Hi Folks! You all know how much I love tempting you with new handmade haunts, and today I’ve got an absolute must-visit destination in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Our interviewee is the lovely Nicole, coordinator of a charming little handmade store called Evelyn Lily. Nicole’s store is [...]]]>

Hi Folks! You all know how much I love tempting you with new handmade haunts, and today I’ve got an absolute must-visit destination in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Our interviewee is the lovely Nicole, coordinator of a charming little handmade store called Evelyn Lily. Nicole’s store is filled with lovelies for kids (and grown-ups too) as you can see from the images below….

Evelyn Lily is…

A boutique store in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast that sells products made by local designers. Designers rent shelf space from me to sell their products. I stock everything from Candles to clothing, soaps, tea, jewellery, stationary, home décor, etc.

Three things that make my Evelyn Lily unique are…

We provide a place for designers to showcase and sell their work in a bricks and mortar store. Most of these products are handmade, one-of-a-kind products from local artists and designers.

My workspace is…

Very organised! I colour code & file everything. I guess I’d say there are slight signs of OCD showing thru… haha!

My style is influenced by…

My daughter. I love pretty little things!

When I grew up I wanted to be…

A child care centre owner. However, I have since worked in child care for 6 years and quickly changed my idea of being an owner of a centre as there is lots of work & money involved!

The motto I live by is…

Live your dreams, and never let people make you think it won’t work. I never want to think What If? So I give everything a go. Don’t get me wrong sometimes I’ve lost thousands of dollars on my “ideas” but I’ve  also had very successful “ideas” too!

If I could go back and give one piece of advice to my teenage self it would be…

Don’t stress too much. Even when it looks like it’s going to all fall to pieces, it’s not the end of the world. Pick yourself up & carry on.

My favourite memories from my childhood are…

Growing up on the farm with my sisters & brother. Everyday was an adventure and the sky was never the limit!

Three things that make me smile each day are…

My little girl, great feedback about the shop, & the excitement my dog gets when I come home from work everyday.

[note from the editor, isn't that the best? Kid cuddles + dog cuddles = happiness]

If I were a superhero, my super power would be…

To be able to transport to places in a blink of an eye. Wouldn’t it be great to close your eyes and open them up and be in Rome, London, New York, etc!

The frontpage headline in a newspaper story about my life would read…

“There’s no stopping her!”

If I could trade places with anyone in the world for one day (dead or alive) it would be…

Richard Branson. If i could pick his brain on how his business strategies, tips, and obstacles to avoid that would be great!

My three most prized possessions (apart from my kids/family) are…

1. Photo albums! Since 2005 I have over 10,000 photos printed in my albums. Too many times I lost photos on the computer so ever since I print absolutely every one!
2. I also couldn’t live without my beautiful dog Rusty who is an English Staffy. He is the kindest most gentle dog I have ever come across in my life.
3. Lastly, my heart necklace that was given to be by my husband when I was 16 years old. It reminds me of the love we had then, and the love we still have now.

Thank you Nicole, we truly enjoyed getting to know you a bit better.

You can find out more at the Evelyn Lily website or facebook page.

Hello my fellow Australians and worldwide handmade lovers! I’m so delighted today to present my interview with Helen from Poss & Wom. Since launching her business in 2010, Helen has been celebrating and revitalising classic Australiana with her representations of much loved Aussie icons such as possums, koalas and wombats!

Hello my fellow Australians and worldwide handmade lovers! I’m so delighted today to present my interview with Helen from Poss & Wom. Since launching her business in 2010, Helen has been celebrating and revitalising classic Australiana with her representations of much loved Aussie icons such as possums, koalas and wombats!

Poss & Wom is…

A unique and quirky Australian children’s brand created by myself, Helen Shadforth, a Sunshine Coast designer and mother of two. When I was pregnant with my first daughter I became very uninspired with nursery décor that was available to me, I couldn’t find the right colours and everything was either too girly, too boyish, too bright, too gaudy or too commercial. I also wanted something Australian but most of the items (when I managed to find them) were just not the look I was after! This is when I decided I would take it on board to just do something myself.

