Spotlight: Kelsie White

Gift wrapping at its finest

Kelsie is a newcomer on the block and my-my are we excited to tell you about her! She is a young creative who is adding a bit of fun and a bucket of love to wrapping anything and everything! Kelsie uses paper-based products that are mostly recycled materials to jazz up any little goodies you might have. You can see her wrapping up at our next MOTL event!

How would you describe K Gets Organised?

K Gets Organised is a paper based organisation goodie store. It’s for everyone out there that can’t find the perfect diary, to-do list and the most on-trend paper goods in Perth. It’s also in large about collaboration and supporting other WA creatives around me.

What do you use as material for your products?

It’s all about paper for me! I like to bring it back to the basics and strip back the toxics. I try to use recycled materials wherever I can and I see texture as being integral to what I do. Kraft paper in particular has such a unique feeling to it. Similarly, I like to include wood in products and the grain of blackboard paint when it’s dry.

Is there anything in particular that inspired you to create K Gets Organised?

Well, I opened the Facebook account while I was on a one-week study break in the middle of my last semester of my undergraduate degree. I had just moved out into my first house and had set up my first studio desk. The name came to me after trying to find the perfect to do list (which is still a pretty unsuccessful search!). I have always loved paper goods and the first product I ever sold was a line of little quote cards for people to use as motivation. K Gets Organised has always been about finding freedom and reaching goals through being organised by paper and that’s what inspires me every day.

Do you prefer to wrap things in a messy or a neat fashion?

Always crisp and neat in a very minimalist style – there is nothing better than the perfect crease along the edge of a present or the perfect fold at either end. I’m a complete perfectionist when it comes to wrap. The messy part comes in getting creative with personalization for me – creating a beautiful card or a gift tag is where the mess and the fun is had!

How do you think that your paper products will stand out against other wrapping products sold in larger stores?

Like everything at Made on the Left, instead of my product coming from somewhere, changing hands many times and being served to you from a shelf; I can see you, speak to you and understand your personal needs. My products are made with my hands allowing for so much more, including personal touches, tweaking products and designs and even just simply conversation!

Do you have a favourite design that you're keeping all to yourself?

I have a little something special for the first 10 customers at my market stall – they’ll get an incredible gift-wrap service that will be gorgeous and very Christmas. If there is anyone out there that wants to have that experience, they’ll have to get in nice and early!

Have you appeared in markets before?

I’m 21 and I started KGO earlier this year (May) and have been doing product design, marketing, sales and everything in between since then leaving little time for me to organise a stall – but Made on the Left has made this process so easy and exciting for me for their Christmas market. This will be my first market (but certainly not the first market I’ve attended!!).

Will you be opening up a store in the future?

I’ve been in contact with some beautiful retailers in Perth and I’m hoping to have my products in stores very, very soon. I’m always looking for new opportunities though – there are so many gorgeous stores in Perth I day dream about having KGO sitting proudly in their stores!

Do you feel that your brand represents you as a person?

I am the K of K Gets Organised, so of course my brand represents me and people like me – people that want value for money, people whom desire beautiful as well as on-trend paper goods and people that want to speak to the person creating their goods with a personal touch.

Where do you see your brand in 5 years?

I see KGO sitting proudly on the shelf, wall, on the desk and in the hearts of a lot more beautiful people around WA. I’m incredibly excited and honoured to see where this journey is going to take me.

www.facebook.com/KGetsOrganised

Spotlight: Enid Twiglet

beautiful bird + creative soul

We got a chance to catch up with the ever so lovely crew over at Enid Twiglet, and asked a few bits and bobs about the work that goes on behind bird-filled doors. Enid Twiglet creates a lot of hand-embroided work, as well as some beautiful laser cut pieces! If you like all things quirky, botanical and possibly a feather or two in your tea then Enid Twiglet is for you!

Describe Enid Twiglet in three words

Handmade. Unique. Quirky.

You say you hand embroider a lot of your work. How long does it take for you to finish a piece?

The really small pieces take about 1 - 2 hours and the larger embroideries can take anywhere up to 40 hours.

What is your biggest inspiration?

I am a self confessed “bird lady” and am constantly inspired by anything to do with ornithology, (so much so I am thinking of studying it next year!).  We live with three very entertaining birds: Nigel the budgie and Colin and Barney who are cockatiels. We also have three rare breed chickens who are great fun to hang out with.

Colin is my constant companion, and spends most of his time perched on my shoulder and he enjoys unpicking my stitches as I embroider. I also love dusty old books and forgotten things found in other people’s trash and op-shops.  I am drawn to unusual subject matter such as human anatomy and most recently my hand embroidered insect collection.  I enjoy creating things that may not conventionally be seen as beautiful or appealing!

What kind of process does your work go through to become a tangible product?

