featured artisan ... Melissa Iland

Today I want to introduce you to my friend Melissa and her fantastic cushion and owl creations.  Like me, she lives and works on a remote cattle property homeschooling her children and working outdoors - {which is actually braver than me, because I don't really get 'into' the outside stuff much}

Since I started selling my wares online, Melissa has been a wonderful source of encouragement and support, not to mention the mosaic pots and fabric she's bought from me which completely threw me into panic early on ... worrying they were 'sympathy buys'!  

... do you notice her hand stamped fabric ??? hmmm???

One day after buying a stash of my hand stamped fabrics, Melissa  mentioned a 'little cushion' she'd made... well, it was just gorgeous! ...  She used lots of pretty fabrics that were near and dear to her {kids clothes} and got her on the road to being addicted to crafting like me!  Soon after this one {pictured above} appeared in my inbox so I use it now to help market my hand stamped fabric on Etsy!

... so grab a coffee and be inspired while you enjoy Melissa's story ...

I am addicted to fabric!   Doesn't matter how much I have I always want more and I am always looking and getting new pieces.  My big problem is I hate to cut into it so I agonize over what to use on which project.  This takes the longest - choosing.   

I just do my sewing when I have time between all my normal life activities (this is the homeschooling... cooking ... cleaning... gardening ... outside work ... cattle work ... that I mentioned earlier ...)  I really just put together things I would like for myself and that's how designs come together.  

 Mostly all my stuff is for me so that's what is important - that I like it.  I have also recently used some silver embellishments on a set of pillows which I loved and hope to do some more of.  

Here's the vintage sewing machine I was lucky enough to recently get from my husband's Grandma.  Just knowing how much work this machine has done and joy it brought gives me a lot of inspiration.  Love it.   

So far I haven't been able to encourage Melissa to open an online Etsy or Madeit store, but she is going to be selling her goodies at a local school fete in the next couple of weeks.  The most important thing for mums living 'out here' is that they have something for themselves to do to make you happy because we certainly spend a lot of time making everyone else happy!  

If you would like to contact Melissa in regard to an order, please contact me by leaving a comment or email me at deborah@rgkeats.com and I can pass the message to her for you!

~  gorgeous owls  ~