COVID

When it first hit us, I was unsure if I was supposed to be talking about it. Some boutiques were, some weren’t and like many others I was also tired of opening social media and reading another story about the virus. Do I reassure my customers that, yes, I have stepped up my disinfecting game or do I go about business as usual, act like nothing’s changed? Though I keep my doors open during this time, I do follow CDC guidelines, I’m continuously disinfecting the store throughout the day and limiting the number of consumers I have in the store at a time.

Sure, business has slowed down, a lot. So, I had a meltdown. My first meltdown since opening the doors. I was scared of how COVID would affect my business, what was I going to do? What can I do? I’ve rallied together with a couple small business owners and found out that I was not alone. This was a pandemic, it was going to affect me, my business and many other’s too.

After panicking for a couple days, I realized that no matter what I wanted, COVID was so much bigger than me. It was going to hurt people more than it was going to hurt me.

Blessed. Lucky. Thankful

My family was healthy. My roommates and I would do our small part in staying in together. Thankful that my mom, my aunt, my roommate and good friend, Tiana are brave women that work in the medical field.

After my meltdown, it had hit me that I was going to need to push myself to work harder. I needed to give myself more credit, more confidence.

Defeat is what I was beginning to feel but then I remembered that I am so lucky to still have projects to work on. I initially opened the store because I wanted to design and decorate homes with my own product, and with COVID making the shop quieter I am able to focus on my clients even more.

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A blessing in disguise. Because of the coronavirus I am brought back to ‘why’ I started this business in the first place. I’m able to spend more quality time focusing on my clients and really giving them all of my best efforts and more. When I’m not working, I’m spending quality time with my friends whether that’s our movie nights or game nights via House Party app and we’re getting to know each other more. My social life before consisted of going out to karaoke every weekend and while I enjoyed that time I had with my friends, the time we have now is simply more appreciated.

Coronavirus is scary and it’s brought us all to a new normal, a new normal that I’m beginning to appreciate. I’m working harder than before, I’m reading more than before, journaling, doodling, and playing a whole lot of Uno ( I still haven't won a game). With the gym being closed, I’ve even caught myself working out in front of my bedroom mirror a time or two. 

How are you spending your time? Have you picked up any new hobbies?

THANKFUL FOR FACETIME, JENGA AND GOOD COMPANY 

“The success of every woman should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” – Serena Williams

Who inspires you?

Today is International Women’s Day! The theme this year is Each for Equal. Today we’re focused on how we can forge a gender equal world. But also, today is a day to celebrate women’s achievements. 

We all go through different seasons of life, and like many others, I’ve been inspired by multiple people through every season. As a child growing up, I’ve always looked up to my parent’s hard work and passion for every job they’ve done. When asked how I got into this business, it’s because my parents have inspired me. Not only by remodeling homes and letting me be a part of it, but I’ve seen the life they’ve built for us and that motivates me to someday do the same for my children. When I went to my parents with this idea to open the store, they stood behind me and pushed me to make it happen. 

Like my parents, I’ve had a lot of support from my grandparents and aunt and uncle. Every time I’d make it home, they’d ask “how’s the store coming”, which would push me to keep working hard so that I could make this dream a reality. 

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There’s a lot that comes with opening a boutique, as you can imagine. Some expected and planned, others not so much; but you live, and you learn. This year has been full of “you live, and you learn” moments.  Luckily, I’ve been able to meet and work with so many other boutique owners. From an outsider’s point of view, you must think we’re all just competing against one another, when in reality, we’re all working together to create a great shopping experience for everyone. 

Every day I get the chance to meet new creatives around Sioux Falls and it’s amazing to see everyone’s support for each other. When I initially wanted to open the boutique, I knew I’d have my family’s support, but I had no idea I would have so much support from other boutique owners. All of the shop owners have really inspired me and have kept me motivated through these last couple of months. 

To say who inspires me? There are many people who’ve inspired me and so many people that I look up to. From my family, teachers, bosses, friends – I have so many people to thank for helping me accomplish and achieve so much through every season of life, especially opening Layered Elements, my biggest achievement yet. Though the doors are open, there’s still a lot of work to do and still so much I hope to achieve as an entrepreneur. 

