Weekly Featured Artist - Cath of Chunky Chooky

This weeks Featured Artist is fellow Aussie and mum Cath. Cath is the driving force behind the fun and funky Etsy shop Chunky Chooky and with a tag line like 'Funky threads and cool things for small people' how can you help but take a look at her creations???

Tell us all about yourself and your craft?
Hello, my name is Cath, I live on 9 acres just on the edge of a a little town called Bellingen on the mid north coast of NSW, it's a beautiful town in a valley surrounded by hills and trees and waterholes with a river running though the middle of it. We did the tree change from Sydney about 9 years ago and we are very happy about the move. I live with my partner and 2 year old daughter and our big black dog Zac. My daughter is my inspiration and I started sewing again after she was born and a friend gave me some fisherman pants from a recent trip to Thailand. So I made my daughter another pair of fisherman pants then lots of people wanted them... then I started making monsters and toys.
I pretty much taught myself how to sew after learning the basics years ago but as soon as I started again I knew I would love it. In the early days there was a lot of unpicking and frustration and trial and error but I kept moving forward and had lots of encouragement from friends. I love felt, denim and bright colours and I love vintage fabrics too although when I buy them I find it so hard to cut into the fabric...like I am destroying something really old...so I end up hardly using it just collecting it...

How long have you been creating your craft?
I have been creating Chunky Chooky lovelies for about a year.


What is one of the biggest lesson you have learnt about your craft & selling it?
The biggest lesson I have learnt is patience! Especially with Etsy - its so huge - and my shop is like a speck in the ocean. I am confident my product is good I just have to get it out there a bit more!

Which of your items did you have the most fun creating & why?
I love creating the softies and the little stories that go with them. I think part of buying handmade is to have something as unique as possible, so sometimes the designs are a little similar - although I never use a pattern I just free hand draw onto the fabric- but the stories are all very different - and they write themselves- I just look at the finished softie and the story just pours out of my fingertips...


Is there a basic ‘household’ item you use when creating that seems to work just as good if not better than the actual ‘tool’?
I am also a big fan of the chopstick as a stuffing poker.

What is your favourite candy bar & why?
I really am a bit of a chocolate snob. I think if I am going to eat it I want the good stuff- Lindt chocolate from Belgium.


If money, responsibilities, and time were no issues where in the great wide world would you go & why?
I have travelled a lot but it was about 10 years ago so I would return to some places and go to some new places. I would do a round the world trip -it would take a year -I think my ultimate place would be Morocco- to the Grand Bizarre- to me heaven on earth- all those lovely shiny things and all that silver and all those carpets... then we would pop over to Turkey for similar reasons. Then we would spend a few months travelling and eating around Italy my the cobblestone streets, admiring the gargoyles.... A month back in India as well- including a camel safari- plus Africa- again on safari but staying in one of those really expensive places where giraffes come up to the window and you can feed them-my daughter would love it ( and so would I)... then on the way home some deserted beach in Thailand or Vietnam to relax after our long journey...then home to the farm, I would miss my dog.


Thanks to Cath for sharing with us - you can follow what the Chunky Chooky is up to at Cath's blog HERE and if you head over soon Cath is hosting a great giveaway for one her Tweeters HERE.