Meet Laura the creator behind The Mellow Nest from Coquitlam BC. The Mellow Nest consists of fiber creations that are perfect for decorating your house (a.k.a your nest). I predominantly make yarn rainbow wall hangings but I have been playing around with other shapes such as a cactus and moon.
Do you have kids? If so how many & age? I have an energetic and snuggly 18 month old daughter named Ophelia.
What's one thing people probably don't know about you? I delivered my daughter at home (with a planned home water birth) Are you a stay at home mom? No, currently I work as an Infant/Toddler Early Childhood Educator 4 days a week. The great thing about working in child care is that my daughter gets to come to work with me. What is your favourite thing to do for yourself? I love doing some retail therapy at thrift stores looking for a great find. What is your favourite date night activity? It’s more of a daytime date but my husband and I both love going snowboarding together. We also love checking out the local breweries. What's one thing you couldn't live without? Definitely my family (and my husband’s chocolate chip cookies) Who's your IG inspiration? One of my best girlfriends from high school @breannedallas. She has the most adorable family and I love watching their daily adventures. What advice would you give your younger self? Call your long distant family more often. They really appreciate it.
How did you choose the name for your business? My husband always calls me Mama bird and our house is our nest. I wanted to help create pieces that others could use in their homes to bring a little rainbow happiness to their nest.
How do you balance having kids & running a business? Nap times and a dash of Disney plus have been clutch when it comes to navigating running my business from my house and working full time. Family time is very important to me so I try not to do too much work when she is awake and wait for bedtime to get most of my work finished. Where can people find your products? I am on Instagram and Facebook under TheMellowNest. Send me a message and we can chat about the perfect size and colour scheme for your space.
What advice can you give someone looking to start up their own business?
Choose something that you love and makes you happy.
What sets your business apart from others alike?
I know there are many other makers out there that do what I do but I like to think I offer a great variety of choices when it comes to customizations. I have over 60 colours of yarn and can add details such as pom-poms and wooden beads. My price range is set to suit all budgets with items starting at $10. I also offer a keychain where 100% of the proceeds go to a different organization each month. What is the most challenging part of running your business?
Finding enough time in the day to get my to-do list done! I have so many ideas I want to work on. I love exploring new colour schemes and detail options. What does a typical day look like for you?
I currently just started going back to work 4 days a week so we’re figuring out our new groove with getting into a schedule. In the morning, I like to have breakfast and spend the morning with my daughter and husband before going to work. I use my break time to answer emails and social media messages. When I come home, we have dinner and after my daughter goes to sleep is when I can do work on orders. I try to do an order a night to stay on top of short turn-around times. Each order typically takes a few hours (depending on the rainbow size and yarn thickness). Favourite song: There is way too many to choose from but “September” Earth wind and Fire is favourite for dance parties in our house. I also love everything by Jack Johnson and John Craigie. Dream Vacation: I have so many spots on my to-go list but my number one currently is road tripping in a campervan around Norway. Favourite Book: It has been awhile since I’ve read a book that wasn’t a children book for my daughter. I would love to hear some suggestions for one for me to read! Dream Job: Being paid to travel the world with my family Dream Car: Any electric vehicle big enough for my growing family Favourite Smell: Freshly squeezed citrus fruits Dream meal: I love a traditional Christmas dinner (especially Yorkshire pudding and gravy!) Favourite item of clothing: I spend a lot of time in my Smash and Tess Romper. It is so incredibly comfortable and was my go-to outfit choice while pregnant.
Instagram: @themellownest
Facebook: The Mellow Nest
Decorating my kids rooms is probably one of my favourite things to do. However finding pieces that work in their rooms hasn't been easy and I am so picky so I feel often times I luck out. When I came across The Mellow Nest on Instagram I was so excited. I was looking for another piece for Violet's nursey and couldn't figure out what it was. Then I saw these beautiful rainbows and knew this was the piece that was missing.
Working with Laura was so fun. I gave her a colour scheme that I had in mind and let her use her talents to make it come to life. She didn't disappoint one little bit. She created the most beautiful piece that now works perfectly in Violet and Lily's room. Whenever I look at the rainbow it reminds me that my girls are my calm above the storm. That no matter what storm may be brewing or happening that day that there is always something brighter at the end of the tunnel.
Thank you Laura for creating something so beautiful and meaningful for my girls and I. The surprise keychain absolutely made my day and I love looking at it on my diaper bag everyday.
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