In the run up to Mother’s Day, we’re catching up with some of our favourite bloggers and creatives to find out how their mums have inspired them. Next up, one of our favourite crafty bloggers Geneva Vanderzeil from a pair & a spare blog, lets us know all about her incredible mum.
How would you describe your blog to our fans?
My site is dedicated to inspiring an adventurous, creative and hands on life. Daily content includes craft projects, fashion inspiration, wardrobe advice and travel guides. Basically it’s all about encouraging creativity in the everyday and helping people feel like if they want to do something they can.
What inspired you to start a pair & a spare?
I’ve always loved making and creating things, and my blog originally was just a place for me to document what I did in my spare time. This was well before full time blogging began to seem like a viable career choice (I was working as a Town Planner in London at the time), but after a while I realised people loved seeing the design process. As my audience grew, I started to understand the power of the internet to connect people and create a market for what you love to do.
What creative projects can you remember doing with your mum when you were growing up?
My mum taught me to sew and be industrious from a young age – and that you don’t have to spend a fortune to look great. She was always up-cycling things from thrift shops and turning nothing into something, and I think this has been a foundation of my approach to life. Basically my mum embodies what my blog is all about – getting out there, having a go and looking for opportunity in unusual places.
What creative / personality traits have you inherited from your mum?
I’m so much my mother’s daughter – soft hearted but also pragmatic, ambitious but also a shambles, principled but still fun. She came from a less than perfect background which shaped her into a very generous person who is always rooting for the underdog, I hope to one day be as kind and giving with my time as she is too!
How does your mum inspire you?
She is generous and non-judgemental more than anyone I know, and lives a truly principled life whilst also being lots of fun and very adventurous.
What’s the best piece of advice she’s ever given you?
I wish it boiled down to just one piece, but so much of the way that I think and approach life is because of her. One thing I always think and tell others is her catch all ‘the first five minutes is the worst’. Something she would say to me whenever I complained about doing something or going somewhere. This has helped me get started on so many things in my life – getting started is the key.
What gift from kikki.K would you love to give your mum this Mother’s Day?
My mum is all about planning ahead, she rarely lets a problem or issue take her by surprise, so I would get her this Why Not? Monthly Planner.
Feeling inspired to say thank you to your mum? Discover our favourite gift ideas here.