Interview – Kelly Holcroft of That Vintage Caravan

By Andrea McArthur

Kelly Holcroft’s path to owning and operating Sydney’s first caravan bar, ‘That Vintage Caravan’, is one of passion, a desire to put heart and soul into doing what you love and an unplanned business. After falling for a caravan intended solely to store the remaining items from her "vintage extravaganza" wedding, Kelly's first caravan "Sweet Jane" was converted into a pink Travelling Teahouse, never actually to be used as storage. From that time ‘That Vintage Caravan’ was born and Kelly has been adding to her family of travelling caravan's with the recent addition of "Spencer" (a more masculine character!).

Usually a creator of experiences for her guests, today Kelly shares some of her own experiences on her ‘That Vintage Caravan’ journey with us!

Kelly, please describe the concept of ‘That Vintage Caravan’.

Our set up is perfect for those looking to create a memorable experience for their guests – one that is talked about for years to come!

Available for hire our beautiful vans are stylish, charming and offer a unique service. They’re perfect for a wedding, engagement party, bucks or hen’s day, kitchen tea, bridal shower, birthday corporate gig, product launch, Christmas gathering – any occasion really! From our handsome vintage mobile bar (Spencer) and delightful travelling teahouse (Sweet Jane) we offer a range of catering options to suit all tastes and budgets - including a simple drinks package morning or afternoon nibbles or a full morning High Tea experience. We’re on wheels so can bring our old world style to you at any place or time. ‘That Vintage Caravan’ is also available to attend fairs, festivals, fetes and as well as private photo shoots.

Can you share your vision of a great event or gathering?

A fabulous party always has a theme or includes an element of surprise (like a vintage caravan bar)! It also involves great company, great music, great food (and wine) and gives people a reason to unite and celebrate in the name of FUN!

Have you always had a passion for vintage?

I love collecting things with a history or a story. It makes them more interesting and precious. I also love a bit of up-cycling. There’s nothing better than giving old stuff a new life. As a child I was constantly crafting so I think it is just a natural progression. I got a new sander for mother’s day last year – it was the best present ever! What led you to making the leap from events to ‘That Vintage Caravan’ business owner? I have worked in finance for the last 7 years and that’s the main reason I started this business. I needed something else in my life other than numbers… a creative outlet and a project that I was passionate about.

The leap wasn’t planned. Things slowly came together after my hubby and I got married. The wedding was a vintage extravaganza. Following the big day I found it hard to part with my special treasures. My collection in fact continued to grow. With our little house bursting at the seams we (my hubby) decided I needed more space and suggested a caravan would be a good space to store my bits and pieces. And it just went from there!

The first van was purchased from the Southern Highlands (it was never used as storage). Sweet Jane is a Travelling Teahouse. She took about 9 months to convert. My handsome Spencer (a mobile bar) followed about 9 months later. He’s the new man in my life!

What skills have you brought over from your previous career experiences into ‘That Vintage Caravan’?

I have been in communications, events and marketing for last 20 years so I guess I bring all of those skills with me. I’ve worked across a variety of fields including the not for profit sector, financial services and local Government. In what seems like a lifetime ago I was also a teacher.

How did you devise the caravan's personalities, Spencer and Ms Sweet Jane?

The personality for each van came easy. Spencer is named after the Charlie Chaplin (aka Sir Charles Spencer). He was a strong, iconic character who made people feel happy… and that’s what I want my business to do. Jane gets her identity from Jane Austen one of my all time favourite authors.

What are your favourite events to work on?

Hard to say really, I love all of the parties that I do for different reasons. We’ve helped celebrate weddings, engagements, Christmas parties, baby showers and hen’s days. Actually I did a 100th birthday not so long ago. That was pretty spesh! Not many get the chance to be involved in such a significant event. It was a really beautiful day, filled with love and joy.

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

I am a bit of a night owl and do my best work late in the evening. My biz is a one lady show so I do it all. I still work 3 days a week (in finance) so I just try to fit things in where I can. There is no routine. I am very lucky to have a supportive partner and a great family who help me – which makes things so much easier.

Where to from here with That Vintage Caravan?

I’d love a fleet of vintage caravans. That’d make me a happy little camper!

What advice do you have for others who might be considering a jump into a small business?

An old boss once told me ‘fake it till you make it’ nobody really knows what they’re doing so smile, be confident and just keep going! And you know what? It’s true!

I use this saying when I start to feel lost or insecure things about how ‘wonderful’ everybody is. Creating a business is daunting. There are so many things to learn and just when you think you’ve got it under control something else pops up. You need to be true to yourself, trust your instincts and work hard!

