Mother/Daughter Duo: Me&You Handmades
You might have seen the beautiful scrunchies handmade by Me&You Handmades in my All Canadian Mother's Day Gift Guide. I came across their adorable hair accessories as I was searching for local Canadian businesses to include in the Gift Guide. As soon as I saw that they were a Mother/Daughter Duo, I wanted to hear more about their story.
I had the chance to chat with Hilary to learn more about what inspires her and her Mom, how they got started and how a business relationship affects the personal (and vice-versa).
How did you get started with your business?
Ever since I was little, I've always loved arts and crafts and making things with my hands. My parents enrolled me in every artsy camp/class they could find. As I got older I started crocheting and loved that I was able to do it while I watched tv. I'd watch my weekly after school shows and by the time they were all over I'd have a crocheted infinity scarf. After years and years of making things, my stock pile started to bust at the seams and I had friends and family ask if I would ever sell my stuff. I never thought anyone would buy my creations as I just did it all for fun. Then one Christmas, my work decided to have a pop up in the office for all us artsy gals to sell our handmade goods. I thought I would give it a try and after I sold my very first item, I was hooked. That night, Me & You Handmades was born!
What are some of your inspirations?
Mom and I both get inspirations from basically everywhere. Social media, commercials, being out and about shopping, our brains are always working and thinking of new ideas. We would see something on tv or in a magazine and we would come up with ideas on how to alter it to make it better.
What is your favourite piece to make/wear?
One of my favorite pieces to make, which we don't carry currently but I do absolutely miss are our crocheted pieces. Specifically our crocheted toques. I loved being curled up on the couch and racing against a movie to see if I could finish the toque in time. And then staring at the pattern and feeling the texture of the stitches.
How does working together affect the mother/daughter relationship? How does the mother/daughter relationship affect the business relationship?
My mother and I are very similar in a lot of ways. We both have the same work ethic, we're both very passionate when it comes to design and we both appreciate the process of unique handmade items. We both have different styles and we work together to create a perfect balance of designs and items we feel our customers would love. Being that both of us are very creative individuals and we love what we do, it doesn't affect our business relationship at all. We both feel like we're just playing arts and crafts all day long and almost forget that we're running a real business.
What do you appreciate about each other’s work?
Mom is very detail oriented. Down to how straight her stitches are. She is very meticulous and I absolutely appreciate that about her. I'm a very quick learner. I pick up techniques and processes very quickly so I'm able to help my Mom in a pinch whenever she needs me.
Who handles which part of the business?
I actually handle the majority of the business where my Mom helps me sew a lot of our items. She is our Box Bag Queen. I went to school to be a Graphic Designer and grew up either being around or doing a lot of crafty things. I handle all our social media, website, designs, customer care, photography, shipping and ordering. A Jackie of all trades if you will.
Who first had the idea to launch your business?
It was my idea to launch the business but I had the help of friends and family to push me that extra mile to actually do it.
How does your style differ from each others?
When it comes to designs and creations of actual items, both my Mom and I have similar styles. The differences hit when it comes to fabrics and patterns. I like the more trendy, chic, modern, patterns where Mom gears towards the more timeless, classic, vintage patterns. We might have lost sleep a few times over fabric choices.
