As a lover of all things craft, art, design, and genuinely hand made items, I place value on purchasing handmade items myself as gifts or as functional items around my home.
I went to our local makers market each weekend in Port Macquarie from seven years of age, and was always fascinated by the beautiful treasures created by the stall holders and aspired someday to run my own market stall.
In 2014 that dream came to fruition as I coined the name, Flicka Handmade, and purchased my domain name. The name Flicka was the name of my childhood dog, a golden labrador retriever, who passed away at the ripe old age of 16.5 years. I named her Flicka, after a series of books I read as a child, My Friend Flicka. It’s Swedish for little girl.
I started making soy wax candles and successfully selling out at markets and online. I continued making candles until I became pregnant with my son, when the fragrances became too strong for my pregnant nose to handle.
When I was in primary school, my Mum had a book about cottage crafts, with several polymer clay projects in it. I was hooked, literally! I purchased my first polymer clay and tools in 2004 while studying graphic design at the University of Newcastle. I made faux turquoise and my own beads for a necklace.
Polymer Clay Jewellery
That initial investment in clay and tools soon turned into an obsession. I started making rose polymer clay earrings, geometric earrings, experimenting with mica powders and shimmer powders, gold leaf, silver leaf and more.
I just couldn’t stop making earrings.
They were taking over my house, so I opened an etsy store!
To my delight, the orders started trickling in, and it made me so happy in my heart.
I now create custom handmade earring orders, as well as batches of fun food and animal inspired designs. My goal is to make earrings that start conversations, one in particular comes to mind, the poo emoji earrings. I just want people to have fun with my designs, and use them as a discussion point.
Bright colours, neutral colours, emoji shape earrings, I’ve experimented with them all.
One of the elements of my earrings, the push backs and hooks, need to be all 100% hypoallergenic, as I myself am allergic to many metals besides those I use, which are surgical steel, sterling silver and gold plated stainless steel.
The next step in my handmade shop is to start writing more about my process, what inspires me, and some of the unique earrings I make.