LITTLE CLOUD LANE
Little Cloud Lane is a handmade home decor brand, specialising in tassel and felt nursery and children’s room décor and accessories.
The brand was founded by Melbourne mum of two, Cobi Davies. Driven by her love for colour and a passion to create, alongside a burning desire to discover more in life than making beds and snacks for the kids, Little Cloud Lane was born.
After considering various ideas, including a life lesson in how not to make pom-poms, Cobi tried her hand at tassels and the rest was history.
Cobi has a simple business philosophy – to create unique and beautiful decor pieces for your little ones.
Each piece is designed and created by hand using quality materials. The beautiful made to order range includes tassel mobiles and wall hangings in various sizes, bunting, decorative felt flowers and bunnies that will help to bring your vision together and create a beautiful space for your little one.
Keep reading for more from Cobi on her inspirations, goals and business lesson’s she swears by.
You are such a talented maker with felt and tassels, have you always been driven to create?
I’ve always been crafty. From making all manner of things at kinder through to making Christmas gifts each year for family and friends. I also love designing invitations for my kids’ birthdays and sewing the odd quilt. It is definitely a big part of me.
When I was younger (and before the internet was a big thing – yes I’m that old!), I used to go to the library and borrow as many craft books as I could, photo copy all the projects I wanted to do then added them in my dedicated craft folder (#dork). I would also tear out the craft pages from my parent’s magazines!
Making makes me happy. So, as long as I can create, my mind and heart will be smiling.
Your philosophy to create unique pieces is a wonderful point of difference. How do you continue to find inspiration?
My creative brain is always churning – it’s hectic up there! Sometimes I’ll see a flower out on a walk and, POP!, an idea will start to grow. Sometimes ideas will come from a particular pattern or colour pallet I see.
When I’m scrolling on Instagram, I often look at the beautiful spaces people have created and try to think what I could make that would bring it all together. I just wish I had more time to make them all!
Tell us about your business name, and the lesson it taught you:
Little Cloud Lane wasn’t always called Little Cloud Lane. My little business started out as Chief Thundercloud Co. Because I can’t know what I don’t know, I didn’t know that that my business name and what I was making at the time was cultural appropriation.
I had never heard of that term before and had no idea what cultural appropriation was. I didn’t know and I was (still am/always will be) ashamed and embarrassed that I contributed to the issue of cultural appropriation instead of helping to make it better.
Chief Thundercloud was a family nickname for my little brother but it was culturally appropriative and insensitive so it had to change. No one likes to be called out but I’m glad I was because I learnt a lot.
What have you found to be your biggest lessons in business?
1. Find friends
I tried to do it by myself but was getting nowhere. Having a group of likeminded businesses to work with and bounce ideas off of is a wonderful way to get support when the crappy side of running a small business gets you down – be it your gang, tribe, crew, squad – whatever you call it, it’s magic!
2. You do you
You don’t need to be doing everything on all platforms. I try to keep up with all the changes in the social media world but sometimes the overwhelm gets too much and I have to take a step back and work out if it is actually something that will benefit my business and myself or if I’m doing it just because everyone else is.
3. Continue to learn
The small business space is always changing and it pays to stay in the know. Sign up for that Instagram masterclass. Put a call out on a business group Facebook page and ask that question. Read that blog. Tune in for that webinar. Join that five day challenge. Sometimes you will already be doing the things you went along to learn and other times you come out with lots of new strategies and tips to help grow your business.
How important is it to you to produce ethically, and how are you managing this inside your business?
Very important. When I first started Little Cloud Lane, producing ethically/sustainably wasn’t as accessible to small business as it is now. At the time it pained me to buy my materials from overseas – It still does when I have to.
Over the last couple of years I have made it a priority to use local suppliers who ethically source their products and to pick them up where possible instead of them being delivered. I will also be moving to more environmentally friendly packaging in the new year and looking for ways to offset my carbon footprint.
“I have made it a priority to use local suppliers who ethically source their products and to pick them up where possible instead of them being delivered”
What is in the pipeline for LCL?
Lots of things! I will be adding more one of a kind pieces to my range and I have a few collections in the works that will feature new mobiles, garlands and wall hangings! I will also be reaching out to some of my fave businesses to see if they want to collab with me on some special projects – watch this space!
Minty Must Haves
For more gorgeous, hand-crafted pieces, be sure to check out Little Cloud Lane here.
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