Lavender Line Photography Meets Lavender Scents!

‘Melt, Pour & Enjoy’

As briefly mentioned in my last post, I recently had an exciting product photography shoot with the fabulous Purscents, a sustainable candle business that encourages us to breathe new life into our empty jars with their beautiful nature inspired scents. Not only are you helping to repurpose and help the environment with your Purscents purchases, but you have the added fun of pouring your own candles too, something that makes it so much more personal and something that I couldn’t wait to do!

It seemed only right that ‘Rise N Shine’ be the first candle I make and photograph given that Lavender is its main ingredient along with Lemon and Bergamot, a match made in heaven if you ask me! A quick read of the instructions and I was ready to get to work!

Step One : The placing of the lead free candle wick to jar bottom, ready to bring Rise N Shine to life!

Step Two : Place compostable refill pouch in the microwave for two minutes and Rise N Shine is ready to pour!

Step Three : Once set, your new candle is ready for lighting, bringing those beautiful natural scents into your home!

Step Four : Easy to extinguish, leaving a beautiful aroma around the home while looking pretty in its surroundings!

Coming from a completely creative background I couldn’t wait to get stuck into this product shoot. I found the making process very simple, as well as satisfying too knowing that these Purscents compostable refill pouches mean that one less candle jar will go to landfill. A candle business that not only encourages creativity in the form of taking charge of your repurposed candle vessel, but makes sure to help protect our planet is one that gets my vote and one I will highly recommend time and time again!

Here is to a Summer filled with Purscents!

P.S. Don’t forget that Product Photography packages are available with Lavender Line Photography, helping bring new content to your small business!

When Six Small Business Dreams Become One Reality!

‘I wake up with a new idea and new dreams every day, and I follow that dream, as they say’ - Dolly Parton

Well I think it is safe to say that when it comes to blogging I have every good intention in keeping on top of it, but then finding the actual time to do it becomes almost impossible as a small business owner! This is something that I am going to schedule time for in 2024 so that I can sit down at the computer and keep you updated on all things Lavender Line Photography, but until then here is a quick roundup of all things LLP in Autumn 2023…

A lovely first time trip to Rathlin Island, a fabulous 4 days (should have been 5 but that is a whole other post) in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, a new print series coming very soon, and a beautiful Pop Up Shop that myself and 5 other small business friends have created together to make for an unforgettable shopping experience this holiday season!

I will talk more about Rathlin and Copenhagen in separate blog posts, along with the new series of work, but this post is dedicated to our beautiful The Portview Pop Up!

The Portview Pop Up, a must-visit this holiday season!

When six small business dreams become one reality!

I think I can speak for most small business owners right now in saying that this year has been one of the toughest years when it comes to business and selling work.  Shopping habits and spendings have changed (my own included) and for the first time it has left me a little unsure of what the future may hold.  I am very much a ‘day by day’ kind of gal and so thinking ahead can make me feel a little uncomfortable and uneasy, but I do know that things need to change come the new year, and with that means adapting the business once again to suit current climates and situations.

It was these sorts of small business chats with my lovely Portview Crew that lead to the discussions of possibly teaming up together this Christmas to create something magical, and so during a very casual Monday morning business breakfast catch-up our Portview Pop Up was born!

The Portview Pop Up is a collaborative venture between myself and five other small business friends located in Portview Trade Centre, our mission: to offer an unforgettable shopping experience while helping to promote the importance of small business and supporting local.

From Photography to Faux Flowers, Vegan Hair Care to Watercolour Prints and Jewellery to Storytelling Gifts With Purpose…. there is a little something for everyone this Christmas!  So, if you are in the Belfast area this November and December then be sure to pop into The Portview Pop Up, we are open every Thursday - Sunday! Not only have we come together as 6 very different businesses, we have also given the opportunity to 8 other small business owners to showcase their talents with our Small Business Saturdays and Sundays, meaning The Portview Pop Up is the perfect place to browse and shop with its ever-changing format!

Be sure to pop in and say hi this holiday season, and if you can’t unfortunately make it then be sure to check out the links to each fab business below :

Innocent Chaos

Jude Fenton Art

Lavender Line Photography

Monday’s Child

Storybox

Studio A114

More photographs and videos from our lovely Pop Up to follow very soon!

A little more information from our press release :

The historic Portview Trade Centre, once a pioneering spinning mill from the early 1900s and celebrated for its progressive employment of women and blend of traditional craftsmanship with innovative technologies.

