So today I thought I'd do a slightly chattier post than usual. Of late I've sort of taken a step back in the beauty scene - Of course, I still blog, read other bloggers posts, watch the new YouTube posts from Zoe, Tan, KathleenLights, and Kaushal Beauty, but I'm not as active as I was. I've wanted to be a makeup artist since I lift school. Countless bar jobs, a baby, and a move three hundred miles across the country, and I've still not found the time to go to beauty school. But in all honesty, I live in a tiny town, and there really isn't the demand for it here. The only things we have are makeup counters, and hairdressers. Weddings are rare here as well as Gretna is a couple of hours away, so bridal makeup is also a no-go as I don't drive.
Recently I've been thinking about what I'd like to do if I couldn't do makeup. I feel like I need to broaden my options. If there isn't a demand for something then you're not going to get customers, and as we all know, we need to make a living.
So... If I couldn't do makeup, I would totally be a baker. Unfortunately that isn't realistic, as I'm a single parent, and bakers typically work from 1am to midday (all through the night), and I can't exactly leave my flat with my toddler in unattended, and I have no one else to look after him. I'm his mum - it's my job.
It's a shame though, because if I was still living with my parents I could totally do that, I have my mum, my stepdad, and two brothers that could help me with him so I could go to work, but unfortunately it doesn't work like that when you don't all live together.
I'm not a bad baker though. These were a few things that I made last year!
Basic white loaf - My signature loaf is a white round bloomer, but a basic loaf is so versatile.
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cakes - Lemon drizzle is my favourite. I baked the lemon slices on top of the cake for decoration, before drizzling over the lemon icing.
My Spring Cake - This was a lemon sponge made with lemon curd to keep it soft and tangy, with lemon flavour icing and a pretty, bright decorative sugar flower.
Rhys's 1st Birthday Cupcakes - These were incredibly easy. Basic vanilla sponge in fun, boy-ish cupcake cases, with blue buttercream icing and blue glitter sprinkles.
Of course, I've done more baking than that, I compiled my favourites into a collage long ago!
For me, I genuinely love to bake. It's therapeutic. To make a loaf of bread takes around three hours. You knead away until it's a perfectly formed dough, leave it to rise, knead it again to bash out the air, and bake, and by the time you've formed that perfect, crusty loaf of bread, you've kneaded away all your stress and anxiety and you're left with a flawless final product to be proud of.
I also love cute and kitsch kitchenware, it makes it so much more fun to bake when you're using interesting things to bake with! I've also had over four years professional kitchen experience, as I worked my way up from Kitchen Porter, to Chef, to Kitchen Manager, so I know how kitchens work. I could redo my Kitchen Health and Safety Certificate again and I would pass first time, easily. And of course, I have my own signature recipes that I am forever trying to improve, try out new flavours etc, so I do have at least three years experience at home baking, too. I also bake the cakes for everyone in my family's birthdays without fail every year now!
It's just the hours I'm trying to find a way to work with! I've considered everything from moving back in with my parents, to being self employed. But self employed doesn't pay as well as I would need, as a single parent. Nor do I drive, so I can't deliver. I'm starting up my driving lessons again soon though. I've even thought of making a two year plan - getting my driving lisence, my personal lisence, my catering certificates that I would need, working on my signature bakes and sugarcraft, creating a portfolio, a business website, and advertising in my local area as a baker, and do commissions for birthday and celebration cakes. It would take a while to get recommendations, but I'd really like to think I could do it!
Of course, anxiety and realism kicks in, and you realise it's going to be very, very, very hard, with limiting pay. But then, in this day and age, what career isn't? The longer you work at it, the more clients you get. And I could still get a part time job on the side to help out financially until I can properly work for myself.
I'm so sorry to anyone reading this btw, I'm totally blabbering on about how I want to do something but don't know if I can! I'm going to see how my baking goes for the next few months and start my driving lessons again, and maybe try and put this plan into motion?! It's an exciting prospect because I never feel like I have any career options but this could actually work. Of course you need to think about it long term, as short term goals can never be that good with a business, but it's always a start! I could maybe even start up a baking blog too, who knows?!
I hope you guys are all having a lovely weekend, wherever you are!
Lots of Love,
Sam x
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