March Meet the Maker Day. 1 Story

by melissa dawkins

It has begun! March meet the maker and because we are home to so many different creative businesses we thought it might be nice to share some of our posts all in one place. Please feel free to show these guys some love and follows on Facebook & Instagram.

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Made in Ashford was a pop up shop that never popped off! Our shop has become a permanent home to many handmade in Kent businesses and creatives (47 of them at last count!) We continue to be a Ashford Borough council supported project as part of the Ashford town centre regeneration. Our story: One of our founding members had tested Ashford's High Street with her vintage & retro inspired handmade clothing business, Aye Aye as part of the Portas pilot scheme to regenerate High Streets. This project was called pop up Ashford part of the pop up Britain group. It gave small businesses the opportunity to trade the high street at a low cost and for a short 2 week tenancy. Melissa Dawkins of Aye Aye had a great success there and contributed to the feedback which started the next natural phase: Made in Ashford started in October 2015 as a 3 month pop up shop with the support of Ashford Borough Council. Melissa was approached by Ashford Borough council to take on an empty unit and make the next phase of small creative business support and High Street regeneration a reality. She immediately got her friend Lucy Alice Designs involved as she had just organised a pop up shop in Folkestone and the pair were on the look out for another pop up opportunity. They picked some other businesses from their own creative networks and set up a shop share between the 6 of them! Since then the lives of Lucy and Melissa have changed quite dramatically as well as the shop. Lucy and Melissa each had a new baby and Made in Ashford evolved into a platform for many more businesses to sell on Ashford High Street. We have a gallery called The Stare Well Gallery on our stairs. In our upstairs we had Bare Bazaar selling plastic free groceries in our incubator space (who has just grown into a new space at the coachworks) & we have a workshop space. We became a CIC called Craftship Enterprise to help even more people find sustainable employment and well being through creativity. We hope to help many more creative businesses reach their potential and help bring colour to our community. #marchmeetthemaker #marchmeetthemaker2020 #loveashford #parkmall #ashford #ashfordkent #popupshop #craft

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So March means meet the maker. I’ve wanted to do this before but I am rubbish at social media. This year I have been inspired by my lovely friends at the Made in Ashford community to have a crack so here goes nothing. Characteristically a day late here is my story. I’m an artist/illustrator/designer/maker/mother/procrastinator, originally from southeast London and now based in Kent. I studied graphic design at Camberwell College of Art what seems like a hundred years ago and didn’t touch a computer whilst I was there. Came out with a degree and no idea. Taught myself on the job at a brilliant travel company in London where I went from admin assistant to in-house graphic designer and stayed there for 12 years. I’ve always drawn, painted and made things in my spare time and have had lots of commissions from friends and family over the years but like many other makers it was since having kids that I decided to start a creative business. I actually began with cake decorating and making bunting and soft toys in my spare time. In 2014 I had child number 3, upped sticks to Kent and started driving all in a space of 2 months. It was then that I started to make a real go of Tinybeegle. In 2017 Melissa from made in Ashford approached me about joining the shop and since then I haven’t looked back. Being part of a collective has kept me sane, given me confidence and inspired me to broaden my creative horizons and hone my style. Since starting there I have added many different products to my range, been selected as an artist on a huge art trail, run creative workshops in schools, designed artwork for town centre events, helped fellow makers with branding, re-branded the shop itself including designing the storefront and been part of the creative team behind a carnival. It’s been a whirlwind and I’m really excited about what’s to come in the future and expanding the Tinybeegle brand. #meetthemaker #marchmeetthemaker #marchmeetthemaker2020 #madeinashford

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Joining the #meetthemaker challenge too ! Inspired by my fellow makers @madeinashford. I started making foraged wood fairy creations 2 years ago , inspired by nature and my then 7 year old daughter , joined @madeinashford in the summer of 2018 , had my first Christmas of fairs and markets with my products, introduced diy kits to my product line then decided to see if running a fairy garden workshop upstairs @madeinashford would work . . . And it did , my workshops are proving pretty successful and now I do creative children’s parties too ! Providing eco friendly parties to really keep you in the moment . . . Love been part of the @madeinashford community it has totally helped my business thrive , thank you #meetthemaker2020 #marchmeetthemaker2020 #story #day1 #creative #inthemoment #thankful #marchmeetthemaker2020 #madeinashford

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And just like that it was March. Which means the return of #MarchMeetTheMaker. Today we are meant to tell you our story. I thought I’d try something a little different to previous years. In my previous stories I’ve always talked about how I felt there was a lack of fashion I wanted to buy for my children so I begun making it myself, and that’s completely true. But over time your story evolves, it changes. That is my business origin but perhaps not the whole of my story as to why I am Mini Medley. My story starts with the fact that I am a mother. I am so much more than a mother, of course. I am a business woman, I am a sister, a friend, a speaker, a loudmouth, an enthusiast yet creative swearer and a breakfast kitchen dancer. But being a mother is the most important aspect of me, the one I am most proud of. And so everything I do is somehow linked to that role. So my story is this. I do what I do to be true to myself, to my passions, my loves. I do what I do to be the happiest version of myself. I do what I do so my children can see me navigate through this world, remaining true to myself in a world that often tries to dilute us or tells us we are not enough. My story is I am enough. I am enough for them and I hope to be the best role model to them in everything that I do. I do what I do because of the way they see me & it makes me a better person.

