If someone had told me 12 months ago that I would become the new owner of the fabric shop in town, I would have laughed and laughed at them! Yet, here I am, 4 weeks into it and I could not be happier!
So, how did I get here? Let me fill you in...
I grew up in Western Sydney & the blue mountains, the youngest child (and only girl) in a family of five.
My passion from the age of seven was all things horse related. Horses became my life and I competed & worked as a Dressage rider/instructor into my mid 20s.
Both of my grandmothers were brilliant sewers/knitters and my mum was also a very talented sewer and crocheter and would regularly attend local markets with her handmade items.
At that stage I absolutely ZERO interest in all things sewing and craft related, much preferring to spend my time outdoors with all the animals.
In 2008 I met my now husband, Ben and moved to his home town of Narrabri, Northwest NSW.
It wasn't until we had our boys, William and Angus that I developed an interest for sewing after becoming friends with one of the mums in mothers group who was an experienced sewer.
My mum bought me my first sewing machine, and with the help of my new friend, I learnt how to sew. Together, we sewed like mad and attended our local market once a month to sell our items.
During this time, I also developed a keen interest in interior design and home organisation and spent many hours rearranging the house to suit whatever mood I was in at the time! This is still something I do on a regular basis and has become 'the norm' in our house!
After four and a half years as a stay at home mum, I returned to the workforce as a medical receptionist but my passion for all things crafty/sewing/interiors had me yearning to do more of what I loved and I often dreamt of having my own business.
In August 2015, my opportunity came when I heard that the local fabric shop was up for sale. After lots of discussion and research, we decided to take a leap of faith and within the space of two weeks I was a business owner! WOW! It really was a dream come true.
It's still early days. I've made lots of changes and have so many ideas for the future. It's been a MASSIVE learning experience and I still have SO MUCH to learn but I am one of the lucky few who can say that I LOVE my job. I look forward to going to work every day and have met so many lovely like-minded people who have been so kind to share their knowledge and wisdom with me. I've always been a country girl at heart but it's not until you do something like I've done that you realise how fantastic small communities can be. The local support and encouragement has been truly overwhelming and drives me to be the best shop owner that I can be!
I'm looking forward to so many exciting experiences on this entrepreneur journey, all of which I will share with you!
Til next time,
Mel xx
