Winding Down...

After a busy week it was time to wind down and so last night I headed to one of Crows Nest's newest establishments - "Small Bar".   Small it is but it is a "Big" hit with the locals.  Only opened about a month ago I thought I would go and take a look.  So with my husband and close friend K we headed off after work for drinks.

Once a restaurant, it has been converted in a gorgeous bar with an outdoor area.  We loved the fairy lights in the courtyard and the menu is wonderful.  It is a great boost to Crows Nest and is the sister bar to the "Small Bar" in the city (Eskine Street). 

It is wonderful to see Sydney starting to embrace small bars the way Melbourne has for years.  There you can find hole in the wall bars, bars in small alley ways etc.  It gives Melbourne character and reminds me of other cities in the world.  Sydney has been somewhat lagging in this area but they are slowly popping up due to new council regulations and a softening of liquor laws. 

Run down alley ways of the city and small spaces are now converting themselves into night time destinations for the hip crowds.  This is attractive to overseas visitors too who are not to pleased by a city that only seems to pulsate during business hours.  Unlike other large cities around the world, at night you could be forgiven for thinking Sydney was a ghost town at night.

Now with inner city living being promoted, residents need local bars and restaurants to stay open later.  Crows Nest is a perfect example.  Anyway that it my 2c for today! 

I must say that working in Crows Nest can be dangerous for the waistline!  So many great places to choose from.  I wonder how many calories I burn off by stretching my canvases and running up and down my shop stairs all day?

Hello. My Very First Blog!

Hi there!

My name is Fiona and I'm the owner of Storybook Children's Art, a store in Crows Nest Sydney.

I thought I would start a blog due to requests from family and friends to keep them I'm to date with what I'm doing these days. And partly because I work so much that I don't always get to catch up with everyone.

I'm a wife and a mum of two gorgeous boys and live on Sydney's Northern Beaches. It is my favourite place in the whole world! I love art, fashion, travelling and interior design. However Art is my passion and I was lucky to be able to pursue it and end up the owner of my own business.

HOW IT ALL STARTED...

My idea for my business started the way most small businesses do, from being frustrated that you want something that you can not find. I was pregnant with my first son and was busying myself getting his nursery ready. I had painted the walls, I had bought all his clothes, the furniture was all in place and the only thing left was to decorate. Which is always the fun part. So I decided to go out and find some cute artworks for his walls. That is when my problems began.

I was dismayed at not being able to find anything I liked. I didn't like the art that was out there. It lacked the vibrancy and colour of what I wanted. I wanted art that you could stare at for hours, that had more detail and you could enjoy over and over again. And I wanted it to reflect what children loved today. Most of all, I wanted it to be totally different from what was out there.

When my artworks were ready, I started off selling them casually in shopping centres and the reception that I received from the public confirmed that I was on the right track. They loved them and I had customers ringing me to find out where I would be next. I then started an online store but my customers would ask where my store was. I then realised I needed to open a store. I opened my Crows Nest store and I guess as they say, the rest is history!

I couldn't have done it without the support of my family and friends. I may be run off my feet but when you do something you are passionate about it doesn't feel like work at all. To see a child come in and be so excited about art as if it were a toy is amazing. My art is now in homes all around the world and the feedback I've received makes me realise it was all worth it. If my art makes children and adults happy then so am I.

Fiona