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We've been discussing #marchmeetthemaker in the @madeinashford community, so I feel like I should take the challenge and run with it this year. Keep it in a frame began in 2005 after I completed a free business start up course aimed at women who had a business idea which could be developed on line. The business has evolved over the last 15 years and I work on it full time, still selling on line, but also in local shops and at fairs and markets in Kent. My own name can be seen in my company name - Keep iTINA frame. My husband came up with the name as we were brainstorming in 2005. We have been married for 25 years, and he is an important part of the business. We have one son who will be 20 this year. #marchmeetthemaker2020 #marchmeetthemakerday1 #marchmeetthemakerstory #creative #keepitinaframe

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#marchmeetthemaker Day 1. Story. That is me, taking a quick couple of selfies to promote a pom pom earring workshop shortly before being bundled by my children (photos featured). They are my story. It is how it began and how I had the determination to create a living from making. Shortly after having my daughter I needed to make a living around her so I started my business Aye Aye (named after her initials). I made little dresses, baby clothes, bibs, washbags and anything from fabric really in retro & fun prints. It wasn't long before I started making adult clothes as well because I needed to wear these gorgeous prints. I loved designing patterns and sewing which fitted perfectly around being her mumra (she started coming to craft fairs with me at 3 months too!) My business really took off when I started selling to trade and built a great online customer base really finding my feet and knowing what was right for my brand. I co-founded @madeinashford and that took on a pretty hefty chunk of my life, had another baby (that took up another chunk) and so now my business has had to adapt. I recruited my mum to be my chief sewer and so expanded from being a one lady band! I still adore sewing and I have a load of new lines in the pipeline. So watch this space! This story will continue! #marchmeetthemaker #marchmeetthemaker2020 #meetthemaker #mmtm #madeinashford #loveashford #parkmall #ashford #ashfordkent

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Well here it is, day 1 #marchmeetthemaker ✨story✨ I came to art late, and after teaching for 17 years in both secondary its only been since having my youngest that i decided to take what i do and what i know in to the wider local community - seeing a need for accessible art for all. So Branch & Brush was born, with art clubs and workshops still popping up all over the shop! I still haven't left the day job. I want too, but its that last little step. I guess my story has way more to go! But here i am, 41 years old, suffering dreadfully with imposter syndrome and wondering if im even a 'maker'?!! I have to mention the babe station that is @madeinashford, without them and their encouragement i wouldn't have taken the plunge to be doing half of what i am 💞 #branchandbrush #creativecommunity #communityart #impostersyndrome #story #womenover40

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Welcome to Droplette Designs. I'm Sarah and I created my handmade children's clothing business from my passion for sewing. I am currently on a business course, targeted for home crafts and sewing, hosted by @madeinashford, where myself and a few other ladies are launching our new businesses in May 2020. My mission is child empowerment, I will be donating a certain amount of handmade clothing to local children in need. My prints and clothes are bold, designed for confidence and comfort. I believe that strong kids make strong adults. I hope you enjoy my journey as much as I am. Peace and love, Sarah 💙💜🧵 #day1 #marchmeetthemaker #instagramchallenge #localbusiness #ashfordkent #smallbusiness

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Meet the Maker day 1: Introducing the face behind EllaBee! I'm Carla (pictured with my daughter Ella). I have been been...

Posted by Ellabee Crafts on Sunday, March 1, 2020
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#marchmeetthemaker Failed this already by posting march 1st on march 2nd lol but oh well..shellsdriftwood started almost 8 years ago. I had always had a love for the beach and for anything Beachy like shells and Beachy gifts etc. I used to Always by my mum a Beachy present from Where Ever I went and I walked into a shop to buy my mum something for Mother's Day and I found this beautiful collection of shells that was made into a heart, but it was £18.50 so I thought,you know what I can make these,so I started looking on the beaches and looking at Pinterest and the internet for ideas and booked my first craft fair and shellsdriftwood was born. since then ive done loads of fairs and faversham market, one of the first in made in ashford shop, canterbury shops,shop in deal, pluckly farmshop,shop in stapelhurst, canterbury christmas markets, and last year folkstone christmas market.this last few months ive set up my etsy shop and touch wood(driftwood) its going ok. Me and my husband love walking the beaches and love what we find. Last photo is my first ever craft fair 8years ago

