The Juggle

Hi there!! Long time no speak! I’ve been so busy setting a few wheels in motion. In my previous post, I was telling you that I had to make the hard decision to cut out custom orders from Selkie Smith Design, as I just couldn’t devote enough time to both the business as well as spending quality time with Miss C.

I made a decision to make bags at my own pace and open up an online fabric and patterns shop Selkie’s Stash This will compliment bag sales. I have a real passion for fabrics, and I love to see what fantastic creations my customers come up with! Selkie’s Stash has been running for over a month with great success and I hope that continues to build. I love to help customers pick the right fabrics and patterns for what they are trying to create!

So that leaves me to Selkie Smith Design, I’ve had a short break from making bags and I will be slowly adding bags up onto our website which will be a combined fabric and pattern shop, also stocked with ready made items (bags and accessories).. The thing with bags that they take alot of time to make, and I try to make them of the highest quality and these things take time. (did I already say that..LOL) I hope my loyal customers understand that my creations are still being made it might just take some time to build up the stock, and see them up on the website.

Anywhoo, I wanted to let you know what was going on. I’m still as passionate as when I first began over eighteen months ago and over 300 bags later and while I may be quiet on the FB pages, i working behind the scenes to make Selkie Smith sustainable over the long term…

Just a pic of one of my favourite items that i’ve made recently.. The Black Market Apple Bag!!

Take care,

Mel

Who knew Big School would be so busy!

Not me!! I had grand delusions of having all my days to sew, sew, sew and maybe a day at the canteen once a month and that was all there was to it.. Ah no, if I put my hand up for everything that was asked of us I would have a full time volunteer job! The hours between 9-3 fly by and when I have a deadline they seem even quicker. Then Miss C asked if I was going to come and help out in the classroom like some of the other parents, I developed a severe case of the Mother guilts and knew something had to change.

That is why I made the decision that Selkie Smith will no longer be taking on custom orders through Facebook. Selkie Smith does though want to keep the idea of custom orders going by having a “virtual custom order” through our website, where you pick your bag style and your fabric combo. This is available now, and I hope you get a chance to have a squizz! We will be adding new fabric combos regularly. We will also have a ready made part of the website up shortly once we complete our back log of custom orders, and hopefully some new products will get an appearance as well.

So that’s what is happening in the land of Selkie Smith at the moment, oh and one other thing, I was very humbled to be featured in KidStyleFile in their article about Aussie designers who make their produce locally. I’m very passionate about keeping Selkie Smith creations made locally and employing people in our local area, so was thrilled to be included with some very talented local designers!

Selkie xo

Selkie Smith in the Press

Well hello, look you know by now i’m hopeless at keeping up with posting on this blog, so I won’t apologise ;) Everything is speeding along here in Selkie Smith land. I can’t believe that its been a year since i was made redundant. It feels like so much longer. A big year for us this year as our Miss C has started “Big School” and much to our relief she loves it to bits!

I’ve been sewing up a storm and Mr Selkie has been redesigning our website. We wanted to give it a custom feel..we limited the choice of fabrics, but customers can see the exterior and lining choices that we are offering on our main bags. We are also trying to develop accessories for both our kids and Multipie lines, and I’ll let you know how they are going once I have a chance to get stuck into them. I will be hopefully getting an extra assistant to keep up with orders, so that should be happening in the next month…

But my most exciting news is that we are featured in the Autumn/Winter edition of Studio Bambini! We feel very honoured to be featured in this mainstream mag, and that handmade is finally taking the spotlight. I’m very proud of being part of the handmade contingent including Anna at tillytom who makes stunning clothes and Sam from Maisydee with her funky bibs and beautiful quilts.

Selkie xo

Happy 1st Birthday Selkie Smith!!!

Yes its come around quickly, but its been a year tomorrow since I lodged my ABN to become a fully fledged business, and what a year!!

I threw myself in and have come out the other end with having learnt so much.

I have met friends on Facebook and at all the markets I attended who are now so dear to me.

