Our Story.
Whimsical Wares was never really planned as such, It just kind of happened! Michael had just finished a posting to Cairns and I had left cheffing for the last time. We were packing up his flat and moving him back home to Gunning to start the restoration on our lovely old cottage after the pipes had burst and badly damaged the foundations. We had moved into an Airbnb while we worked on the house.
A few days in, a shop became available in the Main Street and I was asked if I had any ideas for the shop, next thing I know we were opening a gift and recycled furniture shop. Our daughters Stevie who made our spiced hot chocolate and spice rubs and Talia who owns free pour candles came up with our signature Gunning travel candle and the rest of her lovely range, our son Liam hand drew our lovely logo Henry. Close friends Belinda and Phil Essam jumped in to help as always. Phil helped out with Social media and Belinda began sewing our microwave bowl holders, and all kinds of reusable stuff that eventually led to our “ saving the planet one gift at a time” Laura, Belinda and Phil’s daughter made the jewlery and created our website.
As we evolved my commission pieces became a bigger part of the business as did the hand painted and restored furniture. Fast forward to Christmas 2019 Gunning was well into the drought and we couldn’t remember the last time it rained, couple that with bushfires ravaging Australia, thick choking smoke for weeks on end things were looking grim! It was then we decided to move our business out of the Main Street and into our barn. Around this time Dirty Jane’s Bowral decided to open in Canberra, and this is when we and our new business partner Belinda came up with the plan to open a stall there and focus on old wares and upcycled furniture and were ready to go when Dirty Jane’s Canberra finally opened post COVID delays!
After 3 beautiful years in DJ’s Canberra it was time for a change, I’m back to being a sole trader and have opened a new store with my daughter Stevie from Free Pour Candles and we not only run workshops on chalk painting, upholstery but we also have 8 fantastic women makers under the same roof