When made’n’found first began, I knew there was one Australian crafter that I HAD to interview. It took a little time in her busy schedule but here it is…
If you ask anyone in the Australian art and craft community to name the most influential identities on the scene, the name Pip Lincolne will often crop up.
I have a really strong belief that EVERY woman over age 10 should have a wheat bag. I have been through 3 in the past 14 years and it is one of my most important and loved possessions! So….
Meet the delightful Kim Stark from Emiti Crafts. Kim is a new addition to the handmade art and craft world and is already making an impact with her awesome wheat bags and eye pillows. She’s making me one specially! Check out her links at the bottom of the interview - you wont be disappointed!
Kim, please tell made’n’found followers about Emiti Crafts.
Emiti is my fledgling craft business. At the moment my focus is handmade wheatbags and eyepillows. I’m a massage therapist as well and I started making them for my clients a year ago as a better looking alternative to the boring corduroy ones sold in chemists. I’ve had a really great response so I’ve started retailing them to select stores around Melbourne. I’m currently working on a range of other products that should be out soon. I’m experimenting with handbags, makeup bags and iphone bags. The focus with all my products is the liberal use of colour, femininity and practicality.
Our second, much awaited interview comes from Melbourne handmade artisan Ciara Cross of Little House of Kokeshi. I am a huge fan of Ciara’s work - I own two of her pendants and I suspect they wont be the last!
Ciara, first can you introduce yourself to made’n’found followers.
Hi I’m Ciara and I’ve been running my craft business “Little House of Kokeshi” since 2006 from my home in Melbourne. It’s lots of fun. I’m so grateful that I’m able to be creative everyday and love that there’s no end to the ideas you can develop within your craft business.
Our first interviewee, Kate Mason, today gave birth to a son, after four daughters! I have known for some time that Kate was expecting but couldn’t betray her secret, so I am thrilled to announce her wonderful news and wish her CONGRATULATIONS from everyone at made’n’found. Welcome Lachlan Bud Mason!
I want to introduce the made’n’found community to Kate Mason, from Adelaide, Australia. Kate is a talented and accomplished artisan whose work has been admired and published globally. Enjoy getting to know this gorgeous girl!
Hi Kate, Can you tell made’n’found about your crafting life - how did it start? What sort of arts and crafts have you tried? What is your current medium of choice?
I’ve been a ‘maker’ forever. It’s a deep need from within and my personal passion. I first recall my passion for drawing igniting at kindy. It was then reinforced by my parents who gave me a suitcase full to the brim of stationery on my 5th birthday. Since then, I have been involved in many crafts over the years but in recent years scrapbooking became a good fit. I also have a particular love for rubber stamp collecting, book making, felting, photography, mixed media collage & making/altering my kids clothes [although I haven’t really done as much kids clothes stuff as I would like yet].
After being selected to be one of 4 members on the 2005 ‘For Keeps’ magazine Scrapbooking Elite Team, I started to get a little more serious about the possibilities that my art & craft hobby could hold for me. I was fortunate to design for a bunch of stores, online shops, magazines etc. At that time, I was published in many Australian craft magazines & co-authored a couple of scrapbooking books: 2005 Elite Team book, “The Times of Our Lives” and with friend Debra Fuller, “The Heart of Design”. I have been fortunate to have many teaching opportunities too.
Currently my most favourite medium is mixed media collage on canvas, with various girly themes. I’m also starting to dabble in jewellery.
