I first became aware of this month's feature in 2008 (or 09?) when I purchased a business card holder from her (which I still use today) when we were both vendors at a Hoopla fall craft show in Toronto. I just loved her handmade, creative product and have been a Facebook fan of Dear Sukie ever since. So when I discovered through social media that she now owns the added title of "mom" - I thought she would be a perfect fit for this spotlight series on creative, Canadian Mom entrepreneurs!
I hope you will enjoy getting to know Kristy and her business Dear Sukie. I can definitely relate to a lot of what Kristy says and agree that daily walks are so great for both mom & little one and I fondly remember the "working naps" that used to occur in my house as well ;) But above all, there is always something to do when you work for yourself - but that's great isn't it?! Do what you love & love what you do!
Kristy Clarke is a designer who creates handmade wallets showcasing beautiful patterned papers through her business Dear Sukie. She is mom to 10 month old Amos, step mom to 5 year old Braedon and lives in Oakville, Ontario.
Hi Kristy!
Q: In 3 words, describe your business.
A: Handmade, colourful, fun.
Q: Did you start your business before or after becoming a mom?
A: I started Dear Sukie before Amos was born in the fall of
2007 (6 years before). A lot of things have changed since. I took a little bit
of a break from sewing right after he was born just to focus on him. I never
closed down my Etsy store because I still had a lot of items in stock and it
was nice to take him on walks to the post office to make deliveries. But as for sewing and taking custom orders,
that had to take a back seat for about the first 6 months.
Hi Amos!
Q: Mixing motherhood & business can be a balancing act! What is your approach to making it through the day accomplishing growth in your business alongside nurturing your little one?
A: Fortunately my little guy loves nap time (usually sleeping
2-3 hours in the morning and another 1-2 hours in the afternoon) I try to get
as much sewing done during his morning nap. When he wakes up, everything goes
away and it’s back to being a mommy.
Sometimes it’s very difficult when I’m on
a “creative roll” to just put everything aside but I usually feel it works to
put Amos in the stroller and go for a walk to get a change of scenery. We go on
a lot of walks every day and this is my time to think up new designs and ideas
of where I would like my business to go.
When he goes down for his afternoon nap
I shower, do a little housework and start prepping dinner etc. Sometimes if I
was in the middle of creating a new design I will take it back out again and do
some more work. In the evening I spend time with my husband usually just
watching movies and relaxing.
Card Holder Front
Card Holder Back
Q: What do you consider the biggest perk to having your business at home? What is the biggest challenge?
A: There are so many advantages to working from home…no
commute, I can work in my pajamas if I like etc. But the biggest perk would definitely
be that I am there for my family if they need me. This is also a challenge though because
people think you are always free to just chat on the phone whenever or you can
just take the day off to visit.
Also,
you are always working. There is always something to do when you work for
yourself. Especially now with so many
ways to market your business with social media.
It is very hard to keep up. I am
definitely still trying to find a balance.
A tidy workspace
Q: What is your favourite social media platform to share and connect with your customers and why?
A: I don’t really have a lot of time to engage in social media
unfortunately right now. I am currently
designing a new line of wallets, cardholders and coin purses in some exciting
new patterns so most of my time is spent at the sewing machine. Once I have all the stock made (I am hoping
to be ready for July 2014) I will be
working on my own website, promo pictures and marketing materials etc. If I want to share a new design though I
would post It on my Facebook page.
Quick Snap Card Holder
Q: If you were able to add another element/extension to your business, what would it be?
A: Soon I will be launching my own website/online store. Dear Sukie has been a part of Etsy almost
since the beginning but I am looking to go out on my own now, which is very
exciting for me.
Long Wallet with Zipper Exterior
Long Wallet with Zipper Interior
A: I am a big fan of designer & art director Allison Kreft Abad who
has designed some really adorable scrapbook papers that I have used for my
wallets. We have done some trades as
well in the past where she has sent me a ton of papers and I have made her some
wallets. I’m excited to be using one of
her new ones for my coin purses coming in July!! It’s too cute!
An example of Allison Kreft Abad's designs
Q: If you had an unexpected afternoon of free time, how would you spend it?
A:Well it really depends what kind of mood I’m in. Right now
because I am in the middle of developing my new line of wallets I would
probably spend the time sewing or searching online for new paper patterns but I
am also writing a book of baby’s first poems.
The characters for the book are needle felted by me and then
photographed in different settings. This is a really fun project for me and I’m
just sort of working on it when the mood strikes me. I have attached a picture of Mr. Pumpernickel
for you to see!
Hi Mr. Pumpernickel!
Q: Is there a creative skill you wish you had?
A:There are two that kind of go hand in hand….web design and graphic design.
Trifold Wallet
Quick 3:
1. Coffee or tea?
Coffee.
2. Music, Movies or Podcasts while you work?
This also depends on what kind of mood I’m in or what kind
of day it is. I love old movies though
so I usually have one playing in the background. Some favorites are “Barefoot in the Park”,
“Mildred Pierce” or anything with Bette Davis. For music I love the old stuff
too like Billie Holiday or Nina Simone.
For the new stuff though my favorite is Vampire Weekend.
3. Name a book that has inspired/informed your business?
"Daily Rituals: How Artists Work" - I love flipping through it and reading about some famous artists daily schedules.
Quick Snap Card Holder
Another creative outlet for Kristy is her recent first children's book entitled "Miss. Abigail and the Missing Cupcake". A sweet, rhyming story featuring felted animals and miniatures - how adorable! If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please visit Amazon.
Who took the cupcake from Miss. Abigail's kitchen?
A sweet little tale of a birthday party, a missing cupcake and the bond of friendship.
A peek at a character from the book
Quick Snap Moo Card Holder
This feature on Dear Sukie wouldn't be complete without mentioning her little claim to fame featuring the Martha Stewart! Did you know....that in 2010 Dear Sukie appeared on the Martha Stewart Show to teach Martha and the audience how to make a Dear Sukie wallet!
I remember seeing the segment at the time which must have been a truly memorable moment! Congrats Kristy, you did an amazing job! You can watch the segment here.
Kristy & Martha!
Thank you Kristy for sharing your handmade wallets and card holders with us - the functional design is unique and you have a great eye for choosing just the right patterned papers which elevate this daily use item to something you don't want hiding inside of your purse!
I know I'm looking forward to seeing the new collection of wallets, card holders & coin purses coming this summer! Keep in touch with Dear Sukie online:
Thanks again to all the readers who follow the blog and especially these monthly features! Your likes, comments and shares are always appreciated! See you again soon for the next Portrait of Home Made! Don't forget to sign up to follow the blog by email - just enter your email address in the follow by email box at the top right of the page.
Are you or someone you know a work from home Mom creating an amazing product or offering an awesome service? I want to meet you - contact me to find out how you could be featured! wendy [at] tinybrushstrokes [dot] ca
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