The Elm Tree - Handmade in Australia

Not long before the Samurai was born I decided that I really wanted to set up a business that sold handmade goodies and then taught you how to make things... it seems rather counter productive to teach people to make the things that you are also trying to sell them, but I am standing by my initial business plan.

I have awful timing. Brand new baby + brand new business = stress, and when it came to the 'something's gotta give' point it was naturally the business that gave.
I just couldn't do it on my own.

Enter Katie.
Katie has a lovely daughter the same age as the Samurai.
Her husband is studying full time. (like mine)
She speaks Mandarin after living in Taiwan (like me!)
Best of all, she is in the perfect position to be going into business with me.
BEST of all she is WILLING to go into business with me.

So we have been working our butts off this past month putting our application into the Parramatta Council to be part of the Pop Up Parramatta initiative that places creative enterprises like ours into vacant commercial properties.

We've been meeting with stockists, working out budgets, calling in favours with trades-people we know, re-purposing furniture we pick up from the side of the road, meeting with the bank, taking photos, sourcing materials... and having a lot of facebook chat conferences hahaha.

Half (or 2/3) of the space of the store will be dedicated to selling the work of local artists and designers in a marketplace style set up. All our products will be aimed at children, with a focus on sustainability.

The rest of the space will be used as a classroom where we will teach crafting and art classes for children and adults.
We just want to bring the focus back to the community, to makers and craftspeople and away from the commercialism of big stores.

That's the goal.

If you or anyone you know would like to be part of a shop like this, as a teacher or as a stockist (we sell on consignment - no commission, only rent) please contact us { hello@theelmtree.com.au } 

Ride Sally, Ride.

As a foreword to the quote below I would just like to say that I think it is lazy to quote people about whom you know nothing. Google it people. Really, it isn't that difficult. 

Sally Ride is someone I knew of without Google's help. She's awesome and so I have no qualms about quoting her... she's also right. Adventures are scary. 

Ky got into film school. 

I'm excited for him, and terrified at the same time because I will be stepping up to work from home, while looking after the Angel (hah!) and the Samurai. In less than two weeks he will be a full time student and I will be a full time artist/mum/businesswoman... so I am really pushing myself to get my head out of the safe 'dabbling with etsy' mentality and into the actual 'real life' of building a brand, making money and you know... being successful.

I really appreciate all the support that I have gotten from friends and family to build my confidence as an artist and designer and while there are only a couple of people who follow this blog (sup Jess and Tara!) I still have confidence that I can make a go of it and live the dream of doing something that I love to support my family. 

So while I am still studying to be a medical transcriptionist, I do not love it, and I will be happy to cast the keyboard aside in favour of paintbrushes and pens or even my tablet and stylus (despite how noobish I feel when using it) 

So. 2013... come at me bro. 

Introducing

I have a great friend called Zana.

She is an artist with considerable talents in the area of costume making and clothing design. She works in the industry - and if you have seen the movie Australia then you have seen some of her handiwork yourself. She is currently working on some Australian films and her other job? It's at a men's fashion company. So she knows lots of stuff.  

Like many talented, creative people she doesn't have a lot of belief in her abilities (which are substantial) I believe in her though, and I have made a website populated by her work - so that others can appreciate her talent and buy it, so they can wear it themselves.

So if you have daughters, nieces, friends or neighbours who are discerning and like awesome clothes, then send them on over to The Elm Tree.

When I have time, my work will also be there.
If you have any things that you would like to see from either of us, if you want to hire Zana to make you something specifically or you want certain fabrics to be used, then you can email us at hello@theelmtree.com.au

We look forward to hearing from you!

My name is Eleanor

I know right, how many blogs does a girl need?!
I change all the time and never seem to gain the traction that I need to stick around... but we're looking forward not backward and I am starting up a new business (which is really just the old business)

You see, recently I have done some work for other people and with some brusque (but encouraging) words from my husband I have realised that it's the work I do at the request of others that makes money. While I love the work that I do on my own and the things that I attempt to sell on etsy, they just aren't the same as a commissioned piece that has been crafted and made specifically for the needs of someone else.

I mention all of this on the back of designing the wedding invitations for my brother in law Ben, who got married this weekend gone, and just yesterday finishing the design for my sister Reina who is getting married in September. (image only shows half the invite... cos we don't want you all just turning up :P)

It was really great to be able to use my skills (such as they are) to help them organise their weddings and also miss out on the stress of buying them gifts. Ky (the husband) pointed out that other people charge money for that kind of thing usually, and so I thought I'd give it a go.

I also love illustrating and painting and so on top of my own work which will still be available in the etsy store I will also be available for commissions of the more arty kind.

Here is some of the work I have been part of:

It's been quite a while since I pulled together the header for Delaney's blog, she is now a regularly featured cook on NZ morning telly and naturally this has everything to do with my ability to cut paper - and only partly to do with her elite cooking skills, and wonderful, vivacious, and hilarious personality. 

 Not too long ago, Jess refurbished her blog and I was glad to help her out with that little illustration in the top left. 

Be sure to check out her blog, and enjoy the inspiring photos and general kindness that she exudes.  

Carli and Winston had a very specific vision for this painting of a tree that grows outside their home, and a motto they found meaning in. I hope I did it justice! 

So if you have an event that you would like an invitation for, or a drawing, or painting to brighten up your home, drop me an email.

Eleanor McComb
eleanor.mccomb @ gmail.com

I realise that I could have done all of this on the old blog which I will still use for my art journals, but I've realised that there is nothing wrong with my name, so why not just use it.

So I am.