Self Made with Memory Lane Frames
Tell readers a little bit about yourself and your Self Made business.
I’m Sadhbh a 37-year-old wife to John and a busy mam of three kiddies from Co. Meath. I’m the oldest of seven children. My mum Mary has her own business and I feel this is certainly where my passion and my entrepreneurial flare comes from. I studied business and HR where I worked in many large retailers for a number of years before being faced with a redundancy situation when our eldest was born. I became a stay home mam and as the three children came more independent I really felt I needed something that I could call my own. I always had a love for craft and design, hence Memory Lane Frames was born in 2018.
I love what I do every day and thrive on the independence and flexibility of being a busy mum and business owner while working around my own schedule. It’s a win-win all round.
What made you take the bold step of setting up Memory Lane Frames?
As a young student in school art and design were always my favourite. Anything to do with colour, pattern, piecing different crafts together was my passion. Making frames began as a hobby in the early days. Once the children started getting a little older really wanted to have a business that I could call my own and I strived to create a sense of my own independence that was different from the everyday hectic agenda around the kiddies and the home life. I made a baby frame for a friend, (as this was the circle that surrounded me where many of my friends and the age group were expanding in families) and I found myself having a conversation with my mam and running my ideas and plans to John my husband saying maybe l will just go for it. I believed I had found a niche as at the time there weren’t many other local places around making similar handcrafted frames like mine.
What is a typical day in the office for you?
As a busy mam and self-made entrepreneur, a typical day always is filled with variety. Variety is the spice of life as they say and believe me it has to be in the creative world. However, I do believe there is nothing like a woman on a mission and generally, that’s how the day begins with some level of a note-book plan and some level of mayhem also. When my weekly time is limited it’s always a fine balance between many factors; being productive making, updating social links, webpage work, marketing, photography, generation of ideas, special offers, emails, customer messages, packaging, posting, design, business networking with fellow creatives. No matter what the job task and day the customer is always to the fore and quick communication and turnaround of products is key while always operating to the highest levels of attention to detail at each step of the process.
Could you talk me through the process of creating such beautiful products?
My product is a unique handmade and personalised Irish business, inspired by my love of pattern, textures, and nature. It’s solely operated. I am excited that every day is a new chapter and each day is a process all the way, not perfection but progress. My key concept is to design memorable gifts for people to have that every lasting and good quality keepsake the can always call their own and to display with joy in their chosen environment. I make frames for all occasions at competitive prices and high-quality products ranging from pebble art, hand-decorated designed pieces right through to burnt paper and map designs for engagement and weddings. This year was popular for lockdown weddings I found. I always strive to develop those few designs that stand out from the crowd and have an extra quirky edge to them to make my makes stand out from others in a similar industry. I feel all these details, right down to end packaging standards are key to my small business.
All my pieces are designed and made in Ireland. I am proud to be linked to some super Irish supporting initiatives like Champion Green in Ireland.
Check out Memory Lane Frame on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/memorylane_frames/