The Inspiration

Pearl Grace is inspired by my mum, Pearlin, who passed away from breast cancer when I was 17. She was a remarkable woman. Although we only got to spend 17 short years together she left an indelible mark on me and has heavily impacted many of the choices I've made in my life. She loved her family and friends and was passionate about her career in nursing.

She was only 4ft 11 3/4 (she wouldn’t be happy if I forgot the 3/4!) but had a heart as big as the ocean. She was probably the most selfless person I ever knew. She was always willingly to put the needs, wants and desires of other people before her own and always did so with compassion and a smile. She was truly beautiful inside and out and was an inspiration to me when I was younger. I believe she continues to guide me now.

In 2011, I had an idea to set up an online retail company with a difference, well at least I hoped it would be. I wanted to showcase gifts that told a story and that made a difference in peoples lives. After several happy years in buying and sales for other companies and brands, I decided it was time to buy products that I felt passionately about. I’ve always been enthusiastic about products - where ideas stem from, how they are envisioned and the journey they go through to become a reality. I’m often moved when I hear stories of how the creation of a product can transform a person’s life, help a village or change a community. It’s profound when you find out that the creation of, say a cushion can provide a woman living in a remote part of world with the financial independence to become self-sufficient and support her family. I love stories like that! Ultimately it’s about people and the connections we make throughout our lives. I sincerely believe that fair-trade and ethical gifts transform lives. With these concepts in mind Pearl Grace was born.

Inspired by my mum’s heart and her guiding principles coupled with my passion for enriching people’s lives through the power of gift- giving, I set to bringing this vision to life. But life is a funny thing and miraculous things can pop up out of the blue that can change your life forever. Two months later we found out we were pregnant and were overjoyed. Nine months later we met our little titch and were overwhelmed by the immense love that every parent feels. All of a sudden I realised that our little boy came into our lives at that precise moment for a reason, which was to provide me with another perspective from which to bring Pearl Grace to life. Something extraordinary happens to you when you become a parent -  when you become a mother. I believe you see the world differently. The core values for Pearl Grace became crystal clear. It was even more important that I share with you some fabulous and unique gift ideas that were changing the lives of people the world over.  It was in that moment I realised that Pearl Grace was to be more than just an 'online shop'.

I am so excited to share this story with you and to warmly welcome you to the Pearl Grace family. You can learn more about us here and find out about our passions on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

Before I leave you, I just wanted to share this little passage with you from Mandy Hale.  It resonated with me greatly when I was going through the process of bringing my dream for Pearl Grace to life. I found it poignant considering this bright idea stemmed from a place of loss and pain. I pass it on to you, in the hope that it may do the same and perhaps give you faith to believe in your dreams and find solace in the fact everything happens for a reason - even if the reasons are unclear when you're in the midst of a storm.

"Have faith in your journey. Everything had to happen exactly as it did to get you where you're going next."

You can discover more about Mandy Hale here.

Here's to whatever inspires you to shine bright in the world and touch people.

Love Nat x

Live to the fullest, Love completely and Shop with passion.

PG Q: What inspires you to go after your biggest dreams?

Pearl Grace is Live!

Pearl Grace: welcomes you

Hello Hello! It's been a busy few months but the Pearl Grace website is up and running. We officially went live September 2013 and have been blown away by the amazing feedback and support from friends, family and customers. Please check us out at where you'll find loads more on us, the PG family and the brand.

When I started this blog at the beginning of last year I had and no idea the journey that I was about to go on.  My intention was to blog the different stages of the journey as I developed the site and built the business however unfortunately this didn't happen. I simply forgot or felt "I didn't have time" - a tired excuse that I've vowed to stop saying as part of my many new years resolutions. Nonetheless I remain very excited about sharing these experiences with you here. Some of my post will be about PG, our products and our latest news. Others will be more personal, such as about me, my family, my life, the life lessons I'm learning, my dreams and experiences. I hope you find them enjoyable or at least remotely interesting. Please share your comments and thoughts - I care what you think so don't be shy - get in touch! You can find Pearl Grace on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

A little bit on PG

I sincerely believe that Pearl Grace is more than an online shop. At our core we are committed to providing you with exceptional products and excellent customer service and to do so with passion. Our online shop is a collection of gifts that are not only aesthetically beautiful but also have an authentic story behind them. We pride ourselves on supporting traditional craftsmanship and talented artisans from all over the world and we feel truly honoured that they have allowed us to be a platform to endorse their work. The most exciting part of all this is that we get to share these treasures with you. You can find out more about what drives us here and why we do what we do. We genuinely believe that the sharing of ethical, fair-trade, eco-friendly and sustainable gifts is good for the planet, can transform peoples lives and create economic and spiritual prosperity for everyone that partakes. Fundamentally this is why Pearl Grace exists and why I truly believe in the products that we showcase. 

A little bit about me

I'll do my best to keep this short.  I'm a mummy, wife, daughter, and sister. I'm a lover of life, animals, kind people, good 

food, delicious wine, yoga, working out, (or working in), spiritual awareness, self-discovery (plus your discovery, if you wish to share), personal growth and the quest for inner peace. I love movies, music, laughing out loud and crying (sometimes that's what your soul needs!) I love nature, our planet and the changing seasons, sunshine, rain and snow (not so keen on the wind!) I love to dance (a lot), reading a remarkable book, long walks and short runs. I love lazy mornings (not that we have many of those in our house) and late night pillow talk. I love holding hands, kissing and making love. I love warm hearts, hands and big hugs. I love sharing stories, celebrating birthdays and baking cakes. I love talking about hair, beauty, make up and clothes. I love talking about business, finance, health and wealth. I love the coming together of people, beliefs, understanding and tolerance. I love languages, culture and religions (I don't believe in any specific one in particular but believe whole-heartedly in the abundance of faith and love, which I feel all religions teach). I cherish quiet solitary moments and rejoice in the company of dear friends. I've experienced pain, loss and grieved with deep sorrow. I've treasured the times of pure ecstasy and euphoria that life has so kindly given me plus I welcome the many more I hope to come. I love to work hard and sleep peacefully. I strive to live each day with a sense gratitude and deep appreciation for being alive. And finally, I love you for taking the time to read this long-winded excerpt  - you are very kind to stick with me this far.

I think I've probably bored you enough so that'll do for now. You'll definitely discover more about me, Pearl Grace, my boys (my man, my babe and my dog) in the upcoming posts. Please feel free to post comments, share your thoughts, ask questions and spread the PG word. You can touch base with me personally on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ and I'll befriend you, follow you and circle-add you back. 

May I leave you with one of my favourite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt on the purpose of life in the hope that you will carry it with you as you pursue your dreams:

“The purpose of life, after all, is to love it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Take care,
Love Nat x
Live to the fullest, Love completely and Shop with passion.