mum who makes :: billy macmadeit.com.au/billymac
Tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Christina and I live in Sydney with my husband and my 2 little girls; Miranda who is 3 years old and Peta who is 18 months. We have big dreams of travelling and moving house but for now this is home. My husband and I have made a pact that before the girls start school we’ll take them on a big overseas adventure holiday.
Can you explain your craft/art and the materials you like to use?
I design and print t-shirts for kids aged 0-8 (and every now and then for adults!). My inspiration for my boys range comes from vintage cars and motorbikes; and for my girls range I draw inspiration from pop culture, fine art and interiors. My tagline for billy mac clothing is “t-shirts for the coolest kids in town” and I’ll often ask myself, “would Fonzie wear this t-shirt?” My tools are a Mac, Photoshop and Illustrator; an awesome printer and heatpress. I’ve recently expanded the range to include long sleeve t-shirts and baby onesies and am in the process of printing my first hoodies for winter.
How long have you been creating and how did you get into making handmade goodies?
I’ve always been creative, I studied at UNSW College of Fine Art, then worked in magazines and retail advertising. Like many women who work from home, the birth of my first baby was also the birth of my first business (a graphic design and advertising business) and after I had my second baby I started billy mac clothing. I found it difficult to find clothes for my girls that weren’t too grown up or too “cutesy baby” so I started making my own t-shirts. I officially began trading as billy mac clothing at the start of this year after I was encouraged to have a go at selling my t-shirts and I crossed my fingers that other people would appreciate them.
How do you juggle motherhood & crafting/managing your business?
I struggle with this enormously. Both businesses are a great break from the girls and a chance for me to be a grown up again, but working from home with children has many challenges. As a natural nightowl I take advantage of the hours when they are sleeping and work very late into the night. My older girl goes to daycare 1 day a week so I use that day to catch up and do groceries. I also get my girls involved in parts of the business, Miranda is often at my shoulder telling me she likes what I am doing (or not!), we are regulars at our local post office, and a courier arriving at the door is the highlight of the day as they “help” me carry boxes into my studio.
Do you have any advice to other Mothers who are wanting to start creating handmade goodies?
Definitely do it – it’s a great creative outlet. Many mothers (including myself) struggle with self confidence and lose themselves in the day to day grind of housework and looking after small children. By creating something that you love separate to your children, you give yourself the opportunity to be the person you were before you were a mother. I also believe that putting myself out there, taking risks, following my dreams and achieving something is an enormously positive role model for my girls. But my number 1 piece of advice is get a door for your workspace! We seem to have been renovating for the past 6 years and my studio doesn’t have a door with a handle and there are constantly things missing from my desk. It makes it interesting at tax time when I can’t find any of my paperwork, and what I can find is covered in crayon.
