Meet Homewares, Stationery & Giftware Designer, Sophie!

You will meet the lovely Sophie from Sophia Mulheran Designs today! We recently undertook a project with Sophie that we can't wait to share in the coming months. It was a delight to work with her and we can vouch for the wow factor her products bring. We have enjoyed getting to know the Sophia Mulheran Design brand for a couple of reasons in particular. At a business level, we enjoy supporting local businesses and you will find the Sophia Mulheran Designs brand based here in Brisbane, Australia. On a personal level, Pete has a science degree with an environmental major & Em has honours in environmental microbiology; the Sophia Mulheran Designs brand is passionate about sustainable and ethical business practices, so this (environmentally conscious) aspect resonates with us. We recently noticed on Sophie's Instagram that the team have picked up 10,479 pieces of rubbish so far this year! What an amazing effort! I am sure you would be keen to hear more of the stories behind Sophie's business so I will now hand it over to Sophia to speak for herself:

"Tell us about yourself” 

I’m a creative and passionate Brisbanite who is working towards the most sustainable and ethical lifestyle and business. I love drawing so to essentially be able to do it as a job (as well as creating other awesome things) is an absolute dream come true!

"Why did you choose to design homewares, stationery and giftware?” 

I’ve always wanted to make a positive difference to our environment and community so when I formulated the idea to turn my passions into a career, I stopped at nothing to get the business up and running. The Sophia. Brand launched in August 2017 and since then, it’s been nothing but a success. I have learnt so much and met so many beautiful and inspiring people.

"How did your interest in design and creativity start?”

I grew up on an acreage property, so I was constantly building, exploring, creating and running free. This has shaped me into the person I am today and has armed me with an intense passion for the environment and everything creative.

"Who in business inspires you?”

There’s too many to count!! I’m inspired by anyone and everyone who has the courage to take the leap of faith and follow their dreams. It’s inspiring to see so many people who have made the decision to quit their day jobs and set out to do exactly what they were born to do.

"Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?” 

Most people think that I sit down and carefully plan out every tiny detail of my designs, but the truth is that I create all my designs on the spot, and I never know how they are going to turn out.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?” 

I know there’s people out there who think they don’t have a creative bone in their body but the truth is that my drawings used to be messy and nothing of great quality. It was only the other day that I found a few drawings that I created not long before I launched my business. If I was still creating those dodgy designs, my business would be an absolute flop! Keep exploring different aspects and don’t forget that nearly anything can be considered art!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?” 

When it comes to weddings, I have a few unique things to offer. The first being custom-designed wedding invitations and menus to suit your flowers, style and wedding layout. I’ve also introduced wedding hire items. These include my hand-crafted copper bowls and plates, which bring a striking colour and texture to the wedding dining

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?”

I pride myself on being unique and creating things that people have never seen before. What's the point of following the trend when you can create your own?

"What is the best advice you ever received?”

I’ve received lots of awesome advice over the years but one thing I always tell myself is that if you keep going and never give up, you will succeed. Work hard, keep your head down and you’ll get there in the end!

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?” 

Who knew there was so much to learn about running a business? I thought I’d done the majority of the work when I launched the business, but the truth is that there are always improvements to make. Business is a journey too!

"How do you balance work and family demands?” 

I’m definitely guilty of working for 5am until 10pm without so much as a break. I have way too many ideas that I want to follow through on so at this point in time, work never really stops for me. I might find a balance one day!

"Anything else you would like to add?” 

If you’d like to follow my sustainable and ethical business journey, feel free to check out my website and social media pages: 

Website: http://www.sophiamulheran.com 

Meet Custom-Cut Designers, Josh & Suzanne!

We are thrilled to introduce you to a lovely husband-wife team of custom-cut designers - Josh & Suzanne from Molossi Designs! We have worked with them on a couple of projects to date. They are always so pleasant to email back and forth with and they consistently bring quality, stunning pieces to the table. This is their story as told by Josh & Suzanne:

"Tell us about yourself"
We are a husband-and-wife team with 6 children that keep us on our toes! We recently made a ‘tree’ change from the city, which has given us more freedom and time in life! Best decision we ever made… This decision has also given us more direction with the business to see it grow.

