I was always creative as a little girl when I used to make doll’s clothes, furniture and later on clothes for my children and others. My dream when I left school was to learn fashion or interior design but I ended up working in offices as a secretary/pa. The best job was for an interior design company as I could get to see all the beautiful fabrics and trimmings. In 1972 I became very ill with Post Viral Fatigue syndrome which wasn't diagnosed until 1991 so to cheer myself up I started making porcelain dolls and discovered beadwork. As a divorced, single parent of four children I was limited as to finding suitable jobs and so I found ways to work for myself. As a result I have run all types of businesses varying from a secretarial service, café/restaurant, and business centre.

In 2008 I took over a business that had been established for 40 yrs – Trimmings Galore. I borrowed some money and moved to larger premises where I included a café alongside the haberdashery for my customers and local school children some of whom would also come to sewing workshops after school. I also provided dressmaking and an alteration service. Unfortunately, I was forced to give up the premises because of an unreasonable landlord (whom I am now suing) and work from home. The trouble is that I have boxes of trimmings (laces, braids, motifs, beads, sequins buttons, zips and more) and spent all of Christmas and New Year getting them into some sort of order so that my home no longer looked like a shop.

A couple of months ago I was looking around me wondering how I was going to sell everything and decided to try knitting some of the upholstery braids – the results are my handbags. Each one took on a life of its own as I experimented with various braids, laces and ribbons and a bag can take from five to twenty hours to make depending on the design.

I want to produce handbags that are pretty and feminine suitable for all ages and was asked to make some suitable for wedding attire. In time I intend to add other accessories made from my stock as it will take me years to get through everything. Apart from each design being unique, I am able to make bags to match outfits. As I think outside the box, I can use fabrics as well as the trimmings to come up with something really different. Most of my bags can be hand washed too.

My biggest nightmare is that I am a bit of a perfectionist and so have often undone something two or three times before I think it looks right. Before I know it – it’s 4am and I can't stop until it looks right. Whilst I love creating the bags, I would like to be able to afford to pay someone else to do this for me.

I love being inspired and inspiring others and having found a way to do both now. I feel that my biggest achievement, therefore, is in doing something positive instead of worrying about the loss of my shop and the debts I have. I’m so much happier than I was a few months ago because of all the great feedback and support I have had from my family, friends and even strangers.

For any other designers on a tight budget I would also like to offer my trimmings to them at wholesale prices. There are too many to put everything on to the website at the moment as I am very busy making the bags and sorting things out but just let me know the sort of things you would like and I will do my best to supply them.