Odette Caddick

‘Violet’s Pirates’ is the name of my creative business. Named after my daughter who was born prematurely, the business is the unity of my past, present and hopeful future 

I propose to run workshops in healthcare settings that help give the parents and siblings of premature babies the reassurance that they are not alone. When a child is born prematurely, they need to be kept in an incubator, which means the natural urge to hold and cuddle them is limited. Memory dolls can help with the mental anxiety this separation can create. 

I have developed my business by combining the skills learnt from many years of employment in the textile industry with the experience of being a parent of a premature baby. I know how stressful a time this can be, and my dream is to help other families who find themselves in a similar situation. 

I aim to teach other parents and siblings affected by premature births how to make their own memory dolls. This will not only help occupy the long days spent in hospital wards and waiting rooms, but also provide them with the opportunity to learn a new craft.

The workshops are though not only about making the dolls because they will also provide a safe space for families to re-connect with one another, discuss how they are feeling and try to solve the many practical problems that having a child in an intensive care facility may create.

Violet’s Pirates will also provide opportunities for other people such, as healthcare professionals and social workers, to attend workshops and offer further practical and emotional support to families going through what is a traumatic experience. I am certain of the positive impact my business would have and am applying for funding to start delivering workshops as soon as possible. 

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Josie Smart

I am hoping to start my own creative business ‘nude.prints’ which will sell urban style clothes and accessories. The garments will all be designed and hand crafted by me, inspired by abstract and line art. 

Fashion is something I’ve always been into, but I never previously thought I could create my own brand. I have been excited to see my ideas develop this year and the concept for my business grow. 

I hope to make a range of different t-shirts that I can sell through Instagram, Etsy or my own website. Eventually I would like to expand my designs into a range of colours and styles and sell other items such as bags and accessories.

Designing my fashion brand has meant making sure my illustration ideas are on trend. Fashion is a very competitive business and in 2021 streetwear has become one of the most popular trends. This is where I am aiming my clothing brand, as I feel there will be significant interest in what I’m make. 

Buying something made by an independent artist gives more meaning to the clothes you wear. Most people also like to have things which are unique, and I want to generate that feeling of exclusivity with my brand identity. 

My business will focus on an age range from 18-28. I have picked this age range because typically when you get to the age 18 you start to explore in the fashion industry and become more confident with bolder fashion choices. 

Art is something I have always had a passion for, but I realised I needed more experience in the business side of things and this qualification has helped me towards my goals. 

2 months from now I aim to be selling my t-shirts and bags online through Etsy, whilst advertising my brand Nude.prints through social media.

6 months from now I will have my own website up and running so that I am able to sell to a wider range of people. 

I am passionate about my career in art and design and hope my business will be a success. I am currently working in the service industry but after a year I hope to be running my creative business full time. 

It’s important to have ambition and ever since I’ve been financially independent, I wanted to run my own business. I enjoy creating something that I love doing and that other people also love.

You can look at my work on my Instagram account @nude.prints 

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Diana Waldron

Cathead is my creative business idea that I have developed on the Level 4 Creative Practitioner course. I have been inspired to try and do what I love for a living and that for me is origami and paper related art.  I am now on a mission to make origami the next big craft making craze!

Paper folding has always helped me calm my nerves and I’ve wanted to show how it can become integrated more with seasonal events such as Halloween and Christmas. 

Origami is fun but can get complicated quickly. Cathead Kits will have a specially designed pattern on the paper that makes it really easy to create origami animals and get professional looking sculptures fast.  

My aim is for people to become confident enough to make ambitious and quality designs that decorate their home and create an amazing atmosphere. Cathead products will take the stress of folding and worrying if you’re doing it right.  You can simply follow the instructions or watch one of my online tutorials.  

A key product Cathead is large scale origami kits.  Origami packs are often so small and fiddly, so I am developing large-scale screen-printed origami kits. Going big is the perfect way to inspire children and give new life to seasonal decorations and celebrations. You can even get everyone involved in the making. I am planning to launch Do it Yourself kits online and run regular workshops and online tutorials.  

I have looked into how other businesses operate and understand now how it all works. I am confident in large scale origami and digital work and have begun to approach local businesses, either to run drop in workshops or sell my products in their gift shops.

Personally, the course has boosted my confidence. I have needed to look at the business side of running a creative business – pricing – sales, budgets etc… and now have much more confidence in my ability to make my creative business a success.