"Why did you choose custom-cut designs as your chosen field?"
The creative desire and a WOW product!

"How did your interest in custom-cut designs start?"
Originally in the papercraft industry, we purchased our first laser to allow us to create our ‘own’ product – our own chipboard line. When we tapped into the MDF and acrylic designs, the papercraft side closed down as the demand for our products in the event industry grew. Three years later, we purchased our second machine. Two years after that, our third machine. We have grown with the industry.

"Who in custom-cut designs inspires you?"
Everyone from the bride that contacts us the week before her wedding (lol it does happen – and that’s cool with us as we manage it!) to the event planner, the venues, the GROOMS (yup - grooms, too!) to the photographers that capture it all. There is not one person that doesn’t inspire us.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?"
The key is to capture the spirit of the client and the essence in life. And outsource what you can!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?"
We are asked this weekly – and our answer: at Molossi it is quality over quantity here!

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?"
We will work with you to create what your heart desires. We are a big believer in “you are your only limit”.

"What is the best advice you ever received?"
The Five Ups:
‘Get up, dress up, show up, keep your head up, and never give up’.

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?"
Never be afraid to ask!

"What does a day in the life of Molossi look like?"
Our days consist of designing orders to cutting, perfecting and packing. We deal with some amazing vendors, but my favourite part is opening messages filled with love and images of our products in use!

"Anything else you would like to add?"
The Molossi team are your go-to manufacturer, retailer and wholesaler of custom-made and personalised MDF, wooden and acrylic designs. Whilst personalised MDF wooden signs and acrylic cake toppers are just the beginning of Molossi’s product range, we are always ready to assist when a client brings a design to us; Molossi will help recreate the desired product in mind to the best of our ability, whether it be for that unique wedding/event piece, business logo or home decor, we will work with you to create what your heart desires.

Molossi is situated in New South Wales, with our warehouse located at Mandagery. Even though we are Australian based, we do ship internationally. Please contact us at info@molossi.com.au for a freight quote.

Shop with confidence at Molossi and rest assured that we will strive to do what is best by our clients. This is not a job for us - it is our passion!!

You will find Molossi's details here:

Crisp, Curated Instagrams & Muddy, Unfiltered Diaries

We recently read a very endearing article (here) by Danny Wallace from Conde Nast Traveller regarding the evolution of holiday memory collection. In the good old days, handwritten diaries were standard. In today's culture, carefully curated images and stories are the norm. In the good old days, diaries were written for the person writing it (if intensely personal). Or perhaps for friends and family, as well, but still a controlled audience. One major purpose of Instagram is to share. Widely. In so doing, the world becomes a smaller place - in theory, at least. A side-effect is relinquishment of audience control unless the account is private. Memories are recorded with different target audiences in mind. Funnily enough, the content usually reflects this.

In our day-to-day life, we are not big diary people personally. Our calendar serves the only day to day purpose we need: keeping track of bills, appointments, sessions, etc. However, when we travel, we make keeping a diary a priority to the point that we actually plan part of our day around our diary. Every night, we try to find a quiet spot where we can have dinner (?glass of red) and record the details of our day. Every single day. We have found that if even 3 or more days pass, your memory of what happened when can start to fade and drift into differing recollections of what took place between observers and subjects. We record the good and the bad. We record the anticipated and the unexpected. We record the happy times and the sad. It's therapeutic in a way and clears your mind so you're fresh to welcome a new day of exploration and adventure. It also means we won't ever forget e.x.a.c.t.l.y what our holiday was like. This is why Danny's article resonated with us, we assume. We found this paragraph particularly pertinent:

"I think we’re in danger of only documenting the things we think we’d like to remember. The things that paint our trip the way we think the trip should have gone. The things you’d Instagram. But it means we risk turning those memories into a stylised highlights package or a magazine spread, when what makes it real and important are the small and everyday memories that slip between the cracks. Often, the things that make your trip memorable are those very things we forget, maybe because we mistakenly choose to. Those seemingly pointless, perhaps even, on paper, dull details that – when taken and put together – make up a wonderful whole."