Poss the possum and Wom the wombat are two characters that were inspired by motherhood and my pug, Daisy. When my first daughter was born I nick named her ‘Possum’ which was shortened to ‘Poss’. One day I was thinking if she was a boy I probably would have nick named her ‘Wombat’ which would shorten to ‘Wom’ and voila! The concept of ‘Poss & Wom’ was born!

Each design is created with love and consists of soft, soothing colour tones that are beautiful and understated and most of the designs are gender-neutral. Poss & Wom fine art prints are created using the gicleé process – vibrant pigment ink onto museum quality archival rag paper with a 90 year expected lifetime. I print all of them myself and they are far from commercial or ‘run-of-the-mill’. They come ready to mount and frame. I also offer the option to have them mounted behind a mat board for that extra finishing touch. I have designed them to fit into store bought ready-made frames. I also make all of my cards and stationery and take a lot of pride in the packaging and presentation too.

I have recently added to my range with a selection of beautiful fabric wall decals, organic cotton tote bags and handmade Wom softies that my mum helps me make. I am also excited to say that a children’s story book is in the making!!!

My artistic / educational background is…

I am an accomplished graphic designer by trade, with over 12 years experience in Australia as well as internationally. I ran my own graphic design business for 3 years before I put it all on hold to have my first daughter and this is when I had the epiphany that is Poss & Wom. My graphic design business is now sitting in the shadows while I stay at home with my two girls and create Poss & Wom (my third baby).

My design style is influenced by…

Unique beauty – The Australian flora and fauna are so unique and so beautiful it needs to be honoured and celebrated more.

Icons – in the footprints of Beatrix Potter, I am trying to create a new, modern day icon. Something that is uniquely Australian but Modern, fresh and beautiful at the same time.

Quirk, humour and not taking life seriously – Why can’t a wombat sleep in a deck chair? The beauty of being an artist is that you make anything be whatever you want it to be! I love making people smile and I don’t mind if sometimes people think I’m a little wacky in the process.

Subtlety – Simple design with strong character and a subtle nature. I love soothing colours that reflect nature.

The first handmade product that I made for my store was…

My art prints. I bought a shiny new giclee printer which I just love. I am so proud of my work and print and package them all myself. The cards and invitations are all done this way too.

The next handmade item I plan to make is…

I am currently collaborating with an extremely talented, local singer/songwriter who has come to know my characters so well and we are putting together a book that we plan to create and launch by ourselves. Yes, Poss & Wom is going paperback! Oh I am so excited!

When I grew up I wanted to be a…

I have always loved animals and I remember at a very young age I wanted to be a marine biologist. I used to walk down to the rockpools near my house and study shells,  sea slugs and all kinds of weird and wonderful things. But as I became older I realized my flair for art and I used to doodle constantly, just ask my family. No piece of paper laying around was left untouched from having some sort of silly looking character drawn on it!

So I guess there always was part of me that knew I was meant to illustrate, particularly for children. I ended up deciding to become a graphic designer because I thought taking a more commercial career would be more successful in earning a living.

I am happy with my decisions and I believe all my years as a designer has refined my skills and has also taught me a better business sense too.

The motto I live by is…

Don’t take things so seriously! There’s just no point sweating the small stuff and at the end of the day, things always work themselves out. I like to just ride the wave.

Three things that make me smile each day are…

My children laughing, my husband when his hair is sticking up in the air (yes, it happens everyday!), my pug trying to wag her tail but it’s actually her whole backside that wags

If I were a superhero, my superpower would be…

To fly. If I could fly, I would just do it all day long. I would love to fly around and do loops and twists without any worry that I will land on my scone. Oh and of course I would wear a flappy cape and shiny eye mask too!

Three things most people don’t know about me are…

Most of the time I actually have no idea what I am doing, I am the queen of ‘winging’ it! I saw my first real wombat only 6 weeks ago! I am a mean player on the spoons!

