Stallholder profile Modern Mumsy

Todays stallholder profile belongs to Modern Mumsy

https://www.facebook.com/modernmumsy/?fref=ts

Your name:

Michelle Parsons

Your Business name: www.modernmumsy.com.au

The suburb/town you live:

Canungra

What is it that you make  and what skills do you use? 

I make mummy and baby accessories - I design and sew taggie comforters, chewy bibs, bandana bibs, burp cloths, dummy saver straps. I also make beaded sensory necklaces, bracelets, and chew toys for adults, children and babies.

What inspired you to start your business? 

My little girl Ruby. Soon after I had her, I found myself searching for cute handmade accessories but found it hard to find the perfect pieces, so I started designing and creating them.

 I found it so refreshing to be creating again, rather than working 40-50 hours per week in the corporate world, I had never made time to be creative and do something I love. It's like I have balance in my life again, and it's such a good feeling.

How long have you been‘creating’? 

3 years

Is it a full time/ part time/hobby or business? 

Part-time business - I have a 7 month old boy and a 3 year old girl, so they keep me on my toes the rest of the time!

Where do you sell your creations?

I have a website, facebook page and instagram to showcase my pieces online. I also sell at local markets and events - currently The Handmade Expo Ipswich &

 Mount Tamborine Markets.

What makes what you do special or different? 

I create unique, functional and affordable pieces, so you can be sure you're purchasing something special for you or someone you love.

What is the most rewarding part of what you do? 

Meeting other mums, dads, nannas and grandads, aunts and uncles, babies and kids! I love learning about other people's journey into parenthood.

What is your favourite product that you make? 

Taggie comforters with saver strap - one side has cute printed cotton fabric for your baby to see, the other side has minky fabric for snuggling, the tags stimulate your babies sense of touch and help develop their fine motor skills, and the strap is for convenience - you can attach a teething toy, dummy or you can attach it to the seatbelt of a pram or car seat (no more dropping on the floor!). A perfect gift for the mum and baby that has everything.

Do you teach classes or workshops? 

No, but maybe one day I will 

Stallholder profile Purl McDude Knits

Todays stallholder profile is all about Sally from Purl McDude Knits

https://www.facebook.com/purlmcdude/?fref=ts

Your name: Sally Lowe

Your Business name and facebook name and link: 

Purl McDude Knits.

The suburb/town you live in now: 

Toowoomba

What is it that you make and what skills do you use? 

I mainly make hand-knitted accessories, mostly for winter, but some in-between items, also. So I have hats and beanies, headbands,

scarves, neck cosies, wraps and shawls, and fingerless mittens. I also make the occasional rug or blanket, and felt bowls, bags 

and pouches, which are knitted and then felted to make a firmer fabric.

I handspin quite a lot of the yarn I use. The fibres are all natural - wool, alpaca, silk, cotton, hemp, bamboo. Some are blended, 

eg wool and silk, wool with cotton. I buy only good quality, natural fibre and commercial yarns, so everything is made from the best 

materials. The trick is to know which yarns and fibres will be best suited to a particular pattern or type of garment. I make up most 

of my patterns and combine them with yarns I like that will  best suit. (A fluffy yarn is no good for a lace pattern if you want the pattern

to show clearly. Some alpaca and cellulose fibres like cotton and soy are not so good on their own for garments like hats and socks 

as they can be heavy and have little stretch.)

So then I knit, occasionally crochet, matching pattern to yarn, choosing colours that go well.  I love colour and how putting one against 

another will make them 'sing' together. I knit plain fabric, patterns such as lace and cables, and do colourwork - fairisle - making up my 

own designs which I draw up on graph paper.

Everything I make is then washed and blocked, a process where the article is laid out to dry, and sometimes pinned so as to enhance

the shape and pattern.

What inspired you to start your business?

I need to make things and work with colour, and for now, working with fibre for knitting is what interests me.  I make more than my 

relatives can wear!  

I'd like what I do to pay for itself, at least, but I also recognise the value of my skills and time, as I do for others engaged in skilled

activity. It's important that communities understand the wealth of experience and investment in learning and doing that craftspeople 

bring to their products. So although it is always easy to give away or sell for next to nothing, I believe that can undervalue creative 

endeavour.  A business approach with fair pricing recognises the worth of skill, acumen and creative process, and I want people to

see and know that.

How long have you been ‘creating’?

All my life.  I used to 'win' the lollies at kindergarten for my plasticene animals!

Is it a full time/ part time/hobby or business?

I'm always working on half a dozen things at any time, and every day for many hours. I think of it as more than a hobby as I'm 

fairly driven to it. However, it's barely a business. It's what makes my toenails twinkle!

