Congratulations to Leigh Tapia, the owner of November's CKC Boutique of the Month! Leigh opened her boutique, The Pretty Pink Pumpkin, two years ago. She is still going strong and we are excited to share some of her journey with you today!
How did you get into sewing and what got you to open your own boutique?
Living overseas, I didn't have many options when it came to cute boutique style clothing. So I decided to build on my sewing skills and self-taught to where I am today. I discovered CKC and fell in love. Compliments and requests for dresses from other moms on base led me to start up my own business.
Being a mom and a boutique owner is hard. How do you find the time to fulfill orders, create new pieces, and just run a business in general?
I have to balance being a mom with working. Some weeks I feel like I never have time off. I guess that's the disadvantage of working from home. Your work is always right there. I normally work when my daughter is sleeping.
Run us through your typical work-at-home day.
Haha... Typical. What's that? Most days I wait until the little one naps to begin. I manage to squeeze in two to three hours then break until she goes to sleep for the night. Then I normally put in another three to four hours.
How many items do you have currently listed in your shop that you used a Create Kids Couture pattern to create?
I have five listed in my store right now.
Where do you find inspiration?
For patterns and styles, definitely CKC. Your wonderful Facebook Group offers great advice and tips. Plus it's a sounding board for new ideas. I love being able to get other WAHM's opinions on fabric combos and mash ups!
What is your favorite piece that you have ever created for your boutique?
I totally adore the Anna's Sweetheard Halter Top and Dress pattern. I love Anna's because it's such a versatile piece. It looks wonderful paired with jeans or as a special occasion dress.
If you could go back to when you first started your business and tell yourself about the most important thing you've learned as a business owner thus far, what would it be?
KEEP ALL RECEIPTS!!! It's so very important to document everything when running a business. It makes tax time much easier.
That's all of our questions for Leigh today. Aren't her creations gorgeous? I truly enjoyed looking through her photo albums and I encourage you to do the same! Find her today at The Pretty Pink Pumpkin.
Let's Create! ~ Kristen
