FabrikaUK www.fabrikauk.etsy.com
For the last 7 years I've sold just over 3000 items. Each of them was an unique design and was a pretty addition to either a couple's wedding, baby's birth or christening celebration, garden or corporate party, etc.
Each bunting has been handmade with my vintage sewing machine on my kitchen table.
A great deal of thought and effort has gone into the process.
When you love what you make and you put your heart and soul into it, it shows in the products and in the contented reviews.
I opened my shop in January 2015.
Back then, I didn't have a clear picture of what the business would be like, but now the picture is clearer and sewing is not just a hobby for me; it is a part-time job too.
I've always been interested in making things. My love of sewing came from my mum, who did lots of sewing in her spare time when I was little.
I remember playing with her sewing box in the kitchen, the noise of her sewing machine and the smell of just-boiled coffee in a cup next to her.
I learnt to sew through play, and just being next to mum and watching her. I suppose that is the best way of learning a skill; being exposed at an early age, learning through play and after that sewing (in my case) becomes natural.
Not long after opening my shop I got my first order for personalised bunting for a baby girl, born in the week of my own birthday.
My second order was for twin babies, Jaques and Gabriella. After completing the order and sending it off I found out that the bunting was for the twin babies of the King and the Queen of Monaco. I had my first Royal order!
I also had orders from the central office of Barclays Bank for an office party.
Another of my bunting orders was for a tea room, which later appeared in a BBC program, and my bunting was displayed in the background.
I had many orders for new babies, kids bedrooms, christenings, birthday parties, weddings, etc.
My orders come from all around the world. The majority of my clients are from the UK, Ireland and the USA, but I also have orders from Spain, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Romania, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore and even as far as New Zealand.
Etsy is a great way for clients to find you! I would have never had such a vast variety of clients if I had a little shop in my local town.
My Etsy business works very well around my busy family life. I have two small children. We do everything together: we cook, we play, we read, we go out, we meet friends, we speak two languages and, when the busy day is over and the kids are in bed, the factory (Fabrika in my native language means factory) opens.
I am very grateful to my husband too, who supports me on this amazing journey. His love of photography and filming has helped me a lot with some professional pictures that you can find in my shop and the video of how I make my products.
The new edition of my shop is the fabric section. There you can find some textiles that I use for my own products. You can either buy them by the yard/metre to use them for your own craft project, or choose a specific fabric that I can use and make you a craft product from it.
Thank you for reading and happy shopping everyone!