Welcome to the 13th edition of Portraits of Home Made & Hello Summer! I am really looking forward to sharing the next couple of Portraits with you as they feature some really creative women!
To introduce this month's feature, I would like to share 2 quotes from her interview which I think other creative Mom entrepreneurs will truly relate to and be inspired by!
"I like to tell myself that I'm being a good role model for my kids by showing them that I work hard, accomplish tasks, and have something cool to show for it - a business I am proud of."
"I want to make my kids proud, and that inspires me!"
Please read on to meet Kate and her jewellery company Marmalade Designs!
Kate Singer is the maker/owner of Marmalade Designs; collections of hand drawn fabric and silver jewellery created in her 10' x 10' backyard studio in Toronto, Ontario. She is Mom to 4.5 year old Amelia and 9 month old Ari.
Kate & her cute kids!
Q: In 3 words, describe your business.
A: Fabric, Silver and Jewellery. Or my third child!
Q:Did you start your business before or after becoming a Mom? If before, how did having children affect your business?
A: I started my business long before becoming a Mom. Having
children has affected my business in so many ways. It’s been a very different experience with
each child. When Amelia was born, I was
craving a break from my business. I
wanted to cocoon with my baby, and just soak up every second of being a mom.
I didn’t abandon Marmalade, but I just put it
into neutral for a while, and this proved to be a very good thing. I think I had been running (sort of on a
treadmill) for a while, and needed to reboot.
Rocking Amelia to sleep gave me so much time to think, and to reflect on
ideas, and what I wanted to make and to accomplish. I began to spend time drawing, and gave
myself the time (while she napped!) to experiment with drawing on the computer,
and eventually began to draw the fabrics that are now the focal point of my
line. Amelia’s birth really provided me
with the space and time to pause, think, grow and change.
Now…fast forward 3.5 years to the birth of my
son Ari. I felt completely different
about his arrival, and where my business fit into our growing family. This time around, I wasn’t craving a
break. Instead I felt excited about the
growth of my business and was desperate to keep it going. This became very difficult when my husband
booked a job that required him to be in California for a couple of months right
after Ari’s birth. I needed to think
fast, and thankfully my mother-in-law was able to come in and help out so that
I could get some work done before the upcoming One of a Kind Show.
Its funny, somehow my priorities had just
changed. Of course I love my children
equally, but I think I just trust that Ari’s going to be ok, because I’ve seen
it happen once already. So, although
I’m home with him, I admit, I’m often multi-tasking – packing orders while he’s
on the play mat – that type of thing. I
don’t think he’s going to suffer for it!
Leather Wrap Bracelet with charms
Q: Mixing motherhood and 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 ones?
A:Well,
I like to tell myself that I'm being a good role model for my kids by showing
them that I work hard, accomplish tasks, and have something cool to show for it
- a business I am proud of.
I actually
think its pretty neat for them – more so my daughter. I routinely bring her with me on all of my
errands: buying findings, pick ups at my
casting house, the print shop, the post office.
She meets so many people, and gets to interact in the adult world, and I
think that this has helped to mold her in so many positive ways. She also really understands what it is I do,
and is genuinely helpful. She often
comes up with business ideas of her own – burrito shop, terrarium maker (we
recently discovered the airplant!) – and wants me to help her implement
them. I keep asking her "whose going to
make the burritos"??
I
want to make my kids proud, and that inspires me! The day to day is obviously a
major juggling act. Something like this
– Me: “I need to get to the post office by 5, please go to the bathroom NOW, so
that we’re not late”. Amelia: “I want
you to commme with me.” Me: “O.K. fine,” GRAB ARI, RUN UPSTAIRS. RUN DOWNSTAIRS. Finish printing labels and
stick them on envelopes. Amelia: “I need a snack please”. Me: Put yogurt in a
bowl “eat fast we really need to go.”
Get Ari dressed and in the stroller, search for Amelia’s scooter helmet,
apply sunscreen, grab the orders…out the door!
- Keep putting one foot in front of the other – that’s my general
approach to tackling the day to day.