Where do you sell your creations?

I only began selling early last year, and participated in local markets and events eg the DeMolay House Occasional Market, 

the Hospice Camellia Show; this year I'll also be a part of The Handmade Expo and Vintage Market in Toowoomba  and The Glennie Fair; 

I have the Facebook page and 

an Etsy shop (for now) - https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/PurlMcDudeKnits

What makes what you do special or different?

I believe my selection of fibres, yarns and colours, combined with my own patterns or other patterns modified, means that every item

I make is unique. I've been knitting and spinning for over 30 years, and I'm fussy, so I'm pretty good at both!

What is the most rewarding part of what you do?

People being happy with their choices. They look through and spot something that particularly appeals to them - the colour, the texture,

the type of garment - and it's such a happy find. I don't think I've made a sale where the person wasn't absolutely sure they'd made the 

best choice for them.

What is your favourite product that you make?

I really like every piece as I'm making it, but I love making the felt bowls and pouches.  The felting process morphs them into something

really special.

Do you teach classes or workshops?

I don't, but I'm always happy to share what I know

Stallholder Profile EJ Creative Flair

Todays stallholder profile is for EJ Creative Flair

https://www.facebook.com/EJCreativeFlair/?fref=ts

Your name: Erica Owens

Your business name : EJ Creative Flair.

   website: www.ejcreativeflair.com.au

The suburb/town you live in now: 

We’re situated in Bayview Heights, Cairns

What is it that you make and what skills do you use?: 

I make handmade jewellery with particular focus on glass cabochon items. I also make various original designed bracelets made with semi-precious gemstones and cabochon charms.

What inspired you to start your business?: 

I worked in Community Services for 17 years in varying roles in Disability, Aged care and Youth Worker up until 2012 when I felt a strong desire to focus on ‘what makes me happy’ after feeling extremely burnt out and exhausted  – So I started researching making jewellery. J

How long have you been creating?: 

I started making jewellery in November 2012 as a hobby. I had no intention to sell my pieces but did start showing friends on Facebook. I am totally self-taught in all aspects of creating jewellery. My husband suggested starting a page to show others. So I related it to my childhood nickname of EJ (a.k.a. Erica Jane) and added the creative flair, to describe my pages content.

Is it a full time/part time hobby or business?: 

Began as a hobby for 18 months, but by 2014 we registered as a business.

Where do you sell your creations? 

We sell our creations online via the website and also at Handmade Expo Cairns and The Esplanade Market currently.

What makes you so special or different?:  I

 believe we offer many unique pieces within our collections of Cabochon earring and necklaces. The artwork we use is divine and appeals to many age ranges. My handmade gemstone bracelets are also quiet unique – totally designed by me.

What is the most rewarding part of what you do?: 

We are Corporate Traders for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, so making my Pink Ribbon products has been very rewarding, as we donate a portion of each sale to that cause. Also when customers contact us with photos of our jewellery when they’re wearing it, or send amazing feedback on our FB page in reviews. That makes me feel like I’m making a difference to other people’s lives still, after finishing my career as a carer.

What is your favourite product to make?: 

Anything with gemstones I particularly like, as I feel loads of energy from them, and have found that I really moved to incorporating gems in my pieces, very early on for that reason J

Do you teach classes or workshops?: 

I don’t teach classes or workshops, but certainly would love to be involved in doing that in the future, as my background is in training/instructor in Disability work.

Stallholder profile Allure Melts

Todays Stallholder Profile is Allure Melts

https://www.facebook.com/alluremelts/?fref=ts

Your name:  Laurene Bartlem

Your business name: 

Allure Melts https://facebook.com/alluremelts

The suburb/town you live in now: 

Gracemere.

What is it that you make and what skills do you use?: 

Soy Wax Melts, Reed Diffusers & Candles. All handmade & poured. 

What inspired you to start your business?: 

I wanted a variety of fragrances which I couldn't find & to be affordable.

How long have you been creating?: 

This is my 4th year of creating beautiful fragrances.

Is it a full time/part time hobby or business?: 

It is my hobby & my passion.

Where do you sell your creations?: 

I sell from Facebook & the Handmade Expo Rockhampton & other markets in the area.

What makes you so special or different?: 

I have over 40 fragrances to choose from with matching reed diffusers. My melts are approx. 20grams ea & have a burn time of 20+ hrs. Best part only $1ea. There is no cutting or breaking of my melts you simply place 1 in your burner.

What is the most rewarding part of what you do?: 

Repeat business & hearing people say how gorgeous they smell.

What is your favourite product to make?

Dragons Blood Melts, the smell is devine.

Do you teach classes or workshops?

Not at this time.