Embracing the Unknown
A few weeks ago I made the announcement that Bicyclette would be saying farewell to Queen St. West in the new year, and since then it's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. On top of my "regular" day-to-day tasks (which are really not that regular at all), the announcement has meant responding to comments about the closure, tending to details regarding the closing of the shop, gearing up for our Holiday season, and starting to think about what's next for both Bicyclette the brand and myself on a more personal level. Not only does this mean that I'm busy managing all of this, but it also feels like a heavy weight on me emotionally, one that I'm finding difficult to carry at times.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't do well with the unknown. As much as I love spontaneous adventures and like to think that I'm pretty easygoing overall, I'm also a planner - an attribute that has definitely been beneficial to me as an entrepreneur. But now, figuring out what my next step is and how to navigate through this difficult time, I've been left feeling a little lost.
With Bicyclette, it is important to me to finish the time remaining with as much magic, sparkle and positivity as possible. It's also important for me to acknowledge that there are a lot of changes happening, and it's a little scary. I've poured so much of myself into Bicyclette and there's not a definite line where Paige ends and the brand begins, so with the shop closing, it's hard to know what's next. My next challenge is figuring out how to transition Bicyclette into its next phase, and how everything fits together.
One thing I've become really clear on recently is that the blog is something I'm really passionate about. The styling, creative projects and photo shoots that are designed for the blog fuel me and keep me inspired and challenged on a regular basis. So amongst the chaos and uncertainty, I've made a promise to myself that I'll continue to dream up new ideas and spend time executing them, which you'll see the results of here. I have post-it notes littering my desk with ideas, and when I sit down to plan out each week, I'm making a conscious decision to dedicate time to these creative endeavours. It's also likely the blog will start taking a slightly more personal and lifestyle-focused spin. Though I'm sure it'll be a subtle change, I think it's important to note that it'll start to reflect the changes that Bicyclette's going through as I explore new possibilities for the brand and document that journey.
With all that being said, this weekend I spent a lot of time in the studio working on some styling and recipe posts, so I wanted to share a few of the outtakes from that. With the aftermath from our 'XO, Bicyclette' shoot, holiday decorations beginning to be unpacked and a number of other projects on the go, the studio is full of sparkly props and fresh flowers, so it's been fun to play around with everything and really allow my creativity to run wild.
Photos: Paige