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#marchmeetthemaker so MuLu officially opened this last week but it's been in the works for months. It all started early last year, Maisie and I saw this amazing robot fabric (she was big time obsessed with them) and begged me to make her a dress. I had never done anything like that before but I'm someone that loves a challenge so I bought the fabric and dived straight in. She was over the moon with her robot twirly and I found a passion for making kids clothes. I made more and more for my girls, then started for me, and my husband. I started to get requests from friends and family to make them items too and that's when I realised that people really liked what I was doing. My husband immediately got onboard and helped transform Maisie's old room into my craft room, we bought two new machines and I started dreaming of my business. I started a local creative business course which has helped me immensely with working out what I want my business to be. So this dress is where the passion started and has grown to my exciting business that it is today, all thanks to my eldest and her love of robots! #marchmeetthemakerday1 #story #meetthemaker #wahm #handmadekidsclothes #handmadeclothing #robotdress #twirlydress

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Hello everyone 👋 I thought it would be nice to join in with this years #marchmeetthemaker so here it goes.... A quick snap shot of our story so far.... (with a rare selfie of me 😂)... . . ⭐️R&R started life in 2012 when we began making jewellery and decorations for ourselves as a hobby. I was working as an Architectural Modelmaker at the time and enjoyed having a creative outlet along side my job. . ⭐️Terrified... we attended our very first local craft fair in Tenterden and we were hooked! . ⭐️We met some fantastic other designers and makers trading in local fairs in our home town of Ashford.... especially Emporia Market and Agora Market . ⭐️We then started trading in Greenwich Market in 2013 and opened our Etsy shop! . ⭐️Being massive Sci-Fi fans we thought we’d try a Comic Con... why not? And in 2015 we booked onto ‘Sci-fi by the Sea’ and had a BLAST!! Our love affair with Cons had begun and the only answer was to book more Comic cons! So we booked LFCC immediately... . ⭐️LFCC 2015 was our first ever big London Con.... and I’ll share a secret here... I had a full on panic attack Friday morning when I thought I was way out of my depth!! But in the end it was absolutely fine, we met some amazing, friendly people! . ⭐️ MCM London and Birmingham soon followed as well as Nine Worlds and countless local cons where we have met some amazing, brilliant and talents friends ❤️ . ⭐️In 2016 I left Architectural modelmaking to run R&R full time. To be honest, it was terrifying! . ⭐️In the summer 2018 we opened our very first physical shop on the Old High Street, Folkestone! . ⭐️We love our seaside home and we have BIG and exciting plans for this coming year so please watch this space! . . Thank you if you made it through to the end 😊 oh, you guys will all learn over this month of ‘Meet the maker’ how I hate doing selfies and will try anything to avoid them... but I’m going to be brave and try, you never know I might even be really brave and attempt a video!! 😱 (No promises 😂) . #marchmeetthemaker #meetthemaker #makersgonnamake #ourstorysofar #march #spring #smallbusiness #smallbusinessowner #supportlocalbusiness #folkestone #theoldhighstreetfolkestone #madeinfolkestone

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I'm so excited to share the first of these pictures with you! And what better day than day one of #MarchMeetTheMaker ?! 📷 @mooie_fee - - My story in a nutshell 📚 In April 2018, I started my freelance biz, designing logos for small businesses. In August 2018, alongside my freelance design, I started selling my first type of product: pyrography products (which were wooden items that I burnt encouraging phrases into and if you scroll back on my feed far enough, you'll find them all there - my favourite were the Christmas reindeers)! In March 2019, I rebranded my product line, taking the designs I made on wood and making them digital. From here, I developed a range of prints, cards, tote bags, and my all-time favourite: Susie the pin badge! In December 2019, I closed up shop for good after a big Christmas sale. I made this decision so that I could focus on the freelance design side of my business, working with clients to produce logos, flyers, business cards, etc. As it happened, at the same time I got offered a part time job working for an awesome charity, which I took up! So after a lot of change over the past couple of months, I'm now all settled into my new routine (Mondays and Thursdays are freelance and rest days, the other three days are charity days). - - ☀️That's enough about me, I'd love to know more about you! Who are you? Where are you from? What's your business all about?☀️ - - #MeetTheMaker #MarchMeetTheMaker2020 #CanYouBelieveItsMarch #SmallBizSunday #SmallBiz #Business #MooieFee #MooieFeePhotography #WomenInBusiness #BusinessLife #FreelanceDesignKent #BusinessWomen #DesignInKent #KentDesigner #LogoDesigner #MoreAboutMe #AboutMe #WhatsYourStory #BusinessPhotography #Modelling #InFrontOfTheCamera #Camera #Canon #Macbook #AppleMacbook #AmyWaltersArt #AmyWaltersArtAndDesign #AmyWaltersDesign #SunnySunday

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