Loved By You Art . Design . Fashion . Handmade

Since I've been unable to work I've been keeping myself busy painting and developing my art skills, although I began painting to entertain myself friends and family were soon asking for paintings and I decided to test the water to see if I could sell my work to people I didn't know.

I set up a Folksy store selling handmade gifts (even though I was a bit unsure after having a stall at a local school fayre a not selling a single thing!) thankfully I had my first Folksy sale within hours of listing my first item. Since then I have joined the team of Vintage Pretty sellers at Buffalo Bar and I have opened my second Folksy store selling prints and paintings.

As my sales have increased I've been considering becoming self employed and working on my art full time although I had no idea where to start so I signed up for a Business Enterprise course with the Prince's Trust. I attended the 4 day course this week in Merthyr and it's been a great learning tool, covering everything from advertising and sales to taxes and bookkeeping. It has shifted my mindset from painting as a hobby and doing the occasional commissions to putting the same effort into sales as I did when I was in work.

During the week I worked with a great group of people who are also setting up their own businesses: Zoe Roberts who is the first female tattooist in Merthyr Tydfil: Chris Evans, a qualified locksmith from Abergavenny: Gavin Davies from Blackwood is setting up business cleaning windows, guttering and patios: Greg Owens is offering a mobile valet service throughout the Rhondda Cynon Taff and Jamie Baldwin is also setting up and outdoor cleaning service in the Blackwood area (see below for their contact info)




Good luck to all of them with their business ventures and a big thank you to Margaret Adams from the Prince's Trust for all her help and support.

Contact Details:

The Prince's Trust offer free business start up support to young people aged 18-30, visit their website here for more information.

Zoe Roberts: 07929 272373 zoe.roberts95@yahoo.com
Greg Owens: 07724 869954
Chris Evans: 07925 629122 clsafelocks@hotmail.com