The holidays are coming to an end which means for some of us the tearful start of a school year (in some cases the JOYOUS start to a new school year), time to pack away the boogie board and break out the book-covering!
Our holiday season was super fun with lots of beach trips, lots of visits to the park and even some close encounters with nature. Here are some of my favourite holidays snaps!
I know so many people in our vast country have had a horrible holiday season with fires and floods and that just makes our wonderful family holiday seem all the more special. I don’t take it for granted.
So whilst procrastinating about mopping the floor, I thought I would share with you some finds that remind me of my lovely summer holiday.
Recently the HMK team got to learn a bit more about Perth based Market Girl and here is what they had to say:
Tell us a little about YOU, the woman behind Market Girl?
We are the Market Girls, We are a œtalented duo, best buddies & busy mums , this is not our words but we like them, we feel it sums us up. Between us we have 6 children all girls aged 2 “ 7 years old. We, Teneille & Emma love cute, unique & handmade childrens products & also love that we are providing an avenue for local businesses to showcase their products in a boutique market atmosphere. We are just like all the other mums we live in the suburbs do the school drop off and pick up, the washing, food shopping, cleaning and cook dinner. Then in our spare time LOL we manage to run a very successful business called Market Girl. One day we decided that rather than just talking about it we were going to actually just do it and so that is how Market Girl came about. Market Girl is us we are the Market Girls.
How did Market Girl come to life?
We wanted unique handmade products for our girls and thought wouldnt it be great to be able to get everything you want in the one spot in a boutique atmosphere other than a crowded shopping centre. Then there is the whole believe about helping other mums do what they love and still be able to look after their little ones and let other know just how talented they really are. For too long us women have been too competitive its about time we all start helping each other out.
What is the most satisfying part of what you do?
The fact that we get to play with our children in between signing thousands of advertising contracts and deciding the strategic direction of Market Girl. We will right in the middle of something crucial and one of them has a meltdown or falls over and we are there to pick them up and give them a cuddle. Also we are helping many mums just like just do exactly the same thing every day, do what they love and still be there for the cuddles.
Photo by Crazy Love Photography
Is there anything that isnt so much fun?
(Bookwork is my pet hate!) Unfortunately we have learnt the hard way that sometimes you just got to say no. I hate saying no to someone but sometimes we just cant fit everything or everyone in.
Have you tried something in your business that didnt work out as you planned, or on the flip side “ worked out better than expected?
Well we had hoped that our first market would be a success, otherwise why would we be doing it, but we were over the moon with how successful our first market went. We expected that there would be teething problems but had been planning and planning for weeks and months, over planning according to our husbands. We were also like a party host hoping that the guest would arrive and they did we had over 800 people through which is amazing we could not wipe the smiles of our faces, customers were actually queuing to get in.
What would be your best tip for someone thinking about selling their handcrafted goodies?
It is all the little extra things that you do that will differentiate yourself from the mass-produced items, whether its offering personalised dolls that look like your child or just providing that really personalised old fashioned customer service. As far as selling at markets its all about the presentation. That is the presentation of your market stall, your presentation (smiley and happy), products that are beautifully wrap. It has to be inviting and make people come to have a look at your stall over the others.
Can you tell us your favourite (or top three if that is too hard!) handcrafted item you have brought?
Well with 6 little girls between us we would have to say we are a sucker for all things pretty but I think that it would have to be gorgeous headbands. But we do love the making little dresses and handbags that you can get
Can you pick a fave Aussie handmade item?
Oh thats too hard just to pick one with so many talented Aussie businesses to choose from.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what hand-crafty thing would you want with you?
Needle and thread just imagine what cute little outfits you could whip up with all that time on your hands, are we pushing it if we ask for material too or would we have the weave it out of coconut fronds.
Recently we got to spend a little time with the lovely Stacey from Inuk and here is what she had to say:
Tell us a little about how your business came to life.
I created inuk to fulfill my passion for handmade and the earth. I have to admit, I wasn’t always as eco friendly as I am now. I did my weekly recycling and that was it. When my family and I moved here to Perth 3 years ago our lifestyle changed quite a bit. We became more aware of organic foods, were keen to have a veggie garden and reduce wastage. I always thought it was too hard to be eco friendly, but have found that it’s actually easy. I created inuk to help teach other families how easy it can be to be eco friendly along with fulfilling the urge to create handmade clothing.
Can you remember your first sale? What was it? How did you feel?
Yes, my first ‘real’ sale was off of Etsy and was Angus the Rhino. I believe the lady who bought it collected rhino things, I don’t even think she had kids. I would like to say I was happy, calm and collective, but I was actually ecstatic, I jumped up and down a lot, called my husband, then jumped up and down some more. I was so excited I made her a matching bib for being my first sale. It’s an unbelievable feeling to work so hard on something you love and have someone want to buy it. To be honest I do the exact same thing when I get a sale now!
Angus the Rhino
Is there an interesting anecdote behind your business name?
I am from Vancouver and really wanted the Canadian west coast influence to come through in my shirts, inuk (pronounced: in-ooo-k) is an inuit word for people and since people are what fuel inuk, I thought it would be suiting!
Where does most of your creating take place? Show us … if you want.
If you asked my husband… all over the house! I do have an “inuk room” where I store all my favourite fabrics, sewing machine and inspiration. It’s the perfect size and changes shape every couple of months to suit my mood and inuk needs.
What is your favourite item that you make? Show and tell!
Inuk has some big and exciting changes for 2011! We will be reducing our baby line to introduce a full family line so Mum, Dad and older brothers and sisters can benefit from wearing cool eco friendly clothing too. There will be many different designs and styles of clothing using 100% Organic Cotton, eco friendly textile ink and Upcycled Materials. I look forward to debuting my new designs at the future 2011 markets here in Perth!
As for a favourite item, it has to be the newest set called Franki! Franki is an adorable frog who is spying up two little flies for tea… The singlet and nappy cover are both 100% Organic Cotton and perfect for hot summer day naps or PJ’s for balmy nights.
What is your most favourite handcrafted item you have brought?
Ah, so many to choose from… I guess if I HAD to pick one, I would probably say my hand made bag from truso. I love the design and the leather strap is what drew me to it!
What handcrafty thing couldn’t you live without?
I love my new embroidery thread holder that my husband bought me for Christmas! It neatly stores all the thread, needles and scissors I need for my shirts!
What ever you are doing this Australia Day, whether it be kicking back throwing a shrimp on the barbie, at the beach soaking up some sun, or playing some backyard cricket, Australia Day is a time when we can reflect on being an Australian and be proud to call this big brown land our own.
For everyone it represents something else, for me this year I think it represents just how great a nation we are by the way Australians have banded together during times of crisis.
