I've been making things for as long as I can remember.
Some of my happiest childhood memories are of sitting with my Grandma, making little paper birds and cutting up old Christmas cards with pinking shears to turn them into gift tags. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive — just a bit of imagination, a pair of scissors and time spent together.
Looking back, I realise it wasn't really about what we were making. It was about those moments. The laughter, the conversations, the feeling of creating something with someone you love.
And I suppose that's where the story of By Lisa really began.
Not quite your usual career path
Now, here's something you might not expect...
Before all the paint, plaster and handmade creations, I spent much of my working life as a cabaret singer!
Yes, really. Sequins, spotlights, microphones — the lot!
I've always loved making people smile, whether that's through music, laughter or something I've made with my own two hands. And while my days on stage might seem a world away from paint-covered tables and tiny handprints, I think there's a little bit of the same magic in both.
It's about bringing people together, sharing an experience and hopefully sending them home with a smile.
I've also worked as an activities coordinator in a care home for older people, a role that showed me just how important companionship, laughter and having something to look forward to can be. Whether it was organising activities, encouraging someone to try something new or simply sharing a conversation, I loved finding little ways to brighten someone's day.
It reminded me that creativity and connection don't have an age limit. Sometimes the smallest activities can make the biggest difference.
Along the way, I also worked in a paint-your-own ceramics studio, where I got to see first-hand how much joy a little creativity can bring.
Looking back, my career might seem like a rather unusual collection of jobs, but there's always been one thing connecting them all — people.
And making them smile.
A new chapter, a colourful dream
Like so many mums, I've spent years juggling family, work and all the wonderful chaos that comes with raising children.
But as my children grew up, something rather lovely happened.
I found myself with a little more time to think about what I wanted to do.
And the answer was surprisingly simple.
I wanted to spend my days doing something I genuinely love.
Something creative. Something meaningful. Something that brings a little happiness into other people's lives.
And so, here in Newton Abbot, Devon, By Lisa was born.
A little business with some rather big dreams.
It's the little things that mean the most
Whether it's a baby's tiny handprint captured forever, a child proudly showing off their very first painted dinosaur, or a handmade gift chosen especially for someone you love, I believe the simplest things often become the most precious.
Because life moves quickly.
Little hands grow bigger. Birthdays come and go. Children grow up. And before you know it, the moments you thought you'd always remember have become yesterday's memories.
That's why I love what I do.
I get to play a small part in helping people hold on to those moments.
And just as importantly, I get to encourage something we could all do with a little more of — putting down our phones, picking up a paintbrush and spending proper time together.
No pressure to be perfect. No need to be particularly artistic.
Just creativity, connection and perhaps a little paint in places it probably shouldn't be!
Little beginnings, big dreams
By Lisa may have started small, but my imagination certainly hasn't!
I'd love to see it grow into a place where people come together to create, laugh, learn and make memories. A welcoming creative studio, workshops, parties, bustling market stalls and shelves full of colourful handmade treasures.
Who knows where it might lead?
For now, I'm enjoying every little step, every new creation and every lovely person I meet along the way.
And if something I've made brings a smile, starts a conversation or becomes a treasured memory in someone's home, then I reckon I'm doing something right.