"Who is she? Where did you find her?"

My in law’s would have you believe I’m French. I’m not sure when that inside joke came about but, in their own backwards way they reason that because I was raised in Kent (which is about 70miles from the French docks of Calais) that inevitably makes me French. Obviously!

I am in fact London born, sadly without the cockney accent. My spectacular southern accent has become a confused mix of the Queens english and stokey slang. Occasionally my clients will pick up on my ‘southernness’ and from time to time my own children will laugh at the way I add r’s to certain words like parth & barth. That said I have lived in Stoke for the longest I have lived anywhere now, which is almost half of my existence.

I came to Stoke in 2007 with just a suitcase of things as a university student at Staffs. Oddly I graduated with a BA Hons Degree in Forensic Science and Criminology in 2010. So why am I doing nail? The short story is... I got pregnant in my last year of University. So instead of leaving stoke for a Masters degree in Terrorism and Security I stayed, married the man who got me pregnant (conveniently he is also the love of my life 🥰), and the rest is history as they say. Family life was calling for this mum of five boys, and I wouldn’t change a second of it.

I have two teenage stepsons, and three birth sons to my name. Step parenting has been the hardest challenge in life but after 11 years I think I have got the swing of it. To be honest, I'm pretty much winging the whole parenting thing, but who isn't right? Over the years I have dabbled in small time jobs, courses, and crafting but being a stay-at-home mum was where I was needed.

In 2018 Bow Luna – Hair Accessories UK was born. We spent two summers hosting a stall selling my handmade hair bows at local events. We would spend some real quality family time enjoying picnics and entertainment at them. The boys would spend the profits faster than it would come in. Visiting all the other stalls and buying sweet treats, but they are my motivation so seems fair. #supportlocal #supportsmallbusinesses. We have really missed it during 2020 due to COVID. Maybe in the future we will be back to doing a couple of stalls again. Bow Luna merged with Alisa Jade in 2021, however due to lack of time to craft bows as I am so busy in the salon I have ceased my hair bow range for now.

I decided to train in nails in 2019. I was surprisingly good at it compared to when I first attempted nails in my teenage years with a DIY home kit that once 😬. I soon passed the course and started a second more in depth nail course just as the first lockdown of 2020 hit. It has been a rollercoaster ride training and starting a new business amidst a global pandemic. However, I can proudly say I've made it work, even if it has created a glitter addict out of me.

My journey with nails will have always started as Oracles Beauty, but going forward Alisa Jade seems a more logical choice of business name. There will however, ALWAYS be an element of witchy woo within some of my content. I do love all things mystical, crystals, tarot, ghost stories etc. so I wouldn’t be being true to myself if I didn't slip it in occasionally.

I am also getting rather inspired by positive thinking, and motivational techniques. I find it's really helping me in a business sense but also in a personal mood capacity. I’m sure a few of you can relate when I say the winter months can really get me down. A little positivity can do me wonders, and I hope it will for you too. That is why I intend to use this space for not just nails, but also for positivity, self-care, and mystical things.

I hope to inspire and educate, but mostly I will just be myself.

I would like to just take a moment before my first post comes to an end to thank all my current ladies for booking with me, sticking with me lockdown after lockdown, and of course thank you to Laura who has helped to make all this possible and for grooming me into a position at Laura Hewitt – Nails & Beauty. 🤪

So join me on my journey, chat with me, make connections, post comment, like things, disagree with me, debate on things, whatever the mood calls for. Let’s all be kind & sociable.

I really can’t wait to get back to work and create some epic nails.

See you soon ladies.

xoxo