I spend some time researching the subject matter then do up a quick pen drawing in my sketch book. From there I either trace or re-draw the outline onto fabric using a fabric pen.  My hand embroideries are free hand stitched. I normally have a pretty good idea of how I want something to look in my head and just take it from there. I have never used a pattern for my work and this makes every piece completely unique.  

Once the embroidery is finished I photograph it and then Mr Twiglet takes over to produce our laser engraved pieces. We have a laser cutting business as well as Enid Twiglet which means we have creative control over all of our creations and nothing has to be outsourced.

Is there a favourite product of yours?

Oh gosh this is hard! I get very attached to all of the larger hand embroideries purely because I spend so much time with them.  If I am stitching an animal or bird I create little personalities for them and the anatomical work I stitched last year for my exhibition was so personal and I definitely have some trouble letting those pieces go to new homes.  Right now I would have to say Mr Octopus. Purely because he challenged me right from the first stitch. Tentacles are hard! I am so attached to him I have decided to keep him for myself. 

If you had an infinite amount of money to put towards EnidTwiglet, how would you use it?

I would love a separate work space that isn't in our home. A solid brick and mortar studio space with a little retail outlet would be awesome. Oh, and I would love an assistant who would do my paper work for me! 
Mr Twiglet would love a huge studio where he could spend all his time designing, making and laser cutting.  We would both love to quit our day jobs and focus purely on working for ourselves. We are slowly making it happen!

What do you feel attracts customers to your products?

I think people enjoy the story of how our products are created. We make absolutely everything ourselves (including our labels) and I think our customers enjoy hearing about the processes involved. Plus the fact we are both ginger seems to make people laugh!

Have you ever thought of tackling a sewing machine and expanding your range?

I would like to learn how to use a sewing machine so I can make my own clothes but I am not interested in learning machine embroidery. I have seen some amazing embroidery work done on sewing machines but I get so much pleasure from working with just a needle, thread and my hands I don't think I would ever want to change that. 

What are your products made out of?

The embroideries are just sewing thread stitched onto cotton either presented in an embroidery hoop, laser cut pendant/brooch frames or glass bottles. We laser engrave my embroidered images onto glassware, wood, leather and acrylic.

If our readers mention this article can they receive 10% off at the upcoming MOTL market?

Yes of course!

http://www.enidtwiglet.com/

Spotlight on GetFelt

When at markets, I must always resist the lure of other stallholder's shiny things, particularly when I am on helping out and have no float to tinker with!!!

Introducing GetFelt, the dynamic duo of Shan and Glenda whose mutual love of felting led them to setting up GetFelt and combining their talents to produce some lovely, elegant and downright cool silk and merino wool creations. Shan and Glenda operate their business from their respective homes, and use a method of felting known as wet-felting (I am green as green can be when it comes to felting but I loved learning about the process). With wet felting, the process can take several hours for something like a buttoned wrap, to days of start and stop felting for a piece like the cream jacket (modelled by a friendly shopper). Shrinkage is often up to 50%and needs to be taken into account when customising orders.

GetFelt's range included shawls, scarves, wraps, tops and jackets made with merino wool and silk, mixed fibres and threads in all colours of the rainbow. GetFelt will be showcasing their design's at the upcoming Subiaco Craft Fair and monthly at the Kalamunda markets. Thankyou Shan for sharing your passions!

Shan and Glenda can be contacted via email: getfelt@hotmail.com

Spotlight on Yojiki

(Lotta here!) Back a few posts, I mentioned I had an opportunity to chat to some talented and creative peeps while hanging out at Unwrapped on Sunday.

First up is the amazing Linda of yojiki (meaning baby ch'i). I first saw Linda at another Perth market with a wee 8 week old baby in her arms - I was amazed at her energy and focus!!! Maiya is a seasoned market goer - attending 5 or 6 markets in her short eight months. Linda mentioned that although the older children stayed with family, husband Stephen was her helper and they took turns manning the stall and watching over Maiya. What a pleasure knowing you can literally combine your passions and motherhood!

Stephen, Maiya and Linda of yojiki

Australian designed and patented yojiki swagbag

A sample of yojiki's clothing range

yojiki specialises in the baby swagbag nappy bag. The swag bag was borne out of necessity, Maiya being the youngest of three (and as all parents know organisation is the cornerstone of parenthood) Linda and Stephen needed something they could use on the go. The swagbag is lightweight, with a removable cooler bag. It also does duty as a playmat, changemat and nappy bag. Linda's range included baby wraps, skirts, singlets and pinafores in limited edition colours and ranges. Originally designed and used for her own children, friends started noticing her unique designs, the orders came flowing in. Check out yojiki's swagbag nappy bag and other designs on their website here. Thankyou Linda, Stephen and Maiya for the chance to meet you all! Boy was I nervous! Hehehe.