WHAT DO YOU FEEL HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES SO FAR WITH RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS ? I spent a lot of time early on trying to figure out so many business details on my own , and I wasted a lot of time and money doing so . If you can work with a mentor / professional when you first lay the foundation of your business , it will set you up for great success as you move forward . Social media and email marketing have also been very draining and a lot of work for me . I find setting and sticking to a schedule works well for me now , as well as working in time blocks to create content . After so many years in business , I also no longer worry about the algorithm , or making perfect social media posts , or sharing for every holiday . I share what makes me happy , and I pay attention to what my followers have enjoyed or responded to , and recreate more of that content as much as possible .
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 TIPS FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR FLOWER MAKING SKILLS ? First , if you can take a private lesson with an artist you admire , I think that is the best investment you can make . Having someone to drill down to the details of handling tools correctly and using them to get the results you want is so worth it ! You will walk away with a good foundation , which will then give you the confidence to create other flowers on your own . Second , invest in a few good tools … a set of great metal ball tools , a Dresden tool and a PME veining tool . These few tools will help you work with your paste and wafer paper well , and can be used to create many different petal shapes , and a lot of movement in your petals . And third , remember you are creating confections for a cake , so don ’ t work too hard to make your flowers perfect . Be inspired by what you see , but work to create your own interpretation of it , not an exact copy . Your flowers will have a more organic feel to them and look more natural . And don ’ t forget the greenery ! Leaves and trailing vines always add life to flowers and help them look more realistic .