Collection: Meet Vikki
A big, huge welcome to my wee happy spot online where I showcase my collection of gift and homeware from around the world.
My core values are above all kindness, love and inclusivity. I am very proud that my wee shop is seen as a safe space to all and I am passionate about promoting positive mental health.
My love language is gifting and I want everything that I sell to spark joy, the joy of giving and of course receiving.
My journey to this point has been a bit crazy and very random one but one I am very proud of. Up to October 2020 I was an eye specialist working in NHS Scotland for the past 25 years. Unfortunately I had to leave the career I loved due to issues with my upper spine caused by testing eyes, I was very depressed and anxious, living in pain and my life felt hopeless. In November 2020 I started making wreaths as a bit of therapy to distract myself and incredibly people wanted to buy them. I had never done anything like that before but it was very therapeutic and gave me something to focus on. However this was very hard on my neck and arms. We were in lockdown, I wasn't sleeping at all and during the night I reached out to a couple of homeware and gift companies wholesalers to see if I could maybe sell their items, incredibly I was accepted !!! Fast forward a couple of weeks and I was selling out my window with people placing orders via my facebook page all the while creating wreaths with wee gonks on them. My kids named the gonks and everyone was so excited to see the gonks were called.
We spent Christmas in lockdown, didn't see a soul and I decided to use that time to see if I could create my website with the launch date of 1/1/21. It was such a surreal moment, one I will never forget along with other amazing things that have happened with my business since then. Markets, pop up shops, facebook lives, in home shopping days,( when we could have people back in the house again) having space in a few brick and mortar businesses all led up to the moment I opened up my shop in Boness in September 2022. With the incredible support of my wonderful family, friends and a lot of therapy I have started to embrace my new life again. Its not been easy, unfortunately the damage done to my spine is permanent but I live with pain, not in pain anymore. I have the most supportive team of fellow small business owners in The Collective which I am so grateful for. We inspire and support each other day and I can truly say that my wee shop is my happy place
Never in my wildest dreams wouId I have ever thought I could have a shop and curate my own gift and home ware collection but my impulsive and go getting nature and sheer stubbornness made it all happen. Here is to an amazing 2024, I'm coming to get ya!!!