We’ve sat down with the talented Emily Dawe to talk all things craft, styling and starting a new business.
Emily has her own creative business where she freelances as an interior stylist, writer and craft designer based in London. Emily decided that she wanted to ditch the 9-5 weekly routine and go it alone in the craft and design industry. We came to meet Emily through our annual photoshoot, where we produce all of our inspirational imagery for 2018. Emily helped design all of our sets for the shoot, showcasing our 2018 products and projects perfectly!
Here’s what we found out about Emily’s creative history and why she decided to go it alone and freelance:
Have you always loved creativity?
Always! Ever since I was little I have been getting mucky with glue and glitter, entering drawing competitions and hand making everything. After completing and Art Foundation at Kingston, I went on to study Illustration at Brighton University. Since then I have been producing projects for magazines, blogs such as Paperchase and Hobbycraft and teaching workshops.
Image Credit:http://www.emilydawe.com
What did you love most about your career in Art & Design editorial?
Being part of a creative team and learning from some of the best journalists and stylists around. I was very unsure of myself when I first started out at the magazine. As time went on, the people i worked with gave me the confidence I needed to believe in myself.
What drove you to start your own creative business?
I had been wanting to go freelance for quite some time, as much as I loved what I was doing, it was very routine week after week. I dreamt of going at it alone, doing more of what makes me tick and just having the freedom of working on whatever I like. It’s allowed me to go back to my roots and work on more creative projects including teaching workshops with Heals and Paperchase as well as working on two separate creative books – Paper Christmas, published by Search Press out Sept 2018, and a self-published personalised kids book – MYSTORY – When (child’s name) Saved Christmas – which will be available to pre-order from the end of Oct this year.
Image Credit: http://www.emilydawe.com
What’s your daily working life like?
I get up at the same time as my partner, around 7.15. I make a cup of tea (or hot water – it’s nicer than it sounds), I usually put something on that’s equally as comfortable as my pajamas and go through my emails. Once they are out the way I usually have a bite to eat (scrambled eggs are my go-to breakfast as they’re quick, easy and keep me filled up for ages – I do put off eating when I’m working at home!) Each day is so different from here on in…I could be out prepping for a shoot, sourcing Christmas decorations, creating projects for Paper Christmas, designing layouts for MYSTORY, meeting with clients for coffee, creating moodboards, writing a blog post, creating flatlays, snapping everything I do for Instagram and Instagram Stories, taking deliveries for shoots and trying to keep my tiny flat from turning into a maze of cardboard boxes! Every day is so very different, which is what I love. I do miss being around other creatives though, I’m a people person!
Image Credit:http://www.emilydawe.com
What have been your favourite craft trends recently?
I love the way macramé has had a resurgence. Those knotted pot holders are gorgeous and go hand in hand with displaying lots of greenery in the home, a trend I am a big fan of given I don’t have a garden. Modern quilling is a favourite, but I use thicker strips of paper rather than the very thin strips. I think it gives this traditional craft a new spin, making it ‘cool’ again. I’ve taught this style of quilling with both Paperchase and Heals. I find that it’s always very well received, people can’t believe how easy it is to create!
Image Credit:http://www.emilydawe.com
For more information about Emily Dawe and her business visit her website here or visit her Instagram page: editbyemily.