Hey guys!  
We have officially been open for business in our downtown location for a month now! Time has really flown by. How’s it going, you ask? It’s going great! We know that we are so blessed to be given this opportunity. 
 
My days at the boutique, as you can imagine, are pretty busy with product coming and going; it’s as if I don’t have enough time in a day! On my “slower” days, I often catch myself talking to myself while I'm tidying up the showroom, tagging product, buying product, or trying to find the right words to put into a blog post. 
 
It’s been fun meeting so many people and learning what everyone is interested in when it comes to décor. Our hourglasses, for example, have remained a hot seller; a simple yet unique décor touch that can go either in your living room or office. My little cousin, Tate, uses his hourglass to time his reading for school. Rumor has it, he turns the hourglass over every time my aunt checks on him, whether or not he’s getting his full half-hour of reading in, is still unknown!
 
We’ve also noticed that our shoppers really enjoy our ‘sassy and snarky’ line, which is a bit of a relief knowing that our consumers have a sense of humor! Whether shopping for yourself or a friend, we’re glad you like our candles and wine glasses just as much as we do.
 
We’ve been busy looking for more product to add to the store, and know that once these warmer months come, we’ll get to meet more of you. We’re looking forward to it! 

- Taryn 

First time renters! How should you decorate your new house to make it your own? 

Do you ever wonder how you can make your house more spacious? How to make things look neater? Or how to turn your house into a home?

Before you can truly settle into a house, you have to decorate it. Unfortunately, developing your décor can be a hassle, especially after a big move, but thankfully you’re not alone. Here are some nifty hacks you can try to help your house look and feel even more like home!

#1
Does your guest room or office space seem just a tad too small? No worries! Just place a decorative mirror behind a lamp. This will create the illusion of a larger space and brighten up the room.

#2

Use command hooks to easily hang curtain rods. This is an incredible easy and inexpensive way to add some personality to a drab window, while not doing any damage to your walls.

#3

Trying to subtly add pops of color to your home can be very difficult, but a great way to jumpstart the decorating process. Paint the sides of your doors bright colors to add some vibrancy to any room.

#4

In the summer having clunky fans in your house can ruin your décor, so a quick and easy way of sprucing up your fan is just by decorating it with tape and ribbons. This is such an easy and fun way of making an unfortunate summer appliance into a cool decoration.

#5

Disco balls may seem a bit extreme as a decoration, but you can mirror its effect easily on any regular lampshade. All you need is to grab some glitter and paint the inside of the lampshade for a cool reflective light effect. Another option is to poke holes into a dark lampshade for a super cool starry effect.

#6

Paint half of your walls a different color to give the illusion of higher ceilings. This definitely helps in making a room look bigger, and it also adds a unique touch to any room.

#7

Do you hate when the metal rings on your shower curtains start to rust? To avoid this problem, ditch them completely and use ribbon to keep your curtain hanging instead. This is an inexpensive and time-consuming way to make your bathroom look cuter, while solving a common problem.

#8

Do you need extra storage? Get a floating bookcase. Not only is this a nice, clean, and useful way to add extra storage, it also livens up a dead space.

#9

For a cool trick to add your own touch to a room without damaging it, you can make a paste of water and cornstarch to make removable wallpaper out of fabric.

#10

Rubber mats are necessary for preventing your guests from tracking dirt into your home, but typically not so pleasing to the eye, so add some fabric to them using spray adhesive. This is a cute, easy, and inexpensive way to turn your boring old mats into something better!

#11

On the prowl for a new set of curtains but don’t want to break the bank? Cut an inexpensive duvet cover in half to make your own. This is a cheap and sustainable way of updating the décor of any room.

#12

Speaking of cheap, would you like a cheap tip for adding a rustic touch to your home? Then try adding jute rope to any window dressing. Incorporating little touches like this into your home is an easy accomplishment, but complements the vibe of any room.

#13

The simplest way to spice up the décor of a room is to add a pop of color. One tip is to paint the sides of dresser. This is a fun detail that can brighten up a child or adult’s bedroom, and is super easy to accomplish.

We all know that decorating can be a stressful task to take on. Regardless of how you choose to decorate, using any of these tips are sure to make the process that much easier.