Meet Bonnie the maker behind pali Handmade a simple, whimsical-vintage style children's accessories line handmade out of Kitchener, Ontario. Bonnie makes beautiful bonnets for boys and girls and fabric hair bows. All of her products are made to last a childhood and are guaranteed! Yes moms, I said it! LAST A CHILDHOOD, read below to learn why!
Do you have kids? If so how many & age? Pali is four in September.
Are you a stay at home mom? I quit my government job in December 2016 because it was shift work and kept Pali in part time daycare so I could run my business. Recently, I took her out of daycare completely to spend more time with her until she starts Junior Kindergarten this fall.
Do you run your company on your own?
Yes, just me! Although I am looking to start outsourcing some work very soon.
What is your favourite thing to do for yourself?
I love to garden.
What is your favourite date night activity?
We definitely don’t go on date nights very often but I love going to see a Blue Jays game.
What's one thing you couldn't live without?
Leggings.
Who's your IG inspiration?
Oh goodness. For my business? In terms of feed? I love @chalkfullofdesign. Her mood is everything. I also love @radandhappy because Tara’s feed is full of so much light and you always end up laughing at every one of her posts because she is just too funny. Outside of business my personal Instagram inspiration is @jlgarvin.
How did you choose the name for your business?
I was inspired by my daughter, Pali, to make lovely fabric hair bows for her as I couldn’t find ones that I liked anywhere.
How do you balance having kids & running a business?
I think from the outside it definitely looks easier than it is. No one told me that as an entrepreneur you are responsible for buying, making, photographing, shipping, marketing, customer service, answering emails, the list could go on! And aside from the business aspect there is still a household to maintain and the laundry piles up quickly and the fridge needs restocking. I have no shame in my game that I hire a cleaner to come every two weeks to give the house a good deep clean. By outsourcing this task it allows me to support another entrepreneur - who is a mom, too - and it takes my mind off the thought that the microwave needs to be wiped out so I can focus on my business whereas otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to tune those things out.
Where can people find your products?
Products are available in store at OVer Collective in London, The Art of Home in Cambridge, and Body Blitz Spa in Toronto. We are online at www.palihandmade.etsy.com . You can also shop our selection in person at markets throughout Ontario - the list is updated regularly on our Instagram profile page of where we will be next.
What sets your business apart from others alike?
There’s a few things. Firstly, everything is handmade by me (including the bias tape!) - nothing is outsourced overseas. Also, the fabrics I use are really great quality, we use Liberty of London, Robert Kaufman and Cotton + Steel to name a few. Each of my products is guaranteed to last and last and last - for example, inside of each bow I place a hidden stitch so that the bow can’t be untied by your little one — the last thing you want to have to worry about is how to re-tye a bow and trust me, it never looks the same! But the thing that sets my business apart the most is my passion to make each item well. We call it handmade for a reason and my level of quality control ensures that there are no threads left hanging, the bows are tied neatly and tightly, the bonnet sizes are consistent and I stand behind each of my products. That will never change!
What is the most challenging part of running your business?
The most challenging part would be having enough hours in the day. I’d like to think that once Pali starts school next month that there will be a little more consistency and predictability when it comes to a schedule and I also think that that sounds like crazy talk.
Coffee or tea? Decaf coffee. Neutral or colourful? Neutral. Always and forever. Morning or night? Night. Wine or beer? Cider beer. Starbucks or Tim Hortons? Starbucks. Online shopping or in store? Both. But definitely online for Black Friday. Instagram or Facebook? Instagram. Text or phone call? Text or FaceTime.
@Camara.Crew Stamp of Approval:
As soon as we found out we were having a girl I got super excited about all of the accessories that we could buy for her. But after researching companies I quickly learned that there are a lot of bow companies out there, and a lot that didn't make what we were looking for. I am so happy that we came across @palihandmade hair bows! Not only does Bonnie's story behind her business touch your heart but seeing her bows in your kids hair just melted mine!
I loved learning about Bonnie's business and when she told me that her bows are guaranteed to last a childhood I was SOLD! Lily can be very aggressive with her bows especially when she is fighting me to keep them in her hair. As you can see from her smiles below she LOVED @palihandmade bows and allowed them to stay in her hair. At first she did try to rip them out until she realized how comfy & cute they were! And let me tell you the bow did not budge and I have a baby hulk on my hands. I loved that I didn't have to retie the bow or worry about it falling apart because I am not handy when it comes to retying bows.
I also loved the fabric choices. When Bonnie described her bows as whimsical she nailed it! They are the perfect finishing touch to any outfit.
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