Rainbow Necklace
Q: What do you consider the biggest perk to having your business at home? What is the biggest challenge?
A: Flexibility
is the biggest perk. I have been
fortunate to be able to be home with my kids.
Even if they don’t have my undivided attention 100% of the time, I am
there, and I think that that has been an amazing blessing for my family.
The
biggest challenge is – as Louis CK says – every single minute that you’re with
your kids (I’m a huge fan!) - because you love them and you want to be your
best self around them. You want every
minute to be amazing, you want to always have a smile on your face, and to talk
in a lovely sing song voice, and to just laugh the day away while they finger
paint, and eat homemade banana bread. And, although I generally manage the smile,
and even the singsong voice, it takes hard work, and is exhausting when you’re
trying to build a business at the same time – and I’m often left with a sort of
guilty feeling at the end of the day.
Leather Wrap Bracelet with charms
Q: What
is your favourite social media platform to share and connect
with
your customers and why?
A: I like Facebook.
I’m not hugely active but I try and post regularly. I find people’s comments to be so kind and
inspiring.
Family Tree Necklace
Q: If
you were able to add another element/extension to your business,
what
would it be?
A: I’m working on adding
engraved pendants to my line. The words
will be handwritten by me, and the charms will compliment my existing
collection.
Detail showing a combination of charms
Q: Please
name an inspirational artisan you would like to collaborate
with
on a product/project if anything was possible!
A: Hmm…I guess I’d like to work
with someone who makes really nice handbags.
I like the idea of taking my linen prints and combining them with
leather to make clutches and the like. I
don’t have a name offhand. There are so
many awesome handbag makers whom I admire.
Adorable deer necklace
Q: If
you had an unexpected afternoon of free time, how would you
spend
it?
A: I think I’d walk to head to a neighbourhood in the city not dominated by
strollers, have lunch with a friend at one of those restaurants I see people
eating at on Instagram, and enjoy the feeling of not having to split my focus
in 5 different directions!
Just some of the cute designs available!
Q: Is
there a creative skill you wish you had?
A: Too many to narrow down: Of
course I always wished I could sing, and be on Broadway, but seriously, I’d
love to really be able to draw…like REALLY draw!
Little Penguin earrings!
Quick 3:
1. Coffee or Tea?
COFFEE…I
honestly don’t know how people start the day without it.
2. Music, Movies or Podcasts while you work?
Podcasts,
radio: I like CBC a lot or This American Life in the studio. In the house/office we listen to music on
Songza or Slacker – “I heart the 90s” generally puts me in a good mood –
nostalgia I guess.
3. Name a book that has inspired/informed your business?
I
read the book “Emyth” a while back, in a desperate attempt to understand how
people grow businesses. It’s basically
about getting yourself out of the way of your business, so that it can
grow. It’s been my toughest challenge,
but little by little I have handed over many of the making tasks, so that I’ve
been able to get to the business of designing, growing and caring for my kids. This has mainly happened out of time
constraints, and I have come to realize that there are wonderfully talented
people (like my awesome assistant Kecily!) who can help bring my designs to
life while I tackle other tasks…or, just take my kids to the park!
Letter Rings
What's new with Marmalade Designs?
>I recently updated my website with leather wrap bracelets – great for summer!
>New colours have been added to my letter line.
>My husband crafts these little boxes, which I now use to package online orders!
>Marmalade Designs will be participating in Circle Craft Summer Show in Vancouver from July 24-27th.
Thank you Kate for your refreshingly honest and entertaining interview - I think that your creativity and dedication to your business shines through! And I'm certain your kids will be inspired by you & definitely proud of their entrepreneurial Mom!
I love the element of personalization and sense of collection in Kate's silver jewellery, the variety of charms available can be combined to reflect your personal styles - I have 3 letter charms (for my husband and son) & 1 four leaf clover charm that are looking forward to their new home on a chocolate wrap leather bracelet!
Marmalade Designs jewellery can be for anyone really; a daughter, a mom, a grandmother, a friend and even a husband with her cool new cuff links! (love these!)
Keep in touch with Kate & Marmalade Designs 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!
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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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