Thank you Kelly for your time and sharing your story with us! For more vintage goodness follow That Vintage Caravans' adventures on Instagram instagram.com/thatvintagecaravan and to find out more details about Kelly's unique setup go to www.thatvintagecaravan.com.au. _

Andrea McArthur (www.andyjane.com) has a passion for all things visual and works as a Senior Graphic Designer at StartJG Middle East – Dubai. Type is her true love and goes weak at the knees over beautiful design. You’ll find her sharing design related musings via Twitter and Instagram @andyjanemc.

June Membership offer: Free $10 Moo.com voucher + win $250 to spend at Moo!

Thanks to the awesome folk at MOO.com, for the month of June 2014, CWC Members can get a US$10 voucher to use on any of their fantastic products! Need new business cards, postcards stickers, swing tags or greeting cards? MOO can deliver full-colour printed loveliness in small or large quantities.

Current CWC Members can also go in the running to win a US$250 voucher to spend at Moo.com. Wow - that'd be your business printing needs sorted.

Find out more about the voucher code and read the terms here. If you're not a current Member, join or renew here.

Thanks, MOO!

5 Tips for Keeping a Positive Mindset When Things Aren’t Going to Plan

Sometimes we have periods where our businesses are going great-guns. It's hard work but things are moving quickly and in a forward direction. Nothing but awesome - it's a great place to be. But there are also times where we might start to wonder why things aren’t going to plan, and why it feels more like we’re treading water (even if it looks awesome from the outside looking in).

Here are some tips to work with that.

• Take a break and get away from work. This could be an hour or two in a coffee shop or a weekend away, or even a weekend where you just do anything but work. Clear your head and give it a chance to see the forest for the trees. It can feel counter productive to step away when tasks are piling up and you feel like you should be doing more to fix the situation, but you have to take care of you to take care of your creative business.

• Confide in someone you trust. Even if they can’t give advice, they can help share that load weighing on your mind. They might have some creative solutions, or they might just be someone who’s got your back. We all need them, in good times, but especially when times feel bad. Having someone to remind you of something funny always helps.

• Come up with a plan. Yes, things aren’t feeling great, but now’s your opportunity to turn the situation around. Identify the things that aren’t working and write them each on their own pieces of paper. Turn your favourite music on, dance, and start to think about how you can use those things (focusing on one at a time) as jumping-off points for something much better. Sometimes it’s in the most frustrating problems that we find the best solutions.

• Dream big and then dream small. Things aren’t going to plan? You realised that this just isn’t working as it is? Now is a great time to start thinking about what does work for you. Ask yourself: What’s the 'big picture?' Got it? Now dream small and turn it into actionable goals. Remember that nothing is a straight sprint to “Hell yeah!”, it’s more like an obstacle course.

• Do something that fills you with energy. When things aren’t going well, it can feel like there’s no time to do the kind of work that fills you with energy and makes you feel great. Try to find 15 minutes to an hour a day to do the task that reminds you what that great feeling feels like. Even if you have to ride the less than great times out, this will give you something to hold onto during those times when you need it most.

All of these things have helped me when things in my creative business haven’t been going as planned. When I came out the other side, I had all these things in my armoury, plus the knowledge that the tough times don’t last forever. Even if things are going great right now, it can be good to make a mental plan of who to reach out too and what it is that always fills you with energy. Here’s to more good times than bad!

Dannielle is a blogger, serial organiser and passionate traveller. She has a secret love of 90s teen movies and can often be found hanging out on Pinterest. She is on a mission to help people bring happiness (and fun) back into their homes with a dash of organisation and a sprinkle of their own awesome style over at her blog Style for a Happy Home.

My Advice: Getting Published

{Photographs by Natalie McComas, published in Frankie Magazine}

By Lizzie Stafford

Getting your work out there is one of the most important aspects of being a creative practitioner, but everyone knows getting published isn't easy. So how do you approach an editor? How do you let them know your work is good enough or the right fit for their magazine, blog, book or website? Here, a photographer, a stylist, an editor/writer, an illustrator and a blogger/author/crafter offer their (invaluable) words of advice.

Have an up-to-date, clean and easy-to-navigate website.

Natalie McComas, photographer

"I feel that every photographer's journey into the publishing world can be a different one.

For me, it's been a combination of editors contacting me via my website, networking with other creatives, submitting article ideas and folios, photographers referring me for jobs and also knowing the right people at the right time.

I'd definitely say that having an up to date, clean and easy-to-navigate website, with all the right key words for search engines, to be a pretty important part of not only getting work, but also getting published. It is, after all, your 'shopfront' available 24/7 for browsing. I've had international magazines contact me to shoot for them just from Googling photographers in my area. Once, I was asked by an editor in London to shoot an interior story for their magazine - even though I didn't have any interior shots on my site. They liked my style, saw I had credentials and knew I'd be able to do the job the way they needed it done.

