{About}
In March 2010, I started this little blog to share my love of finding great style for a steal. Shortly after the launch of A Pretty Penny online, I left my corporate career in marketing and PR to join the ranks of the family business – a successful flower shop in my small hometown in Florida.
Several months later, my husband, Chad, was laid off from his job. We decided to seize the opportunity to jump in with both feet and run the flower shop together.
While learning the ins-and-outs of flower design and small business ownership, I continued to blog about life and style, and A Pretty Penny grew! So much in fact, it’s become a huge part of my life and encouraged me to take my style obsession to another level…
Opening my own boutique! Marrying my love of fashion and flowers, we launched a brick-and-mortar version of A Pretty Penny as a designer consignment and vintage boutique within our flower shop.
With the support of family and my amazingly fashionable friends, A Pretty Penny boutique is growing into a gorgeous collection of gently-used designer pieces like cocktail dresses, denim, work wear, and more. In the meantime, the little blog that started it all continues to evolve as a space to share my journey as a young business woman and bargainista.
Thanks for coming along for the ride!
Is your name Penny?
Nope! It’s Keira. I named my blog a pretty penny because I knew I wanted this space to be about affordable and accessible style. I grew up with a single mom — until she met and married my amazing stepdad — and we didn’t have a lot of extra cash to put into our closets. I remember searching for treasures in consignment shops long before I ever knew what a department store was. We found ways to get creative with a limited budget, and I developed a deep-seeded love for scoring great style on the cheap.
How did you become a florist?
I married into it! My husband’s parents have owned a successful flower shop in our hometown for over a decade. After college, I jumped into a career in marketing and PR in a high level medical marketing position, and after a few years in the corporate world, I realized that I just wasn’t cut out for it. I had a really rough year of unbearable stress and anxiety, and I was really unhappy. My MIL started talking about retiring in the near future, and my husband and began the steps of taking over so the business would stay in the family. It was a big risk, but the right decision for us.
I really couldn’t tell you how to start a flower shop from scratch, because our parents built a really solid foundation before we ever stepped foot into the business. I can tell you that it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s also really rewarding. A friend of mine that’s a professional photographer once told me, “Being a business owner is a funny balance. You love it and you hate it. But it’s all worth it in the end.”
How do you edit your photos?
We shoot with a Canon Rebel XS, and most of our little photo sessions are quick and dirty when we catch a break at the shop. We snap about two dozen pictures in less than ten minutes, preferably in the early morning or late afternoon {bad things happen when you try to take your outfit shots in the direct sun}. Then I upload them to iPhoto to weed out the bad and the ugly, and open the good in an older version of Photoshop to adjust levels and sometimes use an action or two (I love the actions from The Pioneer Woman). I also reduce the size to 640 x 960 pixels and then save them for web and devices to reduce loading times on the blog.
hey i love it.. congrats
i love your ideas is awesome congrats
i think you should recommend us ideas for our hair and also eyeshadows im really curious of new ideas!!! thank you
I love you blog! I totally agree with mariana. I’ve just sent you an email on wanting to learn on ways to wave, not curl, our hair! thanks Keira!
First time reader! Love your blog!
http://craftanista.blogspot.com/
Hi!
I ‘found’ your blog few months ago and loved it!!! You have an amazing style!!!
Congrats!!
Ana Carolina – Brasil
Where in Florida is your boutique? I live in S. Florida – close to Ft. Lauderdale and would love to come in!
Hi Keira…I just love your blog, & this story! I’m actually a nurse, but my true passion is really clothes/styling…ie: something more creative. For awhile I even toyed with the idea of being a florist. Just wanted to say hey because your blog is totally inspiring…I just started mine and I hope it leads me somewhere great. And if not, it’s an awesome hobby!
Annie
The Other Side of Gray
I noticed that some of your backgrounds looked familiar. Do you by any chance live in Stratford, Canada?
Great story. Congratulations!
Excellent blog, and congratulations on getting to do what you love!
Hi Keira, you have a great an inspiring story! What a lovely blog:) Hope all is well with you.
just stumbled upon your blog and I love it! I’m into interior decoration,flower gardening and photography. I dream of running my own Company in the same one day but it just seems like a long way to go I don’t know where to start! Anyway, I’ll keep reading hopefully learn a-lot from you :)
Great blog, how lovely to work with flowers and clothes everyday, sounds ideal! I live in London and I’m a clothing designer and I photograph flowers a lot too in my spare time. I look forward to hearing more of your adventures. xx
Great blog! Congratulations on your style and entrepreneurial streak, too! You seem like such a lovely person. All the best.
Great blog! Congratulations on your style and entrepreneurial streak, too! You seem like such a lovely person. All the best.
Hi Keira!
You probably don’t know me, and probably haven’t heard of my blog, but I thoroughly enjoy reading yours. I love the outfits that you put together, as they remind me of the way my daughter dresses. You have great clothes, great taste, and a fantastic blog.
To that end, I nominated you for the “Tell Me About Yourself Award,” in my latest post. The rules are simple… tell seven things about yourself, even better if it’s something not known in your blog, or you can make up something and have it be a pure work of fiction. Then, nominate your 15 favorite blogs, as well.
Either way, keep writing, keep posting, and keep entertaining me. I’m greedy that way.
http://awonderouslife.wordpress.com by Carolyn Bishop, aka Mzklever.
Love the blog you are adorable!
I just nominated you for the Versatile Blogger award! Your blog is sooo much fun and I really love seeing all the awesome outfits you put together!
The rules are on my blog!
Have a swell day!