We vote for both: enjoy and share with the world your highlight reel on Instagram (after all, holidays are usually a huge investment so enjoy reliving those memories over and over!) but also treasure those raw and gritty handwritten travel diaries over a glass or two of red (after all, those genuine and authentic moments are priceless)! Who knows... we might even share a story or two or three from our travel diaries this year. <3

Our own travel diaries to date; 302 pages worth.

Our own travel diaries to date; 302 pages worth.

Meet Photographers, Peter & Emily!

Meet us - Peter & Emily McDonald, the faces and personalities behind Poppy & Sage Photography! One of our goals for 2018 is to share more of our stories. Our ideas. Our priorities. Our goals. All the things that make us tick.

Peter McDonald

Emily McDonald

Tell us about yourself:

We are Peter & Emily, better known as Pete & Em. Pete is an engineer (BEngHons1/BSc). Pete works in Brisbane CBD and specialises in the water industry. Em is a researcher/policy officer with postgraduate knowledge in policy & governance, domestic & family violence responses, and research. Em has studied at and/or worked for the Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland Eye Institute, Translational Research Institute, and Red Cross Blood Service. However, our proudest achievement and greatest privilege to date is being Dad & Mum to our little girl, Chloe. (All wedding images below were taken by Lady Jayde Photography at Abbey of the Roses, Warwick.)

Why did you choose to become photographers?:

(Emily) For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to photography. As soon as I could afford a camera, I made it a priority. It certainly wasn't a very good one, but it allowed me to express myself and grow. As I saved up more, I purchased a better camera and continued to stretch myself. I dabbled with photoshop and lightroom. I played around with vignettes and mattes and saturated colours. As I experimented, my editing style matured, and I discovered that simple and true-to-reality meets the timeless brief I wanted to achieve. Friends started asking us to capture their events and moments. Poppy & Sage Photography grew organically from these humble beginnings. In some ways, I guess you could say that we fell into the business. In other ways, we have been systematically (but unwittingly) taking steps in this direction over many years.

(Peter) Because I love my wifey.

How did your interest in photography start?:

(Emily) My father is an Art/English high school teacher. I grew up surrounded by literature and art (and National Geographic magazines). One of my passions is travel. My first overseas trip was to Fiji in 2009. I hardly put my camera down for the two weeks I was there. I didn't want to miss a single opportunity to record my travel memories. From there, I undertook more adventures both at home and overseas. Each trip has reinforced how much I enjoy being behind the camera recording the moments that I never want to forget. My interest evolved into a passion. I wanted to be able to provide clients with something tangible so that those fleeting moments become unforgettable memories for them, too.

First overseas adventure (Fiji, 2009)

Wild Horses (Fiji, 2009)

Off the beaten track (Fiji, 2009)

Still Em's favourite image from the trip (Fiji, 2009)

(Peter) My wifey.

Pete on the hunt for food so spicy he could not eat it... he is still looking (Bengaluru, India, in 2014)

Who inspires you in photography?:

(Emily) I adore Jose Villa’s work. Jose is so well established that his dreamy, thoughtfully composed work speaks for itself. Another significant influence has been KT Merry.

(Peter) My wifey.

Any misconceptions you would like to clear up?:

(Emily) There is a common assumption that if you have a camera, you can take pictures for free (or close to). It's just a camera, right? There are many associated costs with photography. Camera bodies. Different lenses for different purposes (macro, portrait, landscape, to name a few). Travel expenses. Continuing education. Legal paperwork. Software licences. Website host. Website build. Memory cards. Hard drives. Flashes. Batteries. Computer. Insurance. Registration. Marketing. Advertising. Accounting. Tax. And, of course, time. Planning. Emailing. Culling. Emailing. Editing. Emailing. (And this list is not even extensive!)

(Peter) You can pay for wedding photography cheaply. Any person can use money to purchase good equipment, claim to be a remarkable photographer, and just rock up on the day and take photos. Such people may even boast that their work is so good that it doesn't need editing. If you were preparing to drive through the arid inland of Australia where fuel stations and mechanics are few and far between and even to places where most telco companies don't get reception and any mechanical issue with your car could be certain death, would you let your car be serviced by someone down the road who thinks that they can do the job? Or would you get your car serviced with someone who specialises in equipping and servicing your vehicle for Australian outback conditions? Exactly.

