About Me

I am a second generation Florist of over 50 years experience. Learning my craft originally in the family business with my mother, aunt and wonderful cousins. The nineteen sixties and seventies were a fun, colourful era of many changes in so many ways and offered a plethora of women skilled in many artforms and crafts. We were all taught to knit, sew, crochet, cook and so many other creative tasks. It was an era where a great deal of furniture and home furnishings were still hand crafted and the knowledge passed down from generation to generation, some going back centuries.

The time spent with family or friends learning and participating in these artforms was priceless, passing the knowledge from old to new in what was believed that it would continue for generations to come. The time talking, laughing, deliberating and creating was time spent together and built unbreakable bonds with each other. Sadly as we progressed and lifestyles changed, we all got busier and busier. The introduction and the advances in technology into our homes, business, schools and everyday life changed us all. With International opportunities more easily accessible our families became spread worldwide and the time shared by parents and grandparents bonding and teaching the children became less and less.

I am guilty myself of letting life get in the way and being too busy. The wave of DIY and lifestyle shows have created interest in learning and more people participating in these arts and crafts again. I have always had a passion to get some of the older artisans together with younger people to learn these skills before some of them literally die out. There are now many community groups doing a great deal of wonderful work for charities and people in need. It is a fabulous opportunity to rekindle that sense of community and spend time with people of like mind and interest.

I firmly believe that for seniors being creative is a wonderful and enjoyable way to stimulate their brain with activity and companionship and an opportunity to get them to share their knowledge and skills to teach all ages. It has certainly helped me return to a more normal thinking level than I was post chemotherapy.

Now….

So I have to start somewhere…. I have built quite the collection of craft items, books and resources over the past fifty plus years from competing in floral design competitions and just from a love of working in mixed mediums. I have decided to continue to utilise my energy and knowledge to teach and share my knowledge with others. I shall continue to make items that can be put back into the community via crafting with others i.e. blankets for vets, animal rescue, aged care, homeless and hospice. There are many items needed for preemie babies, paediatric and oncology wards to name a few. My commitment to the community goes much broader than these but other areas of passion include mental health and education of disadvantaged children.

It will take time to expand my vision but to start with I will be selling items from my website to raise funds for machinery and resources. I will be adding over time bespoke items for sale and will eventually do some markets. There will be a section for these and section for Odds and Ends where I shall be putting all sorts of the weird and wonderful for sale. ( Other than just putting them on marketplace) I will also have a Destash section where I shall sell crafty bits n pieces, excess items or some items kindly donated to raise funds for resources to use to make items for those in need. Don’t forget the books section….. BOOKS, yes I am an addict but will be offering a delight of mystery bundles to share. I was devastated when I found out that so many books go into landfill as a lot of Op Shops don’t take them anymore as they have too many. So we can have a bit of fun with them and share the love of reading.

Donation of any crafty items or equipment is welcome and they or money raised by their sale will 100% go back into the community. I can rehome granny, mum or aunties old craft items rather than them go into landfill. We can share these treasures with other groups as well.

I look forward to sharing the progress with you and letting you know what we are doing for our local community and those in need.

Linda

aka RED xx