I first heard about Chloe from a mutual friend who had one of her sketches pinned to her wall at university. Having moved to Canada, Chloe found it was her place. Chloe soon found herself involved in a vibrant and welcoming artistic scene and from there her work as both an artist and as a graphic designer for various brands (see her website Daceography for more) has flourished.

Last year, Chloe had her first solo exhibition, “Hello, I would like one art please”. It was a wonderful experience for artist and visitors alike. This space allowed her to experiment in different media and showcase her development from small ceramic dishes with very bold, graphic designs, to delicate riso print scenes eliding the cosmic with the domestic, to skateboards! And of course, every surface can always be improved with a Catsronaut.

Chloe has done something that I think many only dream of, making a living by making art. I am a firm believer that everyone has their own timeline for achieving what they want to achieve, but in a world where being a young artist feels increasingly difficult, Chloe has shown that by being yourself, you really can do something amazing. Her art brings a sense of real wellbeing to those who are around it but never leaves us in any doubt of how much skill and talent has gone into her work.

If you are in the area, her upcoming exhibitions are:

5th July 2025 Slice of Life Gallery Birthday Group Exhibition, Vancouver BC

8th Nov 2025 - Cozy Group Exhibition, Vancouver BC

If this episode has sparked your interest, all her links are listed below:

Website: https://chloedace.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daceography/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/chloedace

Thank you so much for listening!

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Writesized

But don’t be fooled, Claire has packed an awful lot into a short space of time. She speaks of the life changing event in her late teens which took her away from her beloved animals into the corporate world, how she absolutely steam rollered her way to the top, and then how she realised that actually there was a lot more to life than suits and boardroom meetings. Like many of us, the pandemic, as well as personal reasons, gave her a chance to reflect on what she was doing with life. The moment that you realise your soul is undernourished and you haven’t had the chance to do any of your creative outlets for a while, that’s the moment when you know something has got to change. And change it did for Claire. You’ll notice that there are a few very strong themes throughout this podcast, one is creativity, another is animals. The intersection of these is Hare Cottage Crafts.

Hare Cottage Crafts was born out of a candle making course that Claire was taken to by a friend (loved ones sometimes really do have all the answers!) and suddenly a business idea took seed. No life or death decision making, no endless email chains, no need to be city-bound away from nature and the rhymes of the world beyond the office. Claire uses her background in art and photography, her love of Victoriana and her excellent understanding of scent to have created a female owned business that is blossoming. And unsurprisingly everything is vegan and 100% cruelty free too!

From supporting other women in business to unpacking the imposter syndrome that so many of us feel, to the patience it takes for truly good wildlife photography, this podcast covers everything you could hope for in 30 minutes and a bit more. If this episode doesn’t lift your spirits, I don’t know what will!

Website: https://harecottagecrafts.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harecottagecrafts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hare.cottagecrafts/

In this episode, we talk about everything from the importance of business coaches, family and the perception of careers in the arts, to the way in which we talk about ourselves and the impact this can have on businesses.

Kate started her career as a high school art teacher and notes how part of her shift into working for herself was initially prompted by her teaching. She went from full time teaching to part time and then - because her work is so lovely and impossible to resist - to full time business owner. But initially, she wanted to show her students that being a successful artist with your own business is not just possible but also very much within their reach. So many of us have passions outside of what we do for work, but how many of us at a young age were put off from following our creative dreams because they didn’t fall under the very narrow heading of “a proper job”? I think I would have loved Kate as my teacher!

Family is central to Kate, from the name of her business to the way she has made her space a fun learning (and definitely play) environment for her children. Anyone who works from home or runs their own business knows the difficulty of switching off from work, delineating the space between work and home, and remaining present in leisure time. But as Kate talks, she really gives a sense of having created a very healthy and adaptable solution that works for her and her family.

If you want to know more about Kate and her work, all her links are below! I hope you enjoy this episode!

Website:

https://www.daphnerosa.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daphnerosaflowers/

Facebooks: https://www.facebook.com/daphnerosaflowers/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/daphnerosa/

Lai studied languages and trained to be a languages teacher but realised something was missing. Millinery wasn’t necessarily her first choice but after a chance encounter, it became clear that this was her calling. Millinery is a combination of design, sculpture, fashion, textile and engineering. But, as we discuss, hats are also a form of communication. Before even speaking to a person, how they present themselves visually, can tell us a lot about them. What we wear and how we wear it is a language all of its own.

As with any practice where you put a product out into the world, Lai talks about how she has, at times, struggled with imposter syndrome. Over the years however, she has come to realise that by actually putting herself in the position of the learner with each new hat she makes - as each new creation is like starting anew - that sense of being a beginner has now become a part of the creative process that she really enjoys. She also provides some good ideas for when we need to overcome that fear of “what if” that I think we can all understand. There are many pros and cons of being self employed but each one can present an opportunity that makes way for growth or maybe is something that you realise isn’t for you. Afterall, we can’t be expected to do everything by ourselves.

We also discuss an exhibition that Lai has been involved with making and bringing to fruition which I’m sure will be something none of you will want to miss! Making Headway - Celebrating Sustainability in Hats will be on from the 20th September - 14th November 2025 at the Hat Works, Luton. This two month exhibition showcases incredible hats from some of the UK’s leading milliners and spotlights the creative ways milliners are working to have a greener footprint; from the traditional use of natural materials, to upcycling, use of innovative new generation materials and waste. The launch on Saturday 20th September includes a whole day of events from 10am-6pm. There will be panel discussions with milliners plus experts in the field of sustainability and the creative industries, film screenings and an all day Materials Market selling sustainable and new gen materials.

