Designer of the Month

Canberra based accessory designer & creator of

FLIBBERTIGIBBET

Shop Handmade’s Designer of the Month (Dec/Jan)

When did you know you wanted to be an accessory designer?
It was a matter of chance and circumstance, really.

A few months after my second child was born, my friend Michellle

(who sews beautiful clothes for children) asked if I'd be interested in

sharing a market stall with her. I wanted to create something that

complemented her ranges and hair accessories seemed the

obvious choice. My range has slowly expanded since then and now

I have jewellery and decor ranges as well. I've always been a

'maker' and as a child I dreamed about owning a craft shop

when I grew up, so to take it a step further and have

people buy my creations is just fantastic!

How would you describe your design style?
I describe it as whimsical, hence the tagline

'Handcrafted Whimsy' on the product cards!

What creative people, things or materials inspire your designs?
I find inspiration in many places - fashion, nature, people.

My customers have great ideas too and I love being able to create

the finished product for them, whether as a bespoke custom item

or a complete range; in fact this is how I came to start making

earrings. I LOVE fabric, especially Japanese fabric whether it be

traditional or 'kawaii' (cute). I find repurposing items to be very

inspiring and it appeals to me a great deal; I hope to

experiment more with this in 2013.

How does a typical day of work for you go?
How I wish there was such a thing! I started this business when my

children were 3 years old and 6 months old respectively, 

so it has always been a matter of fitting things in around my family's

needs. 'Piecemeal' probably best describes my work practice and

fortunately it turns out that is a good way for me to operate.

Because my work is very portable, I take it just about everywhere.

I work at markets when things are quiet, poolside while my children

have swimming lessons and at indoor playcentres while they play.

This attracts a lot of interest from adults and children alike and it's

a good conversation starter. I also work into the wee small hours

of the morning far too often, either searching for an elusive fabric

on the internet or in a frenzy of button making. I even take work with

me when we go on holidays. There seems to be a perception that

Work At Home Mums (WAHMs) have it easy but it's frequently

a pretty hectic juggling act trying to fit everything in. I've

actually had to hold my business back for the last few years due to

family commitments but now that my youngest child is off to

preschool this year I am hoping to finally be able to start

the wholesale arm of my business.

What is your process when creating a new design?
There's a lot of research, thought, experimentation, seeking of

feedback and 'roadtesting' involved prior to offering a new design for

sale. My process of actually making products has evolved a great

deal since I started, usually to improve the quality of the

finished product but sometimes to improve the efficiency of the

production process so I can offer the finished piece at a lower price.

What would you like people to enjoy most about your designs?
The ability to choose (whether for themselves or as a gift) an

affordable handmade item that reflects someone's interests or personality.

This seems particularly pertinent to my covered button ID reels;

 people love being able to individualise a commonplace

(especially in Canberra!) and very impersonal accessory.

What makes your designs unique?
I'd say the small details, like careful placement of the fabric design on the

buttons, drilling and riveting the buttons onto the hairclips myself, using

industrial strength glue internally on the buttons to make them extra secure

and protecting the fabric with Scotchgard. I have a bag of seconds I offer

to my friends and they inspect them closely, roll their eyes and call me

a perfectionist but I'm happy with that!

What is your advice to aspiring designers?
1) Research, research, research: know your product and your market.

There are many people who make products similar to mine and I wondered

if there was room for my ranges in the marketplace. I knew I'd have to

produce a superior, well finished product that had great appeal to my

targeted market in order to be successful but I was up for the challenge.

2) Start small if you possibly can: I started with an outlay of around $100

and invested more with the takings from each market. When we first

started at markets we used whatever tables would fit in our cars and

bed sheets as tablecloths, then invested in better things as the

need (and funds) arose.

3) Be very realistic about everything: your abilities, the amount of

time and money you will need to invest, your pricing and the amount of

money you think you will make.

4) If you are going to do markets: just the very basic suggestions here...

Be prepared for anything - especially if outdoors!

Have a good sized float with lots of gold coins and smaller notes.

A welcoming smile and a simple 'Hello' is far better than "How are you?" 

when greeting people at your stall. Be present but not pushy. 

Have business cards, even if they are really simple. 

Be nice to your neighbouring stallholders. 

Find the right market for your product.

5) Be patient and persistent. No one is an overnight success.

What products do you currently stock at Shop?
Fabric flower hairclips, covered button hairclips, hair elastics, 

bobby pins, headbands, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, ID reels

and super-strong magnet sets.

Find the wonderful whimsy of Flibbertigibbet by Anne
at Shop Handmade - City Walk, Canberra City