PEOPLE | interview www.womanthismonth.com December 2022 91 including construction, welding, electricity, and carpentry; I tried taking a lot of courses with carpenters, electricians, and painters. So, it's just about building your community," she adds. As we sip cups of tea and try to give her rescue cats, Harvey and Domino, equal attention, Shoug says when passions become businesses, and big-name corporations start getting involved in collaborations and commissions, it’s important to stick to your guns. "Eventually, you lose your church, and you become the merch. By this, I mean that merchandising doesn't become artisan work anymore. That's why I only do one piece. I don't do repetitive pieces, and I use recycled wood,” she says. “So recycled wood is never repeated. Any table I make, even if I make the same table with the same measurements a million times, will never be repeated because the wood I've used is recycled. Stick to your principles. Just write up it and stick to them,” she adds. For those looking to try flipping and refurbishing locally, Shoug advises starting small with a table or chair. As for finding pieces to flip, she says: "You have to start with your neighbourhood and your house first because I am sure there are a million hidden pieces somewhere in the house that you think you should replace, but you don't need to. Ask around in your neighbourhood or local community. If you're going bigger, try thrift shops like the one run by BSPCA. Alternatively, make your thrift shop with your family and friends by swapping things. And don't think of pieces as being used; think of them as vintage!” If you would like to know more about Shoug and check out her work, you can follow her on Instagram @theflipdiva.
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