Let’s meet the lovely Sarah from Chantille Fleur..

Tell us about your business:

Chantille Fleur is a small business through which I sell my hand knitted toys and baby accessories. I specialise in products made with natural fibres “ all of my toys are filled with Pure Australian Wool and most have been made from luxury Organic Cotton or Bamboo. My toys are quaint and quirky, each one different from the other and each with their own little personality.

What inspired you to start your business?

This is actually a hard question to answer, to be completely honest Im not really sure! I really enjoyed making toys and items for babies, so I guess I had to find an outlet for all the goods I was creating!

Is there an interesting anecdote behind your business name?

I started my blog, by the same name, before my business, so when I decided to open an online store I thought it made sense to use the same name. Half of my blogs name, Chantille (pronounced shan-tilly) was the name of my favourite pet chicken, a little bantam hen; and Ive always loved the French word Fleur, so the two were put together for my blog!

What is the most satisfying part of what you do?

I love it when the person who purchases one of my items treasures it dearly, and truly appreciate the time and love that went into it. Its such a lovely feeling when a childs face lights up when they are given one of my toys, or to hear an auntie or mother exclaim in delight over my baby accessories.

Have you tried something in business that didnt work as planned, or on the flip side “ worked out better than expected?

I once tried having my own website along with having my products listed with several online market places. I found it too hard to keep track of, and it wasnt paying off. Now I just have an Etsy store and a small website, and find it much more manageable.

What would be your best tip for someone thinking about selling their handcrafted goods?

Follow your heart and your gut instincts. Forget about what everyone else tells you you should be doing, and try to remember why you started in the first place.

What is your favourite item you make?

I love making Triple Rib Pixie Caps. Im not sure whether its the lovely soft feel that the Triple Rib gives them or how cute chunky items look on babies, but I loved designing them and still enjoy the entire process of making them.

Any personal or business highlights in the last year:

I finally came up with a logo design I love, and have continued to love, and I opened my own website, rather than solely selling through online marketplaces such as Etsy or Madeit.

3 things about you (not business related) that people might not know:

• I live on a farm
• I love photography &
• I once had a pet Rainbow Lorikeet named Splat (he was a rescue bird).

 Do you have an Australian handmade business that you would like to see featured in our Meet the Maker series- why not drop us an email for our Questionnaire.