aloha from a sponsor:: suzi buchan!

Aisle to Aloha readers, meet Suzi, the creator behind the self-titled shop, Suzi Buchan Boutique! I'm drawn to Suzi's shop because of her delightful use of color and pattern and the bright photos she uses to show off her adorable decoupage products. Her decoupage hairbrushes are perfectly petite for throwing in a purse for on-the-go primping and I seriously would love some of her pretty pegs for holding those stubborn recipe books open! 

Keep reading to get to know sweet Suzi more and to see more of her pretty creations! 

A bit about Suzi:: 

Aloha! My name is Suzi. I'm a Christian, crafter and childcare professional from the North East of Scotland. In addition to running my Etsy shop I work part time in a Social Work department as a Family Support Worker. It's challenging and rewarding in equal measures, and I love it! I began my Etsy shop in 2010 after leaving college. For four months I struggled to find employment, and as a result began looking for something to occupy my time and bring in some funds. Now that I'm working I love maintaining my shop as a sideline. In my spare time I also enjoy horse riding, playing the piano, photography and ski-ing!

Your colorful decoupaged products are seriously adorable. How did you get into using decoupage? Do you remember the first thing you decoupaged? 

It was actually my Mum who first suggested decoupage to me, and as soon as I tried it I was hooked. I loved having the ability to take something plain and functional, and make it beautiful and interesting. The first few tries I had at decoupage didn't go particularly well, but by the time I had completed a batch of 17 hairbrushes for my aunt to give as gifts, I was getting much better. The first thing I decoupaged was a hairbrush, just like those which I currently sell. 

As a beginner handmade shop owner, you've probably gathered a lot of advice. What's the best piece of business advice you've heard (or read!) so far?

I am a perfectionist, and since starting my handmade shop, I've been battling constantly against that need for everything to be just right. When I first began my business I used to plan everything down to the minutest detail. I would have a price plan and marketing campaign all planned out before I had even created a prototype of the product they related to! The best advice I have heard is not to overdo the planning. If you plan all day, but don't create anything, your handmade business is going nowhere fast. It's about finding a balance, and sometimes just creating for the fun of it, and seeing what comes out.

What does your favorite color say about your personality?

My favourite colour is teal. I've painted one wall of my room in teal and I love it! I particularly like that it can look quite blue in some lights, and quite green in others. It's right there in the middle. I like to think that life is not about being one thing or the other. I can be a Family Support Worker, but also a crafter. I can be sporty, into horse riding and ski-ing, but also enjoy pastimes such as reading and playing the piano. None of us are all one colour - we're different colours, which, mixed together, result in something beautiful, like teal.

Wanna get to know Suzi better?? 

Shop in her Etsy shop! 

Chat with Suzi on twitter! 

Become a fan on Facebook! 

Thanks for hanging out here today, Suzi! So, guys --  I wonder. Are you a planner, like Suzi? Or do you fly by the seat of your pants-- like me? Maybe a little bit of Suzi's planning needs to rub off on me! ;) 

lindsay