Meet the Maker - La'flicks Design
Tell us a little about La'flicks Design journey!
Well, where do I start. My name is Shola, married, mother of two and an IT professional! I started crafting in 2003 when I was on mat leave with my first child. I initially started doing millinery as it was the trend at the time. I studied with the talented Rose Cory milliner to the late Queen Mother. She thought me a lot and I gained a variety of skills under her leadership which got me featured in top wedding magazines. I have always loved making things and creativity is in my blood (literally speaking). The excitement of seeing the finished product and the joy it brings to the recipient makes it so worthwhile. And not to forget, at a very reasonable price. (Here is a picture of me at Excel Wedding Exhibition October 2019 - that was a very busy 3 day sprint)
I do juggle building up my creative business alongside working as an IT professional and as bills must be paid, you can imagine what won the battle 😊. I have since diversified my line of craft into other handmade products and am now working towards making it a viable business.
Where do you make your creations?
I work from my studio/shed/den and my dining room table here in Kent. Here is where I make all my creations which includes painting, resin, cutting, gluing, you name it.
What is your favourite product to make?
Oh, that is easy. Always work that are commissioned. Imagine a client having a vision of what they want, and they try mostly via messaging to portray that vision onto you. When that vision now becomes reality, you get feedback like this. 
Definitely, you know that is customer satisfaction at a different level.
What are your production methods?
All our products are handmade using quality materials to the highest standard. Due to the nature of handmade products, every makes even when looking identical is always different. Most of our work can be found on our website (www.laflicksdesign.com) showcasing a variety of handmade personalised gifts. We use materials such as faux flowers, naturally dried flowers, MDF wood, glitters, resin, crystal, vinyl to name a few.
What inspires your work?
I find inspiration from all aspects of life, internet, and my surroundings. What I do is not new, it is the quality and care that I put into it that makes them stand out from the next one. At the same time, I love vibrancy, bright colours is my thing as we all need a bit of colour in our life.
How long does it take for your orders?
My orders fall into two categories Ready to Ship and Custom Orders.
Ready to Ship
Are items that are already made and can be posted out ASAP (within 3 days). This works well for your last-minute gift buys. Although, some ready to ship items may be possible for further personalisation which would then not be posted out ASAP.
Custom Orders
These are items that would be made to your specifications which gives you the joy of giving a very personalised gift. Any of my items fall within this category as it would be the basis for custom orders. The timescale can be from 3 days to 2 weeks to 6 weeks depending on the product.
And finally, lets end on a high.
Do you sell your work and where?
I sell on Etsy as it is supposedly made for handmade goods but now Etsy is becoming too commercialised. I now want to be directing traffic to my website www.laflicksdesign.com which is built on Shopify. 
That way, I can have it connected to my Instagram and Facebook account. At the same time, I try to work with influencers and am always open for collaboration. Not to forget word of mouth and Amazon handmade.
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Hope you have enjoyed reading about Shola’s journey. Do not miss the next segment. Not yet decided on who, so watch this space. If you would like to be featured, please leave a comment. It's all about promoting small businesses.