It seems fitting to be adding my first blog post to this website almost a year to the date that Buggaluggs began…At the risk of opening up a whole can of worms, I thought I would write my first post with a look into my life and how Buggaluggs went from a Facebook like to reality.
I’m born and bred South African, but I’ve done my fair share of world travel. I’ve lived in the US, where I was an au-pair to three lovely girls living in Atlanta, Georgia. I travelled as much as I could around the US on my student visa when I wasn’t working, and visited places that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
I then spent a few years living in London as many “gap year” 30-something’s born in the 70’s and 80’s have done before me. I travelled the UK and through Europe too. There I met my now husband who is also born and bred South African. We returned to Durban to get married amongst a small gathering of immediate family and friends, then jumped on a plane back to London for the next 4 years.
While living abroad, I was working full time and studying part time towards an Honours degree in Marketing. I graduated (2009) at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham – 7 and a half months pregnant. (Sjoe, just in the nick of time…..)
Soon afterwards, our daughter Abigail arrived. I spent the first 6 months at home with her before returning to work full time, and a year and a half after two became three, we made the big decision to move back to South Africa.
A month before the ‘great trek’ from London to Durban, I was offered a job via Skype as Marketing Co-ordinator, heading up the nationwide marketing intiatives for a global security product manufacturer. I jumped at the opportunity, was very grateful to walk off the plane and into a job.
Two months after we arrived back, I ‘liked’ a Facebook page from out of Berkshire, England which was most definitely the beginning of Buggaluggs. I loved what this page had on offer, and I began sourcing local suppliers of the items I would need to start making my own custom designed wooden freestanding letters.
It wasn’t long before I had my first orders coming in, and I was pleased to be adding to the movement of “Local is Lekker” and “Hand Made” which was taking off in South Africa. As time has gone on, I’ve had enquiries for other wooden decor items, and some of them have stuck with me. This is how the Buggaluggs product portfolio has grown and will continue to grow, led by customer requirements.
Apart from taking custom orders via my Facebook page and email, I attend local markets, and I have a shop space at The House of Heart Emporium in PMB. If you are in the area, please visit the emporium, there are many other hand made stalls filled with lovely items there, a restaurant and a play area to keep the little one’s happy too.
So, the long of the short is I’m a full time working mom to one, a wife to a very patient and ‘domesticated’ husband, and all this while growing Buggaluggs as my creative outlet.
I hope you enjoy following along on my journey…
BUGGALUGGS 