Rachel McIlgorm, founder of Storybox NI CIC said, “The collaboration aims to demonstrate the resilience and creativity of the local business community while providing a tailored shopping experience for all.  By supporting local enterprises, visitors and customers can not only find one-of-a-kind treasures but also play a vital role in bolstering their neighbourhood’s economic well-being.

Lynette Murray of Studio A114 said, “When 6 business women put their heads together they create brilliance.  A Christmas Pop Up has been put together so beautifully to showcase how you can shop small and support local businesses this Christmas.”

Goodbye July, Hello August!

‘Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August’ - Denise Laverton

Hello August, hello to another month of Summer and hello to chapter 8 of 12! I’m not quite sure how we have gotten to this point so quickly, but here we are! I’m embarrassed to say that my July to-do blog list hasn’t quite gone to plan, but maybe it’s something that is better suited to August and the phasing out of Summer instead!

Image and words by @words_by_wilde_road

Calendar 2023 - Ballycastle Beach, County Antrim

July, well what can I say about July other than it has now officially broken all records for being the wettest month in Northern Ireland since 1836! I’m not someone who usually minds bad weather, but the constant July rain has meant that I wasn’t able to get out with my camera as much as I had planned to which has been really disappointing! So, here is to the power of positive thinking and August having some perfect shooting weather to create some new coastal prints just in time for that seasonal change!

And just incase August does not want to play ball and it is another month of record breaking grey skies and rain, then August’s wallpaper will be the perfect dose of daily colour with that much needed sunset vitamin sea for your phone lock screen (now available for purchase on Etsy).

Hello August : bringing a touch of that Lavender vitamin sea to the new month ahead! Now available of purchase on Etsy

A Black & White version to match incase Lavender isn’t your thing! #TwoForThePriceOfOne

The month ahead at just the simple tap of your phone screen!

Here is to those August adventures, to the return of sunshine and making this month one to remember! Let me know if you have any exciting August plans in the comments.

Goodbye June, Hello July!

‘Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August’ - Jenny Han

It’s hard to believe that we are now into what could be known as one of the best months of the year…my birthday month! I know I say it each new month, but where exactly has the time gone?! To think that we are now more than half way through 2023 is crazy to me, but what a fab few months of adventure it has been!

I do want to give each 2023 adventure a blog post of its own (it’s on my July to-to list), but here are four sneak peek words of what’s to come : London, Stockholm, ABBA Anniversary! Until then, here is to July and the new month ahead, to another year around the sun and to chasing adventures whatever they may be!

Image and words from : @girlandhermagic

Incase you missed it, July’s wallpaper is now available for purchase with what I hope will be your Summer motto : Everything, in time. A perfect touch of sunset vitamin sea meets the new month ahead at the simple tap of your phone screen, and if the quote is not for you then don’t worry, you can have it with or without text with both phone wallpapers included! #TwoForThePriceOfOne

Hello July Wallpaper: Why not add a touch of that sunset vitamin sea meets the month ahead to your July phone lock screen!

A July wallpaper perfect for that Summer motto : everything, in time!

Now to make a start into that July to-do list!

Share Your Magic!

If you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen yesterday’s post about an exciting new stockist for Lavender Line Photography, a post that I should have shared back in October but it somehow slipped my mind!

Where you can keep up-to-date with all things Lavender Line Photography!

Back in October the lovely Vicki from @2020Art contacted me about stocking some of my North Coast print favourites as greetings cards in GIFTED, the sister store of the fab 2020 Art. I’m not one who finds it easy to put myself out there (something that I am slowly overcoming), so to have a third stockist of my work is a very surreal feeling! I find it hard to push myself out of that comfort zone at times, that fear of comparison and rejection sometimes taking over and making it difficult to reach out to other businesses. That’s why I am incredibly grateful to have businesses such as @Storybox, @2020Gifted and @VisitCausewayCoastAndGlens who have gotten in touch with me and now stock Lavender Line Photography.

Those North Coast photography print favourites now available as Greetings Cards!

A touch of North Coast vitamin sea to send to that someone special to let them know that you are thinking of them!

It’s somewhat comforting to know that I am not the only small business owner to feel this way, that we all suffer from imposter syndrome from time to time, but know that in order to succeed we have to push those boundaries and step out of those comfort zones.

So, here is to stepping into the unknown, to believing in yourself and your work, and knowing that you bring something exciting to the world with your craft!

Share Your Magic!