Thank you Helen, we truly enjoyed getting to know you a bit better.

If you would like to view more of Helen’s work, you can visit her website, Etsy store, or Facebook page.

I had the good fortune of discovering Vicki from Andapanda when I stumbled across one of her gorgeous panda softies earlier in the year. Her collection of handmade toys and accessories are just bursting with colour and personality and it’s my pleasure today to give you a little peek into [...]]]>

I had the good fortune of discovering Vicki from Andapanda when I stumbled across one of her gorgeous panda softies earlier in the year. Her collection of handmade toys and accessories are just bursting with colour and personality and it’s my pleasure today to give you a little peek into Vicki’s creative mind.

Andpanda is…

My craft and illustration project that began in 2005. I design and make original, handmade textile accessories and plushies in my studio/shop around the corner from the Picasso museum, in the Borne area of Barcelona. I have an online shop and also sell in other shops in Spain and around the world.

The handmade products you can find in the andapanda shop include plushies, bags, purses, gadget cases, accessories, and cushions made with a mixture of fabrics printed with my own designs and recycled, vintage, Japanese and Spanish fabrics. All of the plushies are based on my own illustrations – from the most well-known to the most unusual animals! The name andapanda came from one of my favourite animals, which also inspired our first ever plushie: a panda.

My artistic/educational background is…

I studied Art at school until I was 18 and it was always my favourite subject but for various reasons I ended up studying Psychology at University in the U.K. After University I did an English teaching course in Barcelona, where I’ve been living now for almost 8 years.

In my first year in Barcelona I started making jewellery and realised I wanted to get back to my creative roots and so I did various short Art and Crafts courses, at the same time as teaching English in a Primary school. I then did a 4 year part-time illustration course and that’s when I started started designing accessories and plushies from my illustrations.

My idea of complete happiness is…

A really sunny studio/shop with a sea view, lots of space and a garden at the back full of plants. Travelling. Having more free time to do fun things and also to illustrate children’s books and make all the new products I have in my head and in my sketchbook.

My favourite memories from my childhood are…

School summer holidays, turning the sofa into a tent, making cress egg heads at nursery school, transfer stickers that you scribbled over with a pencil to make them go onto the paper, playing the recorder, reading Roahl Dahl books, making mix tapes from the radio, scavenger hunts, spending hours on the swing in my garden and making things from craft kits, felt and recycled materials.

If I were a super hero my super power would be…

Being able to speak every language in the world and stopping pickpockets when they’re trying to get away by making banana skins and brick walls suddenly appear in front of them. {Note from ed… the visual image of the banana skins and brick walls had me in stitches!}

My design style is influenced by…

My love of animals, nature, colour and everything kawaii. Living in Barcelona and going to Japan. My childhood – especially books I liked.

My favourite materials to work with are…

Wool felt and fabrics. About five years ago I discovered Japanese fabrics online and loved the illustrations used in them. But I didn’t want to buy them unless I could actually make something out of them and that’s what motivated me to learn how to use a sewing machine and to do a short dressmaking course.

For my plushies I particularly like using wool felt and fabrics with polka dots or stripes and with nice textures like cord, fleece and upholstery fabrics. I like seeing fabrics with a certain texture or colour and imagining what animal it will soon magically turn into.

My secret talent is…

Sleeping. I’m like a koala – I can sleep for hours and hours at a time (when I get the chance) and fall asleep pretty much anywhere. I once even managed to fall asleep standing up during a not very interesting concert.

When I look around my workspace I see…

Lots of colour, fabrics and plushie animals smiling at me. Nodding Maneki Neko cats doing their best to bring me good luck. A neverending pile of things waiting to be cut, sewn or finished and depending on the day, more or slightly less creative chaos! I’m always running out of space, boxes and time to keep everything properly organised (but it’s going to be one of my New Year’s Resolutions.)