If you are submitting work, firstly, do your homework to make sure it is not something that has been featured elsewhere recently! It is best if the pitch is succinct and with all relevant links/ facts/ accompanying photos to make it super easy for your contact to look through and evaluate.

Whilst making submissions do not get discouraged if you don't get a reply straight away. Sometimes I've heard back from editors three months later from when I actually pitched the idea. If you don't hear back or if you are rejected, don't take it personally. Keep your chin up and think about how you can make your next submission a little better."

Know your magazines.

Lyndel Miller, stylist

"I still get a kick out of seeing my work grace the pages of a magazine. As I start writing this I am reminded that there is a lot to know about this process. I am a published cookbook author, have produced and styled books for others and am now writing my second cookbook/styling book for release in 2015. I love books! I equally love magazines and love to encourage others.

There is a process for the stylist when looking to get published. There is one for the photographer and one also for the writer. This is also a collaborative process. I think the single most important thing to take on board for all parties if you are dreaming of photographing, styling, or writing for an interior editorial is to know your magazines. It's the best place to start.

Really know them. This might be stating the obvious, though I find those I mentor are not always attuned to this. Subscribe to the ones you would like to submit to.

Ask yourself: Who is their audience? What style of homes are they constantly featuring? What is the writing style? What is the style of photography?

Look beyond the gloss on pages to the formula. Read them! Know your editors, read their work. They are the essence of their magazines. Then look at whether your style and your crew you have chosen to collaborate with can cater to this.

An editorial submission is not just about you and your work but that of a photographer, and perhaps a writer if you decide to team up with one and offer a magazine the whole package.

Not all photographers are the same. Not all writers are the same. This applies to stylists also. Choose to work with those that exhibit talent for the field you wish to pursue. A like-minded team is very important. Ideally, team up and collaborate with a crew that already has contacts in the industry. This can be very helpful. Collaboration is key! A photo stylist cannot showcase ones work without a photographer. Building a relationship with a photographer is paramount."

Pitch often and pitch well.

Emily Lush, freelance writer/editor

"When you’re trying to get published, rejection is inevitable but feedback is invaluable. Pitch often and pitch well - not only will it improve your chances of getting published, but pitching is a great way to access feedback. Whether it’s an auto reply or a thoughtful piece of constructive criticism, take every rejection letter you receive and learn something from it.

No matter how many leads you’ve chased, interviews you’ve transcribed or background research you’ve enveloped yourself in, no idea is ever wasted, and no time you invest in a story you’re passionate about is ever wasted time. Getting published might be your end goal, but professional writing is a process. One of the first feature articles I ever wrote was shot down in flames by the magazine I pitched to - so into the desk drawer it went. When I had the opportunity to revisit the subject for a different publication several years later, I already had the knowledge, so I was able to build on my original ideas, reconnect with old contacts and write a stronger feature. Better still, my initial awareness on the topic had subconsciously forced me to pay attention to every little tidbit of information I came across in the interim. The story that I eventually published took a few days to write, but it had been in development for three years - becoming richer and more refined with every passing day.

There’s nothing wrong with recycling your old ideas or contacts - the best stories take time to produce. Now that I work on the other side of the desk sorting submissions (at Peppermint Magazine), I often see writers come back again and again with ideas they’ve polished or new ones they’ve pursued. Showing a publication that you’re willing to persevere - and to learn and bounce back from rejection - proves that you’re committed.

Once you have momentum, keep it rolling. I highly recommend using an online portfolio or blog to catalogue your published and unpublished work. If you use a blog, you can track your progress as a writer and curate your own content, which can be a helpful motivator if you’re struggling to get your ideas noticed. An online portfolio is also a great way to store your ideas and inspirations - return to them again and again, make links between old and new, and keep creating."

Get ready to hear the word no.

Amy Borrell, illustrator

"I first started freelancing as an illustrator a few years ago and in the beginning, getting my work out into the world and published was all a bit of a mystery. But through a fair bit of trial and error I've learnt a few tricks that will hopefully help increase the chances of your work being seen - and commissioned! - by the right people.

Do good work! It sounds simple, but if you don't like your own work, chances are noone else will. Identify potential publications with a similar aesthetic to your own. Reaching out to likeminded people will increase the chances of a response.

Try to find the Art Director's name of said publication so you can contact them directly. Be personal, polite and straight to the point. Clients are generally busy people, so you have to give them a reason to read your email over the hundreds of others that may be lining their inbox. Use their name at the beginning, a clear subject line and a short cheery email introducing yourself with a link to your online portfolio.

