Getting to Know You..A CM in Profile

Here is installment three in our series.

Getting to Know You - Natalie



(Im pretty sure shes the one in pink LOL)


1. What is your name (first only is fine if you prefer) and what do we call you at Crafty Mamas?
My 'real name' is Natalie Hennekam, but at Crafty Mamas I'm generally known as "Henny Penny".

2. How long have you been around Crafty Mama and how did you find us?
I joined in March 2009. I was actually on another parenting forum, and Crafty Mamas kept coming up, so I came over to see what all the fuss was about. I've been here ever since!

3. What makes you a Crafty Mama – ie what is your activity(s) of choice?
My main activity is sewing, but I also do some knitting, and have tried a bit of needle felting. My husband also bought me a spinning wheel this year, but I haven't yet had the chance to sit down and play.

4. Some people collect fabrics, others patterns…what’s your addiction in the crafting sense.
Well, definitely fabric. I only wish I could sew fast enough to keep up with it all!
I also love gadgets... all those cool little tools that you know you could do without, but they just make life so much easier. My favourite would have to be the jean-a-magig. Although I've also recently discovered the Clover Fabric Folding Pen. Magic!


5. What’s your creative space like?
Overflowing! I am lucky enough to have a really big space, but I keep finding more and more to fill it with. And when I go on a sewing binge, I get really messy, and end up with threads, and scraps everywhere.

6. What’s your favourite crafty tool ?..ie your machines and why?

Aside from my gadgets? It's tricky.
My machines are amazing, however they are both new, and so we're still getting to know each other. So I probably wouldn't say they're my favourite just yet.
But my iron... oh yes ... that is right up there. It is probably the one item that makes the most difference in terms of how my work turns out.

7. Tell us about the most dedicated act of crafting you have performed ie sewed all night, drove 2 days for a craft show…something bordering on silly!

I recently sewed 7 new projects in 7 days. I'd been accumulating new patterns for some time, but hadn't kept up with them all. So I decided I'd spend a week sewing as much as I could - with the stipulation that all pieces had to be from patterns that I owned but hadn't used.

Not surprisingly, there were a few disasters (mainly from later in the week when I started to get very very tired!). However I also found some patterns I really love, and have used a lot since then. So well worth doing.

8. Do you have a blog/website/business/etsy you would like to plug?

Our business is MoederKip, which is Dutch for 'Mother Hen'. Why? Because a Mother Hen is nurturing, yet tough - and we felt this suited our aim to produce children's products which are both beautiful and practical.

Currently we're focussing on clothing and accessories, although we're also planning to expand with a range of wooden toys and decorations (which my Crafty Husband will create). Our blog is http:moederkip.blogspot.com, and we are also in the process of setting up www.moederkip.com.au (to be launched early 2010).

9. If you were stuck on a desert island and had the choice of three things to take what would you take (doesn’t have to be crafty)?
My husband.
My son.
My i-phone.


10. OK – some one word answers to wrap up:


Diamonds or Pearls?
Pearls.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee.
Unless I'm feeling a little precious. Then tea.
Sweet or savoury?
Sweet.
Night owl or early bird?
At the moment, trying to run a business and keep up with a two year old, I'd have to say both - a night owl (when I get things done), and an early bird (when my son wakes me up).
Left or right handed?
Right handed.