And don’t forget the competition “From Charity Shop to Ascot”... All the links are listed below, you have no excuse not to check it out! We will see you there in September!

Website:

https://laihats.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lai_hats/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Laihats

Making Headway - Celebrating Sustainability in Hats: https://www.thebritishhatguild.org.uk/making-headway

Panel Discussion tickets: https://www.culturetrust.com/whats-on/panel-discussion-making-headway-celebrating-sustainability-hats

From Charity Shop to Ascot: https://www.thebritishhatguild.org.uk/from-charity-shop-to-ascot

The British Hat Guild:

https://www.thebritishhatguild.org.uk/

After seeing the lino cuts of a local artist, Tina’s partner bought her a place on a lino printing workshop in Margate and the love affair with this medium truly began. As Tina says, she became addicted! And I’m very pleased she did. From her first print - a pile of books with the statement “read more books” - to her current project - a vista of snowdrops, Fieldfare, trees and fields - she has perfected her craft to multi-layered colour and texture works built up over weekends of work. Each print is unique and each one is a labour of love. But each print, each layer of each print, is a thrill; you can hear it in Tina’s voice and it’s a beautiful thing to hear indeed!

Tina designs and makes for herself, uses ‘analogue’ techniques (my personal favourite form of working) and always with the environment in mind. From the use of natural lino made from linseed oil and backed with hessian, inks that can be washed with soap and water, to FSC certified paper, nature is reflected in and through Tina’s art. But, as you will hear, the skills of this artist go to further reaches with her Tetra Pak printing and her now-sold-out first course using this material. If you want to see the results, simply follow her here! Artists see the world differently, of that I am quite sure, but they also view materials differently, wondering how textures and surfaces, colours and processes can be adapted and utilised in order to create something new.

As with any self employed person, whether they work a job alongside their business or are able to spend their whole working life devoted to it, time is always the biggest frustration. Spending the week thinking about inking and printing on Saturdays and Sundays, spending working days with designs buzzing around in your head waiting to be drawn or carved, being a creative is an all- consuming state. Tina describes her art as an ‘obsession’, but one that improves her wellbeing and gives her a channel to express herself. It’s a way to let her slow down, observe, be present and create. If nothing else, I think that’s an incredibly important lesson for us all. We are so often consumed by work, stress, external pressures and endless deadlines but maybe just having something that requires total focus and presence of mind, and that brings us joy as a final result, is exactly what we need.

I hope you enjoy this podcast, it was a real pleasure getting to talk to Tina. All the links to where you can follow her, buy her work or join one of her workshops are listed below.

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HandmadebyHaggy

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/haggytea

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/haggytea.bsky.social

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/haggytea

Facebook: http://facebook.com/haggytea1

Newsletter: https://eepurl.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4a58920dd2b644e914f07bb30&id=864fade710

The women I talk to this season give a sense that they have found a way of life that, mostly, brings them true joy. Looking at their faces as they talk about their craft is wonderful, they quite literally glow, the smiles you can hear in their voices are even bigger in life. In a world where we might struggle to find that joy in our work, seeing people who love what they do is truly heartening. We don’t discuss the Instagram perfect highlights of owning a small business but the whole experience with real honesty. These conversations have bought me hope and I believe they will do so for you.

Expect interviews with amazing creative professionals, plenty of laughter and a lot of inspiration. I had the best time talking to all those I interviewed and I hope you have just as much fun listening!

We kick off on Friday 21st March, pop it in your diary!

Things change, your business changes direction, external events mean you have to rethink certain products etc. In this final episode we look forward to the futre with optimism. 2025 will bring with it plenty of ups and downs but as long as we support each other and believe that gentleness and creativity can truly be used as a force for positive change then we are heading in the right direction!!

Happy holidays and wishing you all a gentle and creative start to the new year! See you in 2025!

If you want to sign up for that Personal Branding course I mentioned , you can find it here

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Writesized Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

If you feel ready to start thinking about that new business then why not check out our Personal Branding course? You can find it here

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Writesized Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

If you still haven’t sign up for that Personal Branding course I mentioned last week, you can find it here

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Writesized Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

If you didn’t sign up for that Personal Branding course I mentioned last week, you can find it here

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Writesized Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

Join us this week as we take a closer look at the business & entrepreneurial needs. Grab your cuppa, a note book and get ready to do some introspective work that will hopefully leave you feeling motivated, excited and focused on what you are doing and where you are going!

Oh and that Personal Branding course I mentioned? Find it here

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Writesized Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

In this episode, we touch on burn out, imposter syndrome, and how to frame competition with others that doesn’t destroy your sanity or love of what you do.

And in case you haven’t got enough gentleness in your life or your branding is feeling a little lacklustre, we have a course launching on Oct 13th! Head over to the landing page to find out more and sign up for the launch! We can’t wait to see you there!

Have a great week!

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles Writesized Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

Whatever it is that you are procrastinating over right now, take some time to listen to this pod, know that you are not alone and count it as work (podcasts are education no matter what they are about!)

Have a great week!

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk

So have a listen, join the substack and feel free to reach out!

Instagram: @flowerista_uk_

Website: flowerista.uk

Hosted by Charlotte Hone, tech magic by Zach Wiles at Media

Get in contact via DMs @flowerista_uk_ or drop me an email charlotte@flowerista.uk