Dream. Believe. Achieve

‘Because you believed, it happened’

Kicking off 2023 with another business goal of mine ticked off the list : 500 Etsy sales! I think it’s important as a small business owner to celebrate all wins no matter how big or how small they may seem! Although it took a little longer than ticking it off my 2021-2022 list, it makes me so happy to know that even in these difficult financial times we find ourselves in with a cost of living crisis, people are still connecting with my photography. It really is true what they say, whenever you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance!

So, here is to chasing dreams and ticking off that next business goal!

‘Success is a series of small wins’

Dream. Believe. Achieve

Lavender Line Photography Just Turned 7!

‘Be more than you ever thought you could be’ - E Russell

Goodbye July, Hello August and what marks Year 7 of Lavender Line Photography! I still at times find it hard to believe that I run my own small business, let alone hitting up that lucky number 7 milestone!  I would like to say that it’s all been smooth-sailing and just as glamorous as what Instagram can make it seem like being your own boss, but each and every year has come with its own set of challenges and new learning curves in a world that is ever-changing… and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

I can honestly say that there is nothing else that I would rather be doing!  There is no better feeling than getting to do what you love every day and knowing that your work brings joy to others; whether it be an image posted and shared online, a photography print displayed in a home of a special time and location or capturing a special moment or occasion.  That feeling of knowing just how powerful a certain capture of mine can be will never get old, it is something that I appreciate so much and will continue to appreciate every single day.

So, how did it all begin? Below are some little facts as to how my journey into small business owner started!

• Ever since I can remember I have always had a love for the arts, whether it be painting, drawing or making. Though my main background was predominately Textile Crafts (creating unusual catwalk-like jewellery pieces), photography was always an important element within my work during my school, foundation and degree years.

• After University I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to take my career and felt somewhat creatively burnt out after back to back years of study and projects. I found that photography was a good escape from the burn out and so I started to photograph little aspects from everyday life.

• Interview after interview, rejection after rejection, I found it almost impossible to find a creative job and fell into that catch 22 that so many of us find ourselves in when stepping out into the real world…. not enough experience!

• I started focusing more and more on photography and documenting my trips away, creating mini series after mini series of work. I enjoyed looking at places from a new perspective and challenging myself on how to capture the beautiful scenes in front of me. Could this be my new career path?!

• I decided to sign up to some business classes and business workshops at North City Business Centre to see if the small business world could be for me. It was here that I was assigned a business advisor who helped me put together a business plan and gave me a piece of advice that has always stayed with me; ‘always think two years ahead!’

• With a business plan, a business name decided on (my favourite colour and part of my second name) and just £200 in my bank account I decided to step into the unknown and Lavender Line Photography was born!

Lavender Line Photography HQ - My dream studio and one of my proudest achievements in being a small business owner (Year 5)

It has been an incredible 7 years of business so far and one that I don’t think I could ever really have imagined even in my wildest photography dreams!  From capturing important moments to selling my work internationally, having my dream studio space at Portview Trade Centre to making new friendships with other small business owners both near and far who continue to inspire me daily. I count myself very lucky and very fortunate to call this my job!

Here is to 7 unforgettable years and to another exciting work year ahead with all things Lavender Line Photography! Thank you for your continuous support and following along on this journey!

Love From Stockholm

It seemed only right that after an unforgettable trip to the beautiful city of Stockholm that I create an exciting new photography series based on some of my favourite Stockholm scenes! From Gamla Stan to Sodermalm, first morning light to colourful night and many cobbled streets and lakes along the way… there is a little something for everyone!

Introducing the newest city print to the Travelling Squares Series; Hello Stockholm!

Love From Stockholm : Sodermalm Moments

Love From Stockholm : Stockholm Nights

Do you have a favourite print or would you like to see a certain scene added to Love From Stockholm series? These are just some of the prints available to purchase for your home decor or to gift that someone special with a real love for this beautiful city! Be sure to check Love From Stockholm on Etsy to see more!

Love From Stockholm : Stockholm Pinks

Hello 200!

200 Etsy Sales! 

I still get so excited with each and every sale made whether it is on my Etsy shop, at a craft fair or through a private commission.  To have people near and far purchasing my photography work to add to their home decor or gift to that special someone is such a wonderful feeling and one that I hope will continue for many years to come.  I want to say a huge thank you to everyone supporting Lavender Line Photography, it hasn’t been the easiest of times for us small business owners during this global pandemic, but the love and support to shop small has been incredible and means so much! 

Here is to following those dreams and to the next 200 worldwide Etsy sales!

Celebrate Every Tiny Victory ; 200 Etsy Sales!

‘Whitepark Waves’ : I can’t think of a better photography print to mark my 200th Etsy sale!