Feeling restless in her job, Kate Greenwood started making polymer clay earrings and beads as a way to unleash her creative side.
Three years later, Greenwood Designs is a successful small business specialising in colourful handmade jewellery and affordable accessories to add wearable fun to the everyday!
I recently caught up with mum-of-two Kate, from Molong in central west New South Wales, to find out a little more about the woman behind the accessories!
Describe yourself in three words:
Outgoing, determined, savvy
How did Greenwood Designs begin?
It was the end of 2013, I was a little restless in my job and itching to have some creative outlet outside of work, family and kids. I've always had a passion for design, colour and creating and I started fiddling with polymer clay, making earrings and beads. A girlfriend asked me along to a Christmas night market so I made 100 pairs of earrings thinking it was way too many and if I could sell maybe 30 pairs I'd be absolutely stoked. I sold 70 pairs in three hours which gave me a huge buzz and the confidence to keep going!
I juggled work, kids and a growing business for a couple of years and with my husband's support at the end of 2015 we took the plunge and I resigned from my job to pursuit Greenwood Designs in a full-time capacity. It was scary; I lost sleep and got more wrinkles, but I'm so glad we did it!
Do you have a favourite piece within your collection?
It's definitely earrings; I love earrings and I wear them every day. I kind of feel naked without them, my go-to earrings each day would be the rock earrings and on a night out I love the bling earrings, they are so fun!
How many scarves do you own?
Really, do I have to answer this? Ha, I have sooooo many scarves, it's crazy. I'd say about 80, possibly a few too many ... said no girl ever!
If you were to custom-make a scarf for anyone, who would it be for and what would it look like?
I'm more of a bright girl, but my girlfriend Helen who helps me a couple of days a week with GD loves pastels, I'd make the scarf for her and it would be a gorgeous geometric print, with tassels on each corner!
Are you neat or messy?
Well my mother would definitely say messy, but I'd like to think I'm more on the neat side of the scale. Truth be told, I'm probably a bit messy, but when things are too messy I can't stand it and just have to go crazy and get it all back into place so I can think straight again!
What's the best holiday you've been on and why?
Oh this is a hard one, for most of my 20's I worked in travel so was lucky enough to have some pretty good holidays. I guess if I have to say the best, it would be a three-month trip my husband and I took not long after we were married. We went all over Europe, back to some favourite places such as Istanbul and Prague and found some new favourites, Moscow and Copenhagen. The best part was that we had time, so much time to explore and really immerse ourselves in the culture. Oh take me back...
What are your hopes for the rest of 2017?
I'm coming into the busiest time with work, the lead up to Christmas will be manic, so I hope to just try to maintain some balance, make sure I'm making enough time for Gus and the kids and not getting too wrapped up in work only! Easier said than done when you run your own business, but if we can all make it to Christmas unscathed that will be great and then in January we'll all have a break, get to the beach and catch some sun!
