Once upon a time, I owned a Boutique.....

SERENDIPITY

'The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident'

In 2005 I remodeled a home. There was a little extra cash...

that still small voice said, 'you must invest it'.

Invest it in what, I thought?

another home? it was not enough money..it was just a drop in the bucket.

What I new was, I needed a way to make money, The cost of having

teens, groceries and back to school things...

Had you told me earlier in the year that I would Own a Boutique...

well I would have laughed so hard and said,

"Are you kidding me?!!!"

That is how our creator works. He knows the plans he has for us...

I was clueless, yet he new all along.

As I was thinking, what? what? what? 

A flyer came in the mail...

a consignment store I brought my clothing too...was selling her business.

The price?

the exact amount of 'lil extra' I had!

the moment I saw the flyer, I new! I was to buy this.

HOWEVER, even tho I had taken

all the paper work and passed

it by my accountant.

After it was legally mine.

I found out,

there was dishonesty.

OH MY! I found books that owed people.

Her personal policy was IF you didn't pick up your money

within 60 days it reverted to the business. (what about Mailing the money? what about phone calls?

this was on a small fine print 'noone had ever read'.

the list of people...was long and huge!

This is also Illegal. I called to find out the rules in our state. 

and

I WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE!

I had $38 on the books..that was no longer mine!

OH MY

So what did I do?

angry women coming in...all of us clueless till i found this book!

I did what is right.

I paid them!

I worked 6 days a week not making a dime!

I paid each and every one of them.

Some were content with just shopping for what they had on the books.

Some took there anger and frustration out on me...and I smiled and paid them!

within 3 months I realized this was not a good business...

I had to change it...

I decided I wanted to have all NEW all the high brands for less...

but how does one find that market?

I posted signs and  ad's in the paper.

WE would no longer be consignment.

We would be all new with mall brands and high brands for less!

Accept...

 I had NOT found that market yet.

I spent hours searching and looking.

I had advertised, I new I had to do this. And I trusted and prayed.

and then one night...

a break through...

I literally jumped up and down I was 

SO excited...for at this moment..

Serendipity Lane Boutique

was born!

(due to the loss in that first 6 months...my tax return..was the same amount

as what I paid for the business...If that isn't 'God' watching out for

me. I don't know what else you could call it...

honesty pays off...No matter that I had been taken...

I choose to be honest...

and the gift came back in spades...

I moved the business into a bigger place...all the above pictures are from

were we landed and really thrived!

The economy took it's downward trend...but I now

had what people wanted.  Business closed all around me.

I survived.

(one of the brands I carried was Victoria's secreat. what you found is fashions

not the bra's and panties.)

Then the bridal shop in the valley that had been there for 25 years!

closed her doors. How my heart broke  for her!

She came to me,"Please, take over the Tux rentals or all the High schools

in the valley would have to travel 60 minutes to rent

a tux for dances".

So I did!

We added more space onto the Boutique

I don't have all the pictures I would like

to show of the space and the Boutique and just how full it got.

Those pictures are on disc and my old desk top.

But I will share some of our fashion's

I had a GF who was breaking out into photography. She took pictures

of my grand babies and girls for practice. Then she took

pictures of girls from our area in clothing from the shop and we hung those in the shop!

the girls Loved being models.

This also got her started and people could see her talent. She now she has a successful

"All about a girl" Photography business.

Click this link to see About a Girl Photography

She also has an amazing blog and her pictures won awards!

you will fall utterly in love with her home, her before and after pictures

well heck...her whole blog!

Meadow brook farm blog click on this link 

 her photography is out of this world with

color and clarity!

Girl's in our bridal and formal fashion's

The girl's always had so much fun!

A summer time shoot!

everything they have on, came from the boutique...jewelry and sunglasses

flip flops and boots :)

and always 'FUN'

Isn't this just a awesome picture to show off our formal shoes!

Valentines Day :)

St. Patricks Day!

Spring...

Fall and winter...

Fall and winter again :)

and Christmas...

Such fun it was...and YES a whole lot of work...

but it grew and it was a utter gift! 

We Also did a fashion show at the Bridal show

these pictures I took :)

This is my Mom. she worked for me, along with 2 other women.

up until the week before she passed away..she would say, "I miss Serendipity,

it was so fun to work there"...

In some ways the Boutique also blessed our relationship.

We had bridal wear as well as formal and casual in our

fashion show.

the girls behind the scene.

 Here they are right before the show started.

When I saw this young lady in the shop...

she had that girl next door look...with no make up she had the smile with

a crinkly nose and well...natural beauty.

she started here (admitting she would like to get into modeling)

and she worked at it...she just recently flew to New York

Silver Model management

picked her up for under armour

fitness shots.

 Here she is :)

and here. She  was also in the above picture for the shop,

one of the girls on the big log.

but she can be captured in anything...

check this picture out below

follow your dreams.... she did!

This was our first Bride and groom!

these couples were just to cute!

Pretty pretty Bride :)

This was our second Bride and Groom

these two...are to sweet!

This couple and the first couple...well they are actual couples!

boyfriend and girlfriends!

This was our last and Finale Bridal party.

we show cased everything according to cost.

Remember everything came from the Boutique.

if I remember correctly

everything  you see here, Jewelry, shoes, veil, dress's tiara and tux

this whole wedding party cost

only

$500!!!  

I fell in love with these shoes!

These Brides maids dress's were only $35.00

and this gown was under $300

I shared my Once upon a time...because

that still small voice is speaking.

 I have a business Idea,

a bit different then above.

but in time...

I think I can, I think I can..I think I can

People would ask, "Peggy, how did you make this dream happen".

that would take my by surprise. It was never a dream.

It was always

A God gift 

for he new then, what the needs were.

and I learned to love and appreciate women more.

one life touches another...always

I think in the end...

it was a gift for all of us who worked there.

and customers and workers

we all gifted

each other.

That then SAY'S IT ALL.

thanks for stopping by.

would love to hear from you!