Vendor Highlight: Prop Shop Boutique & A Giveaway!!

Prop Shop Boutique made the adorable hats that we had at the Puppies & Polka Dots party. We just love the Prop Shop Boutique creations, and we had the pleasure of getting to speak to Jessica of Prop Shop Boutique, who also sells her designs on Etsy, to get to know the mom of 3 and find out more about her fabulous hat and crown designs.

Why did you start Prop Shop Boutique?
Birthdays are special occasions in our home and we love to go all out for each child. I love to style and create all the party details, including the Birthday hats which have always been a huge hit. After working 8 years in the photography industry, I left my job just after my third child was born to spend more time with my newborn son and two daughters. The extra time at home gave me an opportunity to not only be more crafty with my own kids and put more effort into their parties, but also time to contemplate on a new career path, even if it at first started out as a hobby. After much encouragement from family & friends, I decided to open up shop on Etsy offering children’s party goods and see where it would take me.

What inspires your designs?
With two little girls in the house, we have a lot of pink- and my girls are very much Girly Girls! We love the ruffles, the pretty dresses and fabrics, sparkle and of course pink! I personally love shabby chic decor and vintage trimmings and try to incorporate a bit of each into every design.

Do you have any advice for other mompreneurs that are looking to start their own business?
Working from home with three small children has been quite the challenge as it requires a very strict schedule, and unfortunately, time management is not always on my side. You have to always be one step ahead and prepared for the inevitable- something I still struggle with! Instead of stressing myself over all the things that were not getting accomplished, for example around the house, I had to prioritize what was most important. The rest can always be saved for another day! When I first opened up shop, I was very indecisive of which items I’d create. I wanted to do everything- all at the same time, which was impossible. I finally realized I had to pick one item- and focus on that item until it had been perfected, then move on to the next item. In addition, business was painfully slow in the beginning. However, with lots of patience, a bit of marketing and building relationships with fellow vendors, things started to pick up. Lastly, like most new business owners, my ventures have involved lots and lots of trial and error. The biggest being not selling yourself too short. So much time, energy and resources are required to build a successful business. It has to not only be profitable in a monetary sense, but also worth while for the time you will be taking away from your family. It’s so easy to want to give away everything for nothing in the beginning, thinking that will encourage clients to buy more, or create more new sales. But really, it just creates more stress and causes you to resent your new founded business.

**Prop Shop Boutique is offering one of our readers either one hat or one crown (custom or pre-design). Please like us on Facebook, visit the Prop Shop Facebook & Etsy pages, and leave a comment below to enter to win. Winner will be announced on Friday.**