequin dragonfly wallpaper I fell in love with when I was setting up the studio. That was the backdrop for the style of the room. It’s mainly greys and whites with a few plants, and lots of boxes. Shelves and cupboards house all my tools, materials and beads, a messy workbench sits in the window with all my project work on and I have the prettiest vintage cabinet that shows off some of my accessories when I have brides to visit.

4. Describe your typical working day

I’m quite a messy worker (considering I’m such a neat freak at home this will be a surprise to people who know me), so the first thing I have to do each day is have a bit of a tidy to get everything back where it should be for me to start. I usually start with checking my emails over a cuppa, and make sure there is nothing urgent. Then, it’s writing a list of all of the work I need to complete that day – I love lists. I will often package orders in the morning that were finished the previous day. I don’t like to rush this part as the packaging is so important and I love wrapping everything up and writing a little personal note in each box.

Then I set up my work bench with tools, and materials ready for the pieces that I’m making. I spend hours in the studio, and often lunch will whiz by before I know it. Some accessories take days to make, so there will usually be an ‘ongoing’ project or two on the desk and I often work on more than one piece at a time. Late afternoons tend to be my most creative time to sketch designs for brides requesting something bespoke. By the end of the day, the workbench and floor are covered in wire, beads, ribbon and paper. I’ll look forward to opening the studio the next morning to tidy it up again.

5. What are the top three things you need to make your space your own?

I like plants in the studio – I’m working on having a lot this year to decorate the area. I have to have a good podcast or radio 4 drama on in the background. And I do like to move things around a lot – I often change my mind and want to re-design the desk, or where I put my materials.

6. Top tips for working from home?

If you can, have a dedicated room for working. Having your own space that allows you to have everything you need around you really helps with time management. And you can then shut the door on your work at the end of the day. Hard when you run your own business I know.

Separate your time between ‘home’ and ‘work’. Don’t mix the two or you won’t complete anything well.

And dedicate some time to get out of the house each day. Even to get some inspiration, fresh air or exercise as it will help to keep you fresh for work each day.

7. Any positive changes which have come about since the lock down?

Having some time to think about new collections, and sitting in the garden sketching more, which is lovely. Also, I’ve actually had a good clear out and made some useful decisions about my work space and how I use it.