Khushie

How did Khushie come about?

We can honestly say that Khushie began at the gym! Lindy and I would work out together 3 times a week and were always brainstorming ideas! We are both Mums and have a lot of special drawings and pieces of art, that our children have done for us, however we wanted a better way to display and share it with family. Our initial idea was to print childrens art work to cushions that would be worthy of display in any bedroom or living area and a great gift to the grandparents or other friends and relatives. We continue to do this but have expanded to stick figure family cushions, birth announcement designs and our own range of Khushie designer items.

What is your inspiration behind Khushie?

Our children and our love of home décor. We both want to work whilst continuing to be there for our children and watch them grow – they have inspired us to overcome the hurdles along the way and to just keep pushing on and make Khushie a success.

Tell us about your product range?

Our products range from originally designed pieces, birth announcement cushions, family tree cushions, angel baby range, custom designed orders, stick figure families and of course – childrens artwork printed to cushion

We have 40x40cm square cushions and 30x50cm rectangle cushions constructed of a high quality poly/linen material. The technique we use is called sublimation printing which doesn’t just place an image on top of fabric it actually permeates the fabric and sets into the fibres. What does this mean? It means the fabric is permanently dyed and will never fade or peel and can be machine washed numerous times.

What is the best part about working on Khushie?

Being able to work around our family commitments and working with a great friend!

…..and the hardest?

Having the kids at our feet whilst we are trying to complete orders!

Where do you make your products? Tell us about your space?

We have a home office in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast. It’s a very inspiring place to work as its right on the water with beautiful fresh breezes! We do all our printing and pressing here as well as all email and phone communicatiosn. We also work out of Lindys home in Currumbin Waters – this is where most of the designing takes place and where the orders are packed for shipping. A lot of our social media posts are done whereever and when ever we can manage. So there is a high probability that our latest post was put up at a park surrounded by screaming toddlers or at the beach whilst we are being buried!

What are your dreams for Khushie? Where would you like to see Khushie in 12 months/ 5 years?

In 12 months we would like to see Khushie with a strong customer base and a regular influx of orders. In 5 years we would like to have our own shop front and factory and be globally recognised.

What is your work/life background?

Vanessa: I grew up in melbourne and whilst dabbling in some acting and modeling I have worked in retail my whole adult life. I began as a casual in my teens and quickly worked my way up to 2IC, manager and eventually became a National manager for a childrens clothing company. Whilst the “perks” of the job were great – I missed out on so much with my eldest children and I promised myself I wouldn’t do that this time around with our newest member J

Lindy: I grew up about an hour south of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula. I studied health science at uni, then moved to Queensland not long after graduating. I have always worked in the health and beauty industry and took time out to travel the world with my husband for 18 months before returning and starting our family

When two mummies were looking for a creative way to display their little one's precious artworks, Khushie was created. With an eye for style and interior design, Vanessa and Lindy set about designing beautiful, personalised keepsake cushions to be treasured and worthy of display in any home.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Vanessa: An actress! From the age of 2 that’s all I can remember wanting to be!

Lindy: A sports star and a mum

Who do you look up to? Who inspires you?

Vanessa: My mum inspires me. She suffered from a debilitating mental illness after my Dad passed away and her strength astounded me. People view mental illness as a weakness but she honestly amazed me. She started going to the gym and meeting new friends, tried working and even some volunteer work, tried natural and western medicines to help her and still continued to do so much for others, whilst the turmoil inside was crushing her. Unfortunately she has now passed, but she continues to inspire me every day to NEVER give up and always keep pushing and striving for more.

Lindy: I look up to my family. My dad raised my siblings and I after my mum passed away when I was very young. He's inspired me and has been such an influence as to how I raise my family.

A typical day for you involves?

Every day is different. Our little ones go to kindy 2 days a week – so those days are our BIG printing, pressing and postage days. Weekends are usually photography and website updating

The other days of the week look a bit like this:

6am: Getting woken up by little fingers peeling our eyelids open!

7am-8am: Breakfast and a workout, whilst checking social media!\

9am: Check emails and messages, print out orders

10am: Off to Playgroup or the park or anywhere else a Toddler – nado can run wild!

12pm: Little ones go down for nap, or quiet time with lunch and we get started on orders that have come through

2pm: More playtime with the kids, housework, washing and more checking of emails. Usually theres an update from us on Instagram around this time too.

3pm: Bigger kids home from school, time to help with homework. Also responding to emails

4pm: printing and pressing orders that werent completed on kindy days, or that have come through with priority listing.

5pm – 7pm: Dinner, bathing, putting little ones to bed

8pm – 11pm: Lindy and I email or text each other constantly with updates on orders, emails and social media.

Sleep happens sometime after this…….most nigths anyway ;)

What advice do you have for others who are dreaming about starting their own handmade business?

Take your time to plan it all out. Lindy and I took 6 months to plan and research khushie before even printing our first cushion. You want to make sure you get it right the first time, so when the orders start coming in youre not left feeling lost and unable to keep up.

How can people get their hands on your products?

We have our website www.khushie.com.au where you can pay securely with PayPal or can select bank deposit. We can also be contacted via Facebook and Instagram or email sales@khushie.com.au

We are currently researching all the local markets and will be updating our social media pages with our market dates as they occur.

How can people connect with you?

Website: www.khushie.com.au

Email: sales@khushie.com.au

Instagram: KHUSHIE_DECOR

Facebook: www.facebook.com/khushiepersonalised

About you

When your not working on Khushie, where would we find you?

Vanessa: At the beach, park or gym

Lindy: Currumbin Alley, the park or at home trying to get renovations finished

Favourite place to visit on the Gold Coast?

Vanessa: For the kids we cant go past The Pirate Park with Dune café, but we also love paddling down to Tallebudgera Creek for a stand up paddle board, bbq and swim.

Lindy: Currumbin Alley, there isn't a more beautiful place on the coast

Favourite place to eat on the Gold Coast?

Vanessa: BSKT café in Nobbys – all organic food and beverages with a little play area for the kids and a view of the beach, Greenhouse Factory in Coolongatta – amazing flavours and all organic and vegan.

Lindy: We also love BSKT! Allure is my favourite restaurant

Favourite coffee/juice shop?

Vanessa: I cant go to Burleigh with visiting the juice bar on James street. The dragon fruit juice is amazing and they serve it with fresh pieces of fruit skewered on your straw!

Lindy: Salt Mill and Burleigh Social

What are your favourite Gold Coast made businesses?

Vanessa: I absolutely adore the handmade kids clothing by Bungalow 12 – I see them at The Village Markets and wish my girl was still small enough to fit in them!

Lindy: Treasured interiors in Currumbin have an amazing variety of homewares

Favourite quote you live by?

Vanessa: Be kind wherever possible, it is always possible – dalai Lama

Lindy: Be the change you want to see in the world