doing crafts for self care
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
I chat with Julie about crafts, being a working mum, her membership, building a business & self care.
Let me introduce..
Julie from Clever Poppy
Julie, Fibre Artist and Chief Maker at Clever Poppy fell in love with DIY crafts after going on Maternity leave from her corporate job. But life was busy and she craved for someone to hand her the inspiration, equipment and instructions to craft, she just wanted to skip to the good bit – making beautiful things.
So when she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she made it happen! And Clever Poppy was born!
Fast forward 7 years and she has really honed in on her passion - fibre art!
At Clever Poppy, she focuses on three different types of fibre art - Modern Embroidery, Punch Needle and Woven Wall Hangings.
She has helped guide over a thousand women from excited newbie to confident maker in these crafts through Live Online Workshops and Online Courses.
What is your top tip for being a working mum & find balance between work & family life?
Oh this is a tricky one! You just have to really try to turn off your work brain when it’s family time. Which is hard when you and your husband both work in the biz and it’s your passion. But I make sure I turn off my phone and be present as much as I can, because no matter how much of myself I invest in our biz, there will always be more to do.
What would you say to someone that loves doing crafts but can't find time for it?
Ah, I hear this all the time. I totally understand life can be crazily busy, but sometimes you just need to prioritise spending some of your precious time on filling your own cup. Because if you are feeling more present and fulfilled, it will have a really positive flow on effect to the rest of your day/life. And this is something I hear about all the time from our members – how they feel like they’re a better mum or have a much better mindset when they carve out time to craft amongst their busy lives. It might only be for 15 minutes in the evening. But you’ve just got to put yourself first sometimes, and choose to spend your energy doing something for you.
How did your membership start?
I used to do a lot of DIY content work for brands. But that all got put on pause during our lock down in 2020. So over that time, I concentrated on sharing projects that I loved, and that I knew would resonate with my audience. It was so fun, and I was getting a lot of feedback from women who were enjoying taking some time for themselves to do my projects. When life started to get more normal (and busy!) again, we decided to launch the membership, as a way to continue helping women reclaim their me time through crafting.
Out of all the craft making you do what is your favourite & why?
I honestly can’t choose! That’s why my membership features all 3 (embroidery, weaving and punch needle), because I think they all offer something quite different that I love. Haha it would have been much easier to focus on just one! Embroidery is really wonderful in terms of losing yourself in the detail and intricate stitches. Punch needle is way more fun, free and forgiving – you see results a lot faster. And for me, weaving is when I can be the most creative and free, and I love how tactile it is. So my fav really can change between these 3, on any given day!
What would be your top tip[s] for focusing on a big business goal and achieving it.
First – figure out what problem you are solving for your audience. How are you helping them? It’s ALL about them! Then get good at helping them make progress in your niche. But honestly, the biggest step forward we made was finding a business mentor online, who we resonated with. I don’t mean a personal one-on-one coach, I mean find an expert with an awesome podcast, or YouTube channel, or membership - where they’re sharing their tips and guidance to running the type of business you ultimately want. It’s pretty impossible to know how to start and grow a successful business on your own. So we are constantly listening to podcasts, and I’m blown away by how much you can learn for free.
Any tips or insights to anyone thinking of starting a membership themselves?
I would totally encourage it! If you are solving a problem for people, and they will need continuous support to make progress, then chances are a membership can work. I’d suggest you go to Stu McLaren’s podcast (Marketing your Business), and start listening – that’s what we did! He has SO much guidance and tips, to help you decide whether or not to start a membership, and help you if you do.
How do you gather inspiration for new work & patterns for your crafts like punch needle & embroidery?
I spend a lot of time on Pinterest and the ‘gram, looking at beautiful interiors, arts and craft, photography etc. It all filters through and forms into ideas for new projects quite organically in my head. I usually have so many project ideas, that the trickiest part is choosing which ones to invest my time into turning into patterns! I also listen to my audience a lot and figure out what they are interested in and keen to learn. And you can’t please everyone, so I make sure I always trust my own gut for the style or direction of a pattern (which seems to be working so far!).
wHat CRAFT best SUITS YOUR personality TYPE? Take this quiz
What are 3 things that you wish you knew before starting your own business?
How important it is to focus on the problem you’re solving. It needs to be super clear in your head (and at the very top of your website landing page) who you are helping, and how your product or service does this. And if there is a point of difference you can offer as part of this. Once you look at your biz from this perspective, it becomes all about your customer rather than you.
Narrowing down your target customer: you can’t help everyone. And once you figure out who it is that you serve, you can start speaking their language, addressing the pain points your helping to fix. And you’ll stand out so much more from the bunch!
List building is key: I know you hear it all the time, but building your customer base through an email list really is so important. It’s unlikely you can grow your business by selling to the same people over and over on social media. So while you’re doing the actual work of providing your product or service, you really need a workstream running alongside that is building your list of email subscribers. And don’t be afraid to email them more than feels comfortable! So long as your emails are providing awesome value and helping them, then it’s win win.
When do you get your most creative work done?
I tend to do most of my hands on crafting in the evenings when the kids are in bed. And the days are often filled up with all the other ‘stuff’ – running the membership, shooting patterns, social media, as so on. I dream of spending most of my time at the office crafting…hopefully one day soon!
Who are your biggest inspirations & why?
In terms of being creative, there is a pretty huge list! A couple that stand out are Arounna Khounnoraj of @bookhou. Her aesthetic and craftsmanship are just so admirable. I also love how Lindsey of @hellohydrangea is so down to earth and giving with sharing her love of weaving and technical skills.
What does self-care mean to you & what's your go to thing you do that makes you feel rejuvenated again apart from doing crafts?
Hmmm, this is a tricky one, there’s so many things. But to be honest, it’s probably spending time with my friends! Something that we really do treasure these days. But it’s that shared company and banter, and hearing all the laughter that really grounds me and makes me feel positive about life.
Julie will be running a free online embroidery workshop, which is all about helping busy women get started on their embroidery journey. Over 4 live classes, she’ll cover tips to help you get started (like how to put the fabric in your hoop, thread your needle, and transfer your pattern). Plus teach 4 foundation stitch techniques. At the end you’ll have made a beautiful Christmas themed pattern! The workshop kicks off on 2nd Nov, so if you’re interested, you still have to head to www.cleverpoppy.com to register and get organised with supplies.
click the button below to check Julie OUT ON Instagram
I created 3 Punch Needle Patterns just for you, to help you get started on some craft self care time.
There are 3 to choose from or do all 3!! I have also given you colour ideas to help match with your own taste.
Click below to grab my Free Punch Needle Patterns