I have collaborated with one of my favorite designers – Saffron Craig, which I would have never in a million years thought would happen.

I now have 3 machines, and am in need of a fourth…even though Mr Selkie doesn’t believe me! I’m being to acquire more tools than he has… Soon i’m going to need another room!

I have my best friend Kylie and one of my dearest school friends Laura joining in on the Selkie Smith Fun… must take a pic of our mascot…for not other reason but he cracks us up! “Are you classically trained!”

I love alot about what I do, but the best thing is seeing a child walking around wearing their Yorkiepie satchel as soon as its been bought for them, with such happiness on their faces.. It blows me away and I know for all the hard slog at times it is …this is the reason I do it!

Anyhow I will leave you with a pic from our photo shoot done just before xmas. You may just find it in an issue of a magazine very shortly ;

I think 2011 is going to be a fabulous year for Selkie Smith! xo

Southgate - Poppyseed Markets Xmas Market Weekend

Hi Everyone!,

Just a reminder for Sydneysiders that Selkie Smith will be Southgate Shopping Centre, Sylvania this weekend 6-7 Nov for Southgate/Poppyseed Markets Christmas Market and Family Fun days! As well as some fabulous stalls including Butterfly Garden, Archie & Moo, Vintage Ruffle, Raspberry Lime Paperie, Mon Tresor plus many more, Santa will be there for the kids, along with face painting and free entertainment.

Kylie and I will be at the Selkie Smith Stall both Saturday and Sunday. We will have some great new stock of Yorkiepies and Caitycoos, plus a few more new items that we will launch on the weekend...great ideas for a handmade xmas : )

We would love to see you there..

Cheers,

Mel xox

Tis the season to be jolly.....

Long time no speak, surprise!! I have been very busy filling custom orders and getting ready for

all the xmas markets that Selkie Smith will be at over the next couple of months!

I will show you one pic of a custom order for a Deluxe Porkiepie Laptop Bag in Andrea Victoria fabric which I'm very happy with. This bag is a bit of a labour of love, it is time intensive so I will have limited custom spots during the year for this bag.

Coming up we will have some new products being launched at the next few markets, and some lovely gift ideas for xmas. We have also collaborated with Winnie & Clem who make beautiful hats, and we have these in stock to match our Caitycoo Totes and Yorkiepie Satchels, a great gift idea especially as we come into summer!

Below is a pic of a Lil Mermaid Bucket Hat which goes with our Lil Mermaid Caitycoo Tote

I am also grateful to have my good friends Laura and Kylie join the Selkie Smith team to help in the studio and at the markets, (and also to tell me to calm down and stop running around like a madwomen..lol) as we come into the busiest time of the year. Check the right side bar for our market dates : )

Also don't forget we also have the online shop up and running, www.selkiesmithdesign.com.au so be sure to check it out, and as we get closer to xmas we will have more products being loaded up!

Talk soon,

Mel

The Multipie Satchel and Website Giveaway

Hello everyone!

I’m lying in bed, sniffling and coughing ugh! So I thought i’d do a blog postl..lol..

As usual things have been busy in the land of Selkie Smith so i’m going to keep this short and sweet.

Firstly, I have a new bag available, basically its the Porkiepie, but bigger, and it has been named the Multipie (Thanks Chrissie!) I’ve had quite a few customers looking for a bigger satchel than the Porkiepie, for a nappy bag mainly, and this I think fits the bill! It would also be good for an overnight bag or a school bag. Check out the bag below in Saffron Craig’s beautiful Birds in Leaves fabric

It has a large zippered pocket and 3 internal pockets and its BIG!

Also super big news is that our website’s online shop www.selkiesmithdesign.com.au is about to be launched! Hopefully on Sunday night! So please join our mailing list for any updates and for Australian residents the chance to win a Multipie Satchel in your choice of fabric worth $90! I will draw the winner at 5:30pm on Sunday 26th September : )

Okies going back to crawl under the doona!

Selkie xo