The next handmade item I plan to make for my store is…

Big animal cushions. I’m currently working on a new range of products for babies and children using my animal  illustrations and my own fabrics that I’m going to finish designing in January.

Thank you Vicki, we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better.

If you’d like to view more of Vicki’s work, you can visit the Andapanda shop, blog or facebook page.

Hi folks! It’s my pleasure today to take you on a little trip inside the creative mind of Megan from Robintail. We recently featured some of Megan’s handmade Christmas delights on {KID} independent in a moment of festive frivolity! Her style is sweet as can be with a hint of [...]]]>

Hi folks! It’s my pleasure today to take you on a little trip inside the creative mind of Megan from Robintail. We recently featured some of Megan’s handmade Christmas delights on {KID} independent in a moment of festive frivolity! Her style is sweet as can be with a hint of vintage and a lot of love!

Robintail is…
An independent handmade business in Mareeba, Far North Queensland. I have always had a passion for design and clothing, so in 2011 I decided to use my love of fashion to do good! I create unique outfits for children aged between 0-4yrs. I originally started Robintail after having a lot of trouble finding quality baby’s wear in Mareeba’s limited stores. I don’t have children yet myself, but when a friend had her little girl, we wanted to find a really lovely outfit and couldn’t find a thing in the one or two stores in town.

The stores also tend to have a lot of things that just don’t suit our climate up here – for example, when we need summer wear still, the shops have brought in their winter wear, which is very frustrating and must be even more so for those who are unable to resort to making their own. Previously, I sold handmade bags and softies but once I began Robintail, I found the demand was huge and I haven’t really had time to fit in the other things!

Three things that are unique about my business are…
I have always been a bit of a perfectionist, so for one thing, quality control. I’m pretty fussy when it comes to finishes, and if it’s not that great, I won’t sell it. My Mum also checks out my products and makes sure they’re up to scratch – she taught me everything I know, and still makes sure I do my best! I also like to offer people something different, so tend to go in a different direction than everyone else, as I don’t feel there is any point in trying to recreate what’s already available.

Thirdly, practicality. I have spent time fitting and consulting with two lovely Mums to make sure Robintail not only looks great, but at the end of the day is wearable. A lot of children’s fashion looks so adorable, but in reality may not be the most comfortable or the most practical for the way kids get around.

My design style is influenced by…
A lot of things. It would be kind of hard to pin point one area. Growing up, I always loved all the vintage, retro and olden day stuff – I still do, so sometimes I try to incorporate those influences into my outfits but in a modern way. I also draw inspiration from fashions I see, something that reminds me of an outfit I had as a child or something I wanted to wear but never had the chance. I also spend a fair bit of time with my friend’s two little girls, and they also inspire me. All other influence is pretty random – it can be anything from an old photograph to a gorgeous piece of fabric or a movie I just saw!

My favourite materials to work with are…
Oh cotton fabric! I think I’m addicted to it and have had to put myself on a fabric diet because of this – but only until I can make some more space or find an excuse that won’t tickle my conscience too much!

The next handmade item I plan to make is…
The Robintail 2012 collection! I’m trying to get organized to do an early autumn going into winter range so we’ll just have to wait and see!

Three things that make my smile each day are…
My puppy-turned-dog Henry. My Dad – he’s always got some wacky joke to share! Our house cow, Possum (who has a suspected baby bump!)

If I could be a character in fiction, I would be…
Samantha Stephens from 60’s TV series Bewitched – she gets to wear all those gorgeous retro dresses, enjoy a curvy figure and being a witch definitely has its bonuses!

Three things most people don’t know about me are…
I love working with really loud music playing, I don’t own a mobile phone (really) and I’m a little scared of heights!

My biggest strength is…
Willingness to help where I can and give things a go – even if it freaks me out a little!

My secret talent is…
Drawing! I can draw pretty much anything and spent my entire childhood perfecting my artistic skills… I just haven’t found a really good use for it yet, other than pure enjoyment!

Thank you Megan, we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better.

If you’d like to view more of Megan’s work, drop by and say hello at Robintail.

