About me:
I am Tracey, a 43 year old Mum to a 12 year old boy called Barnaby, a bonus daughter, Niamh, who is also 12, and utterly brilliant girlfriend to Rodger (she says!). We live in Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, with our ginger cats; One called Ziggy after my favourite character in my favourite tv programme when I was a kid (Grange Hill!) and the other is Cooper - affectionately known as 'Poopers' - I will leave you to draw your own conclusions as to why!
After a disastrous attempt at Textiles GSCE many moons ago, sewing was a far distant memory. Then in early 2013, as another avenue for my new crafting obsession, I took some sewing lessons and fell utterly in love with my machine and it's magical creations! Dixie Dot Designs was born in 2013 after making lovely homemade handmade delights for my friends who then asked if I could make some for them to give as gifts too. From there I embraced a new love of crafting, venturing out in to teaching people what I'd learnt.
I soon realised there was a need to teach larger groups of people and wanted to start a business encouraging people into finding new hobbies and getting children to embrace their creative side which is where the seed of an idea began to grow.
About Dixie Dot Crafts:
The Dixie Dot Craft Studio was then opened in May 2017, in a tiny little unit in Quedgeley, to great success. Alas, due to it popularity , amidst parking problems and growing out of the studio rapidly, I had to move quite quickly!
In February 2018 I took the keys to my studio in Kingsway which is at least three times the size of my first studio. It means we have a brilliant and bright space to craft in, and it makes me happy walking through the door every day.
By December 2019 plans were afoot and we launched ‘Dixie Dot on Tour’ - taking a slice of the studio experience and bringing it to your local towns and villages so that we can spread some of the Dixie Dot love far and wide. We are running lots of workshops and craft sessions for adults and children, attending corporate events, running birthday parties and hosting special events to capture your babies prints on ceramics. We are even running special events to produce pet print keepsakes for you to treasure forever!
March 2020 bought about another change in our structure and we pulled forward the years plans to launch the ‘Dixie Dot Shop’ online - chance for everyone to purchase crafts kits to make and get creative at home. While CoronaVirus bought with it lots of stress and worry and upsetting times for everyone, we were able to react quickly and diversify what we offer and are delivering the kits nationwide through the UK. Shortly we will be selling some ‘Dixie Dot’ originals in our shop - from colourful tea towels we have hand blocked-printed ourselves, to our own beautifully smelling candles!
What does the future hold?
Lots more exciting changes are ahead! We plan to expand the offerings at the studio, starting with employing some staff, more workshops and more keepsake options. Dixie Dot on Tour is expanding outside of Gloucestershire, and the shop - well that is going to be stocking craft kits alongside our own YouTube channel. Dixie Dot TV will be there to take you through your crafting ‘Step by Step’ to encourage you to grow your confidence and capabilities, but mostly to enjoy it and have some fun! This way we can reach people all over the country... even all over the world! I quite like the sound of Dixie Dot ‘going international’ - anyone fancy opening a branch in Australia?!