Unless you have been under a rock for the last month, you will know that I have been blogging about the Kreo Home ‘Local is the new Black’ campaign.
Let me tell you a little bit more……
It all started about 8 weeks ago when Maggie Pana, the brains behind this fabulous giveaway, posted just a few words on her business page on IG….’Local is the new Black’ …little did she know what was about to unfold! I just popped my hand up and said ‘I will help where I can’…..wow…what a month it’s been!
The whole idea was to give local creatives a chance to get their name ‘out there’ through the power of social media and to be part of a huge giveaway promoting local businesses! The response was nothing Maggie & I could have ever imagined!
I think I could hear the ‘Oh my god’s’ and ‘No Way’s’ from Maggie’s home across town!
She was soon answering emails and receiving products week after week…until she realised that she was going to have to split up all the donated prizes , over 70+ of them….into a series of giveaways spanning over 4 weeks totalling approx. $5000 …how fantastic! I have also blogged about each business, what a creative bunch they were!
She wanted to use her business as a platform to promote ‘Buy Local’……. What a great idea, we all have to start somewhere don’t we! She had her own stockists donating goods for the giveaway, as well as people she had never heard of before!
Now a bit about Maggie’s business….Kreo Home! (www.kreohome.com.au)
It’s an online homewares and lifestyle store run by Maggie and her husband Chris Pana. Both of them share a keen eye for fun, quirky, edgy, eclectic & hard to find homewares & lifestyle products. (There’s that word again …eclectic!) She has a huge passion for buying local design, but also loves a lot of talent from across the shores.
They founded ‘Kreo Home’, just over 2 years ago, out of a want to showcase local talent, and in particular wares that are not mass produced.
She was sick of seeing the same old cr#p in stores over and over……
They source their products by visiting local design markets, trade fairs, by word of mouth, and of course spending hours upon hours on the internet and social media channels.
We have had many conversations of late discussing how much we would love local handmade products to take over the spotlight from bigger retailers & manufacturers.
It will take time, but together we can make a difference! I personally love visiting the design markets, meeting the makers and talking about the process of how their goods are made.
We as consumers now have so much choice, and I think it’s always great to buy something a bit different don’t you?
Where she can, Maggie likes to stock items with an ‘eco & sustainable focus’. Nowadays, we are all a lot more aware of the ongoing impact of these factors on the environment and the future for our kids.
I was going to ask Maggie what her favourite ‘piece’ in her store was…..but I think that’s just asking for trouble! Firstly, I’d be here for hours writing down all the suppliers, we all know that if they are on her store, she loves them all!
These pictures featured are just a few of my favourites….
Maggie likes to decorate her home in a bit of an ‘eclectic meets contemporary’ look. She likes to mix patterns, texture and pops of colour…Maggie is a rule breaker when it comes to homewares and styling.
She photographs most of the stock for the store where she can, and is luckily enough to manage it from her home. She has 2 divine little kidlets, who have certainly been keeping her busy of late with lots of ‘Xmas’ concerts and bringing their proud mother to tears. She loves to spend time at the beach as much as she can, to get away from the hustle & bustle of busy city life….bring on the holidays I say!
Maggie to me is a relatively new friend, but one I feel as though I have had for a long long time! We are on the same page on so many levels, have a slightly crazy nature, a little OCD when it comes to Interiors and Homewares and like a Vodka lime & Soda or two! We are both extremely passionate about our businesses, family and my god is she super loyal!
Thanks Maggie…..I am so happy to have been involved in this giveaway with you! XX
I know that I will be talking on behalf of all the suppliers involved in this incredible giveaway, the original and the best #localisthenewblack….THANK YOU!
I know I will look with interest to the future collaborations from the connections you’ve helped make possible, you’ve all been incredible!
Thanks to Chris and the girls for letting ‘mummy’ do something she is so passionate about…..I can’t wait to see what unfolds next for Kreo Home & ‘Local is the new Black 2015’!
THANK YOU… YOU ARE AN AMAZING WOMAN….xxx
(all pics via Kreo Home and goodies available of her online store.)
The K J Collective 