Christmas photo at top of page by Charlee Photography

Hello friends! Oh boy, do I have a treat for you today! The lovely Missy Munday from Boopsie Daisy is here to share one of her vintage collections. About 3 years ago, I started a treasured little collection of squeak dolls by Ruth E. Newman along with some Kewpies and [...]]]>

Hello friends! Oh boy, do I have a treat for you today! The lovely Missy Munday from Boopsie Daisy is here to share one of her vintage collections. About 3 years ago, I started a treasured little collection of squeak dolls by Ruth E. Newman along with some Kewpies and other oddities, so this collection has me smiling like the proverbial Cheshire cat! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Photo: The big tub of 131 squeak toys / squeakers sitting in front of the tree waiting for their photo shoot. I rounded them up from everywhere. Shelves in my daughter Sadie’s bedroom, the bathroom floor, my work desk, a curio cabinet and my bedroom dresser top.

I started collecting vintage squeakies when my little boy Ashton was just learning how to talk, in 2004. I found a little premade collection of about 5 or so at Value Village & the collection began to snowball from there. They don’t turn up at yard sales or thrift stores very often, so on annual antique adventures with my Mum I will linger in the vintage toy section forever trying to narrow down my purchases to the one or two squeakers I feel like I just can’t live without… (or really wouldn’t want to.) Other than that I’ve obtained most of my squeaks from the vast and glorious etsyverse. I tend to bring home only the cutest of cute or the very reasonably priced. I find the more you have bunched together, the more adorable they look, almost like they feed off one another’s cuteness.

Photo: Most of the 131 gathered by the Christmas saying “cheese!”

Photo: A close up!

With their eye catching colors and big expressive eyes, there is an irresistible sweetness, joy & innocence to these rubber toys that cheers you through life’s hardships. Their positive, smiling faces seem oblivious to the colder, harsher aspects of reality & carry you back to simpler days gone by. They don’t need batteries, buttons or anything gimmicky or flashy to grab your attention. They’re just good wholesome squeaky clean fun & besides being fun to play with & photograph, they make unique, uplifting decor!

Photo: The bunny squeaks. Sadie loves to sneak into Mommy’s photos & knew I wouldn’t be able to say no if she wore her bunny mask.

Photo: The elephant squeaks. I just love them! I had to get a group shot but I also collect elephants in general. I have a bunny collection, too, but that’s another rhyme for another time!

Photo: The Christmas squeaks! Or at least, the ones that seem to represent Christmas in some way.

My favorite pieces tend to be the ice cream colored squeakies with pretty pastels. I’m also a might bit extra smitten with the ones that are ultra silly (like the scooter driving lion or the bunny boy with a plummer’s crack) or anything oversized.

My most favorite favorites of all though are the squeakers that are dolls. A lot of them have synthetic hair you can style, and my favorites ones are my mermaids & hula girls (not pictured.) But that is a whole other collection in and of itself.

The majority of the squeaks live in my daughter Sadie’s room on shelves. I used to be anal about keeping them all together and untouched but I gave up on that recently and now she gets to take them down to bathe with or have for tea. I also have a whole bunch of vintage Disney & Looney Tunes squeaks I share with my 9 year old son. He wasn’t keen on having me disturb them from his shelves to add into my group shot, so maybe we’ll feature those another time.

Photo: A handful of my favorites. I fatally adore the ones that have the pretty pastel ice cream colors. Also, the more loopy the eyes the better. I’m a hopeless romantic for loopy eyed toys.

Photo: Spillage. Actually this was snapped during the chucking of the squeaks back into the bin. You know you’re cute & loveable when you even look good in disarray.

Thank you squeaks from all of us here at the Boopsie house to Indi for inviting us to be featured. My all-time favorite collection is the collection of the lovely people I’ve met online, you included! I really appreciate all the darling digital happiness you provide to people all over the planet! You’re a gem!

