Feature Friday – Kate Woods Crafts
There are so many small companies making beautiful products for children these days, and I am such a sucker for wanting to buy from all of them!! I love kids toys – especially anything handmade, organic, wooden… in fact I sometimes think I buy these things for myself rather than my kids..!!
It’s hard enough in normal life to make a success of a small enterprise, let alone in the current climate, so I thought I would start to feature some of my favourites in a regular blog post to help spread the word about their wonderful businesses and so I get a chance to share what I love…
So… the first little company I want to share with you is the wonderful Kate Woods Crafts.. she has such beautiful products – dolls (even personalised ones made to look like your child!), cardboard crafts, felt flowers and bespoke gifts. It’s hard to appreciate just how gorgeous they are unless you see them in person, but it’s definitely worth checking out her Etsy page!! (www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KateWoodsCrafts). We have ordered a personalised doll from her to look like my eldest daughter, who is currently trying to decide which outfit to wear in the photo to send Kate, to be turned into a doll! Exciting!!!
I caught up with Kate to ask her a few questions and here is what she had to say…:
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When did you start your business and why?
I started my business in April 2018. My husband had just recovered from a 3 year battle with Chronic Fatigue and I wanted to dip my toe back in the water (so to be speak). I started drawing and making monsters and then came up with the idea of the girl gang dolls and my bespoke doll service.
How do you think of all your lovely ideas?
My husband is from a mixed heritage background and our 2 daughters both look very different from each other, I realised that there were no products about that reflected the wonderful and diverse world and culture we live in today! I basically started to draw my daughters and the outfits I loved and started making them into cute soft plush toys.
What are your favourite products to make?
My favourite dolls are my daughters Rosie and Violet and I absolutely love drawing and making dolls through my bespoke doll service.
What are your top tips for surviving Lockdown?
Crikey top tips for lockdown! CAKE! and tea and crafts! (and for me Gilmore Girls).
What has been your best achievement lately?
Biggest achievement so far setting up my Etsy account and people actually wanting to buy them!! Which even now i still get a massive kick out of it, when I get that lovely Etsy Email! I have also loved the response and slightly overwhelmed by how many people enjoyed the 14 day toilet roll craft challenge during this weird and at sometime overwhelming time!
Instagram @katewoodscrafts
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I should add that the wonderful Kate has recently shaved her head in aid of Fareshare UK and raised an amazing £1590 – what an achievement is that!!! And a wonderful example set for her girls. Well done Kate!!!
So I hope you enjoyed my first Feature Friday – if you would like to suggest anyone for me to feature in future weeks do let me know! [email protected]
(Images provided by Kate Wood).
