Meet the Northside Crafters: Pepperberry & Co

Northside Makers are excited to have Pepperberry & Co at their market. Sandra has built up her business over the last year and her drive and enthusiasm is truely inspiring ...

Tell us about what you sell.

Pepperberry & Co. is my boutique textiles store specialising in earthy, natural products. My products are crafted by hand using natural cotton & cotton/linen blends, use unbleached fabrics where possible & are 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free. My signature items include Notebook Covers and Passport Covers, and I am looking to expand with a Baby Range shortly.

What inspires you?
My mother, who passed away when I was 14, is a constant inspiration. She worked so phenomenally hard and achieved so much even though, as a non-English speaking immigrant from the war in Poland, she had so little. I am growing up to be just like her, and I love it! I am also inspired by the broader crafting community. I spend a ridiculous amount of time each day browsing Etsy, blogs, and great crafty websites, just soaking up the talent, creativity, passion and inspiration.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
I have two core addictions: fabric and paper. It's not a wonder I have two shops that celebrate each one! I believe you can create anything with these two mediums and a touch of creativity.

What would you be lost without?

My family! My partner Sharon and our five fluffy rescued cats and dogs are the reason I get up each day and live my dreams. Without their love and support, none of this would be possible!

What's your fave crafty read (linked to Amazon)?

As a crafter who wanted to transform a hobby into a business, I got a lot out of Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco. I would highly recommend it! The book I'm saving up my pennies for at the moment is Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials by Jeannine Stein. I've got my fingers crossed it appears under the Christmas tree!

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

Silence! I've never worked well with any kind of noise, although I do tend to enjoy the purrs that emit from my cats as they sleep on my sewing machine... and on my fabric pile... and on my laptop keyboard...

What crafty forums do you lurk in?

I'm a regular in the Etsy forums, as I find I gain so much from my chats with other crafters there. I also pop up in the forums for the Etsy teams I'm on- the Australian DUST Team, the EtsyVeg Team, the Cruelty-Free Team, and the Vegan Etsy Team. (editor: Sandra also has a good post on crafty haunts ..)

What's up next for you on the craft front?

There is so much coming up! I have yet to fulfill half my ideas for Pepperberry & Co., and I'm sure there will be even more as the time goes. At this stage, I'm working on Christmas Cards and Baby booties, but I also have plans to expand my travel and baby ranges and release a Pepperberry fabric range. So much to do, so little time!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects)? What are they?

I have too many to count! I even have a special box set aside for these, so that it sits there and taunts me from the bookshelf. Right now, I'm in the middle of making a Softie Mouse, hand-carving a stamp set and making a Coptic-Stitched Journal- oh, and learning how to draw!

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

I have two online stores on Etsy: Pepperberry & Co. and Papers By Pepperberry. I'm also a regular at Yarraville Markets and the Made 'N Thornbury Market. An up-to-date list is always available on the Pepperberry & Co. blog, and I always hold specials for Fans of my Facebook Page and my Followers on Twitter.

Market Newbie - Part 2: How can I show my stuff?

Stall presentation is not something that comes naturally to me. I'd happy just dump all my stuff on a table, let people rummage through it and if they find something they like they can have it!

However, a handmade market is not a car boot sale and my natural inclinations simply will not do! While hardcore handmade fans love nothing more than spending five minutes at every stall making sure they've seen everything you've got, the average market shopper will decide at first glance if your stall is worth stopping at or not, especially if they've got bored kids with them.

This makes it very important to make sure all your wares can be easily seen and your most unique and eye-catching stuff is what a shopper sees when they run that first sweeping glance across your stall.

You probably won't want to go to the expense of custom-made display furniture for your first markets - unless that's what your craft is! I know an awful lot of craft marketers who head straight for IKEA when redesigning their stall, including myself. Half my market display furniture can be found in IKEA's small storage listings. An equally popular option is your local op shops for more unique finds.

Before you go shopping try to have a clear image of your stall aesthetic - clean and crisp, earthy and natural, dark and gothic, funky and bright, arty and hip. Decide if each item you pick up is in keeping with the look you want for your stall. Also take along a list of the wares you need to display so you don't miss anything, or buy more than you can use.

The phrase I keep in mind when choosing my stall setup is 'Golden Age of Travel'. This is in keeping with my old tram theme. I choose display boxes that look like old luggage (and if I ever find some affordable old luggage I'll use that!). I also like unusual retro fabrics, so my tablecloth is made of fabric I bought for $2 a metre on Sydney Road. I use fabric boxes from IKEA to make a tower for my cushions.

Northside Makers committee member and market veteran (compared to me) Jay and shares this advice:

"Look in your own sheds and kitchen cupboards before heading to the shops. I use a CD rack lying on its side for my gift cards, kitchen platters for my earrings and an upside down ice tray for my rings. It's important to think outside the box, and utilise what you have, but maybe in a way you just hadn't thought of yet."

Here's some photos of appealling stalls I've found online or in person.


Originally uploaded by Covetables


Melbourne maker Rabbit & the Duck. Originally uploaded by Rabbit & the Duck


Northside Maker Pepperberry & Co. Originally uploaded by Pepperberry & Co


Originally uploaded by Marisa Bogg


Melbourne maker Penny Walker-Keefe. Originally uploaded by Craft Victoria


Melbourne maker Brittany Veitch. Originally uploaded by Craft Victoria

My last tip is that if you plan to do a lot of markets, you can save a lot of money buying your own trestle table rather than paying table hire fees. Officeworks has a bi-folding trestle table that'll fit in any car boot, and at only $69 you'll make back the investment in no time.

If you've got any more suggestions of where to find great stall designs, leave a comment and share!

Missed something? Find Market Newbie: Part 1 here.

Main photo: Northside Maker Finki. Originally uploaded by Finki.