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Could you talk about your love of all things crafty? I hate to admit it, but there is something that bothers me about the word 'crafty’ because it seems to dumb-down and undermine the craft itself. We tend to bunch knitting, crocheting and embroidering under the banner of 'craft' but in many ways each one should be discussed on its own merit as they are all a form of art. So, I would prefer to talk about my love of art and the multitude of things that this love entails.
What craft do you do? I love knitting, crocheting, embroidering, drawing, painting and sewing. Unfortunately though, I don't get nearly as much time as I would like to pursue my many artistic interests!
How does it make you feel when you do it? Knitting, crocheting, embroidering and sewing gives me respite from my daily juggling act of running a business and motherhood. I find crocheting so enchanting, and I adore embroidery because it is like painting but your needle is the paint brush. I particularly love knitting as it sends me into a peaceful trance.
 How much time do you devote to art and craft?
I am incredibly fortunate that my work is innately creative and that I’m able to pursue some creative interests through my work. Outside of work, I am always doing something creative like jotting down ideas in a scrapbook, collecting pieces of inspiration, making a friend a birthday card, making something for my children or even co-ordinating a birthday party for my kids which often involves lots of handmade bits and pieces.
What inspires you in your craft activities? I love a quote by Michael Nolan:
I’m a bowerbird of beautiful things that catch my heart. I collect labels, colour swatches, ribbons, buttons, photos, stickers, postcards, food labels, fabric, origami paper, doilies, confectionery wrappers, magazine pages, chocolate boxes, swing tags, shopping bags and even gallery invitations as a source of inspiration. I also find that as my work and personal life are one and the same; what inspires me for work inspires me in my personal creations and vice versa.
When the weather turns cold do you grab your knitting needles or crochet hook? Absolutely! There is something about that first day of winter that draws me to wool.
Do you do creative activities with your children? My children are still quite young and range in age from five to two years old. From painting and drawing to origami, making pompoms and Knitting Nancy; I try and spend as much time as I possibly can on creative activities with them.
Did you do craft as a child? As a child I loved to knit and sew. In the 80’s, I knitted scarves to match my school uniform, made numerous legwarmers and loved whipping up patchwork pillows. This interest probably came from my Mum who used to weave. She always had her looms set up at home and worked on a tapestry that now hangs in the Prahran Town Hall. When I was 14, my Mum took me to a Mirka Mora soft sculpture course and when I turned 16, she gave me my first sewing machine.
My work at Bloom is so intertwined with my own personal style and creativity. I feel just as inspired by styling windows and merchandising product in our new flagship store in Chapel Street as I do making someone a card.
Do you have craft books on your bedside table? Always. I love The Complete DMC Encyclopedia of Needlework by Therese de Dillmont.
How has craft and creativity come into and influenced your cosmetics business over the past 15 years? Is it in the beautiful packaging, the design of your store, the products? In the Bloom flagship store I have created an inspiration board to illustrate the little things that influence my work. I have included crochet pieces, origami flowers, ribbon, buttons and magazine tear-sheets. While this inspiration board is a just a slice of the pin board I have in my home office, it gives an insight into the world behind Bloom’s products.
Opening Bloom’s first flagship store has been an incredible process and an absolute joy for me. I’m thrilled with the results so far but most importantly I love the positive feedback we are receiving from customers about the Bloom shopping experience.
I drew heavily on the theme of ‘modern nostalgia’ to create a fresh, sophisticated and whimsical space. I wanted to create an approachable beauty destination that encourages customers to linger, experiment and above all be inspired.
The store stocks Bloom’s entire range of bath and body, colour cosmetics and skincare products, plus a selection of eclectic pieces to complement the Bloom range.
What are your plans for the future? Professionally and creatively, 2008 has been such a big year for me. In March, I opened the doors of Bloom's first flagship store on Chapel Street, South Yarra and also launched an 80-shade nail polish range exclusive to Myer.
Later this year, our incredibly beautiful Christmas Gift Collection will hit stores, as will a book that I have spent the last year writing. Entitled Beauty in Bloom - A Collection of Beautiful Inspirations, it will be released in November and is published by Allen and Unwin.
Currently, I am working on product launches for Winter 2009 and developing opportunities for our US and UK markets. Recently Bloom launched into a chain of 50 stores in the US, 50 stores in the UK and there are plans for rapid expansion in both markets in early 2009.
What are the challenges of running Bloom Cosmetics and having a family? Running Bloom and having a family is something I can only do with the incredible support of my Nanny, a great team at Bloom and the most supportive husband and family. It might seem that I portray an image of it all being easy, but balancing business and motherhood is an enormous challenge. There are moments that I feel I have conquered it all and am managing everything seamlessly and then someone gets sick or something unexpected happens at work and everything is thrown out. I guess it's all part of the fun though and I probably couldn’t function any other way!
Bloom products can be found at Myer, David Jones, pharmacies nationwide, online at www.bloomcosmetics.com.au and at Bloom Cosmetics, 574A Chapel St, South Yarra.
By Carolyn Ford |
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WE HAD HEARD that Natalie 
