Hello there! I hope you are doing well and are enjoying the holiday season. I wanted to post one more time before the closeout of the year.

What a year it has been. It definitely has had its highs and lows. If you were to ask me what the high point of the year was for Brass Velvet, I would have to say that it was hosting the Magic City Plant-a-Palooza. It was a fun event but even more, the connections made with the vendors and the people that attended are what I remember the most. Everyone was happy and you could feel it in the air. It was incredibly special, and I am so honored we got to host it. We can’t wait for the next one! As for the low point? I would say it has been the holiday season, and I know that BVTC isn’t alone with lower-than-expected holiday sales. I have heard across the board that this year has been more difficult than previous seasons. I understand it and hope that things begin to change. I am still grateful to each and every customer we have had though.

Per the title, we have plans for 2025 that I cannot wait to get working on. We have new goals set that will keep us a little more different than a standard boutique. We want to start to integrate other avenues into the shop that perhaps are out of the norm. That excites the heck out of us because, well, we aren’t really into following the “norm.” We want to forge our own path into what a boutique is and can be.

Lastly, I would like to add something personal. My first year into owning Brass Velvet has been life changing. I went from being someone who preferred to be in the back not seen by anyone to someone who readily engages people without fear or much hesitation. It has strengthened me in ways I never knew were possible, and that blows me away. I do not let fear or the thought of “what if this doesn’t work” control my decisions anymore. Nothing is gained in life by letting fear paralyze you. Dreams require risk. This past year has also shown me that I can and should believe in myself, and to hold on tightly to my sometimes-defiant nature of bucking the norm. It is okay to embrace what you like. More importantly, it is okay to embrace yourself and the essence of who you really are. After all, the person that should love you the most, should be you. Love on that person as much as possible. There is so much to be grateful for within yourself and in this world. For myself, I am moving into 2025 with gratitude embedded into every part of me. I do believe there is something to the mantra of “what you put out in the world is what you will receive,” and that is how I am going to march into 2025, with gratitude.

I wish you a wonderful new year ahead and hope you keep following us on our journey here at Brass Velvet Trading Co.