Get ready to hear the word no - or nothing at all! It happens a lot when you're first starting out, but with a little perseverance you'll stumble upon people who will genuinely love and support your work!"

Be innovative, surprising, authentic, fresh!

Pip Lincolne, author, blogger, crafter

"My advice to creatives who want to be published is this: have a blog or website where you can showcase your work. Editors not only need to be able to read your work, they need to be able to FIND you if they Google you! Be innovative, surprising, authentic, fresh! Offer your own unique self out to the world, there is nobody like you and this is your chance to show who you really are.

Be humble and thankful for any help you get along the way and promote the work of other creatives you love to build a little community around you. If you want to write a book or appear in your favourite magazine, interact with publishers either on platforms like Instagram and Facebook - or just email them a short, polite, personal email telling them about the good things you are doing. If you email a publisher or editor, keep it short and sweet and include any relevant information about your work PLUS a low res image (with a ink to a hi-res online version). Make your email short but compelling to make publication/further research easier for the recipient.

And finally work hard, be nice to people and never give up! It takes time to be successful! Don't be disheartened if it's slow progress. Slow going is better than no-going, if publication is your dream! Keep going at your craft and soldier on!"

Lizzie Stafford is a freelance writer and editor and owns and runs Künstler, an independent magazine and bookstore based in Winn Lane, Brisbane. She is the Brisbane events coordinator for CWC.

New event recordings now online!

The first three speaker events of the year are now available in audio form over at the podcasts page! Hear gems of wisdom and all about the creative careers of three awesomely talented Australian ladies: film maker and photographer Hailey Bartholomew; artist and event stylist Heidi Moore-Gill; and fine artist Miranda Skoczek.

Event recordings are accessible to Members only. Join this month and receive a free movie ticket, too!

Create a mood board to clarify your brand

By Susan Goodwin

Despite not always wanting to admit it, as creatives who sell our work or creative services, we 'are' our brands. And in the online space, the visual impact of your brand matters more now than ever before. Having a strong cohesive look to everything from your website and social media accounts, to your email marketing and printed promotional pieces, has become increasingly important. 

For this reason, it's worth regularly standing back to have a look at the elements of your brand and how they are represented visually, and if that representation accurately reflects who you are and what you do.

Ask yourself: Do they all look like they came from one place? Or are they completely varied and share none of the same visual clues? Do they tell a story or show you something you want to buy or be a part of?

If your communications are leaving you feeling less than stellar about your brand, then don't become disheartened. Like any marketing exercise, it simply might be time for you to start reigning in your ideas, and focus.  One way this can be achieved is ti create a mood board for your brand.

A mood board will create a visual look for your brand so that each time you need to take a photo, use a font, or create a marketing piece you can draw inspiration from the same source material. This way, instead of having a disjointed message, you will be providing a strong clear visual that backs up the presence of your brand.

Ideally, your mood board should:

• be a collection of images that give you inspiration.
• have images that show the ideals of your brand.
• showcase your aesthetic.
• depict colours, fonts, and styles of imagery that work together and that provide a practical resource you can refer to when creating communications.

But, most importantly, every time you look at your mood board it should make you feel inspired, it should remind you of your goals and all the things you want to achieve in your creative business.

In terms of actually creating a mood board, there are many options. Your mood board can be virtual, using a platform like Pinterest; you could create one using Illustrator or Photoshop; or you could make yourself a coffee, grab a stack of magazines and get to cutting and assemble one on a cork board for above your desk (or if you're really pressed for space, just take over the refrigerator door!).

Mood boards are fun to make and a constant source of inspiration. And remember, they can change. As your brands grows you can add or subtract your source imagery. It won’t stop you from being spontaneous and taking a perfect Instagram image on the spur of the moment, but it might just help to bring your brand and business intentions into focus and create a better visual language.

{Image credits: Screenshot from our Pinterest page; other images by Susan.}

Susan Goodwin is the designer, sewer and creator of Rocket Fuel, ensuring you are decked out in style while cycling. Read her blog or follow her on Twitter @rocketfuelstyle.

May Membership offer: 2-for-1 movie passes to Grace of Monaco

Thanks to our friends at Entertainment One we have complimentary 2-for-1 passes to the new film Grace of Monaco for members who join or renew their membership during May 2014.

Current members can also go in the draw to win one of 25 passes to the film, starring Nicole Kidman in the role of screen icon Grace Kelly.

Click here to see the giveaway terms and to take advantage of this special offer!

Or watch the film's trailer below.