Any tips you would be happy to share?:

(Emily) We actually love to help out with your shoot wardrobe. This is not an inconvenience for us at all. We know what colours shoot well. We know what patterns clash. We don't want to take over (it's not about us, after all) - we just enjoy helping to direct or be a sounding board for ideas. Feel free to message us with concepts or pictures. We have also set up a Pinterest board with some suggestions (here).

(Peter) We recommend two photographers for your big day. While it is true to a degree that you can get the job done with one photographer, you can cover so much more territory on the day with two. You also have the ability to capture the unfolding moments from different angles. Different perspectives. Different heights even (6' 5"!). I liken it to composing a nature documentary. If you just send one person with a camouflage tent and a telephoto lens to get all the material you need for a series, you will be there for months - perhaps even several seasons. However, if you send a team with the appropriate equipment, you will be able to capture all of the spring, new cub material you need within a much shorter period of time and you won't risk missing those unrepeatable moments.

Why should couples choose you for their big day?:

(Emily) We get that your wedding day cannot be replayed in real life ever again. That unique magic cannot be recreated. We only get one chance to get it right. We want to deliver a product that you will want to look over in a nursing home one day. One that tells the story of your day. The story that makes you as a couple valued and important.

(Peter) Poppy & Sage Photography sets itself apart by ensuring that each client we take on board experiences what working with a photographer should feel like and receives a premium product to look back on for the rest of your lives. How does Poppy & Sage Photography ensure that this promise is delivered? We cap the number of wedding clients we take on each year. This is really important to us, and we believe it is reflected in the quality of our work. We have more time to plan everything with you. We have more time to learn about your priorities. We have more time to get the resulting product tailored to suit you.

How do you set yourself apart?:

(Emily) We limit the total number of weddings we shoot per year. We cap it at 30. You cannot pay us more to be number 31. Even if it's our dream wedding in a dream location with a dream couple. Why? We want to ensure that every couple we work with has our time and full attention. Guaranteed. We value old-fashioned service and quality. We want to be available in the lead-up to get to know both of you and the things that are important to you as a couple and your story. We want to hear the details. We will actually stop and listen. We are happy to meet up for chai latte or coffee. If you prefer text messages or emails or skype, we certainly accommodate. The last thing we want you to feel like is an inconvenience. Working with Poppy & Sage Photography is a bespoke experience tailored to suit you as no two couples are the same.

(Peter) Your long-term memories will be, to a large degree, determined by the quality or otherwise of the images. When we were on the market for a wedding photographer, the tedious process of searching for the right fit made it clear to us that it's a very mixed bag. You really do get what you pay for; if you want white balance inconsistency, Dutch angles and soft focus, you can easily find someone to do the job. The stronger the portfolio, the exponentially harder the photographer was to find - or from our experience, anyway. We were (and still are) thrilled with our wedding album. If you are looking for quality and consistency and a photojournalistic approach, we are here to deliver. We would love to share the same satisfaction and enjoyment we get from our own wedding album with you and your loved ones.

You will find our Instagram here: www.instagram.com/poppyandsagephotography/. You can book us through admin (at) poppyandsagephotography.com.au or SMS/call on 0424263106.

Brisbane :: Crust & Company Artisan Baking

Crust & Company, Newmarket, is a very well-established bakery in our neighbourhood. Their breads and pastries don't need a superfluous write-up - they are delicious and that is that. We wholeheartedly agree with this 5-star review on their Facebook page: "My advice is don't go in there. You won't just walk out with one pastry. I had the almond croissant and pistachio croissants. I wish I had never tried them. I want them every day now. Great range of pastries. Good weekend treat". If you're ever in the Newmarket area, do yourself a favour and enjoy a treat or two from Crust & Company. This is the pastry that my husband is guaranteed to walk out with when he goes in. :-D

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In other news, you will find us featured over here today. We are very excited to be growing and stretching ourselves this year. We are surrounded with such great talent to draw inspiration from, too. We will keep you posted with links as the project progresses throughout the coming year.

Self-portrait, 2018