A huge thank you to Missy for sharing her collection, it’s truly made my day and inspired me to hit a few ric-rac and retro stores over the holidays in search of some squeaky goodness! If you have a collection you would like to share, please feel free to get in touch!

Hi folks! I hope your weekend is off to a fabulous start. Today I have the pleasure of welcoming the lovely Simone, a Melbourne illustrator who creates a series of adorable works of art under the “Nomuu” label. You may have spied her work on {KID} independent before in one [...]]]>

Hi folks! I hope your weekend is off to a fabulous start. Today I have the pleasure of welcoming the lovely Simone, a Melbourne illustrator who creates a series of adorable works of art under the “Nomuu” label. You may have spied her work on {KID} independent before in one of our “Creative Cravings” features. Today, you have the chance to find out more about the person behind the art!

Nomuu is…
A Melbourne illustrator Simone Downey who creates cute, quirky illustrations of deers, bears and bunny characters. My background really is in multimedia design, specifically web design these days. I also teach multimedia subjects such as web design, Illustrator, Photoshop and Flash. I only started illustrating about a year or so ago, before that I was too scared to pick up a pencil and draw.

Five words that describe my personality are…
Helpful, inquisitive, quiet, humorous and perceptive.

I would describe my design/artistic style as…
I’m not exactly sure to be honest! Maybe… quirky, cute, child-like and contemporary? I find it hard to describe my art style, since I am relatively new to illustrating. I always want to know how others would describe my work. Note from editor – I’d describe it as whimsical!

My creative process involves…
When I feel inspired, I just start doodling characters with pencil and ink. I tend to have a large stack of illustrations and when I feel compelled to {usually when I am stressed}, I bring them out of the drawer and start colouring them up in Photoshop. It’s only when I begin colouring up these illustrations that they really begin to come to life. When they are just line drawings with no colour I really don’t see their potential. They really do take on a life of their own once they are textured and coloured.

The thing I enjoy most about creating my art is…
Seeing them come to life. I enjoy the creative process, of not knowing exactly where the character is headed and then at the end seeing something I had not envisaged. Before I start the design I do have a particular style and colour palette in mind, but it usually never ends up how I envisage it. It’s like the art directs me, which is a really nice process.

I also love that people connect with my work. With comments like, “they’re adorable” or “so cute”, how can you not be chuffed?

When I sit in my office/creative space and look around the room I see…
A lot of mess! Ha ha! Yes it’s true, I am quite messy, but I am trying harder to be organised, because it really does help with the creative process. I also have a large antique desk that I design on, lots of stackable drawers, lots of art books. I don’t have much artwork on the walls, but I do have one of my great grandmothers paintings hanging on the wall.

My three most prized possessions (apart from my kids/family) are…
My Macbook Pro, my bachelors degree certificate and my brain (he he!)

When I grew up I wanted to be…
I think I wanted to be an interior designer when I was quite young. I had an obsession with interiors.  I did in fact study interior design, but it was too stuffy for me!

I actually became…
A multimedia designer and now illustrator.

The number one thing that most people don’t know about me is…
That I am really into entrepreneurial pursuits, I lap up anything about online start-up companies.

If I could trade places with anyone in the world for one day it would be…
A Melbourne entrepreneur called “Guy King”. If he sees this maybe he will in fact let me come work in his office for a day – he he! He is one of the founders of RetailMeNot, a coupon website, but what I love is tht he just came up with the idea {web designer}, put it together in a weekend just investing like $30 bucks on a domain and the site recently sold for $90 million. It’s not the monetary gain that I care about, nor the concept, it’s now that his firm has the ability to create concepts that they enjoy working on and developing.

I would love to be able to have the money to invest in great online concepts and see them come to life. I try to do that as much as possible like with my site Ammiki {a curated gallery}, but development constraints are harder when you have don’t have large budgets to invest in. So yep I would love to trade places with Guy for a day, so Ammiki could be built how I imagined – he he!

Thank you Simone, we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better.

If you’d like to view more of Simone’s work, drop by and say hello at Nomuu.