Handcrafted business opens its doors in Lismore

CARRINGTON St is coming alive with beautiful handmade crafts with the opening of a new business featuring wood block printing and leather crafts.

CRAFTY COUPLE: Speaking Stones Creations Amy Jung and Rikina Leather Craft's Matt Woodrow have opened a new store at 21 Carrington St, Lismore, Genuine Cottage Crafts, to showcase their beautiful handmade products. Picture: Alison Paterson

A NEW shop in Lismore offers a gorgeous range of bespoke speciality handmade items and allows customers to see them being made as they walk past.

The sign over the door at Genuine Cottage Crafts at 21 Carrington St signals exactly what's inside.

There the dynamic combination of Amy Jung who creates fabric items decorated with hand-carved Indian woodblocks and Matt Woodrow an artisan specialising in leather work, have produced a modern and inviting space of modern rustic-chic.

The shared space is subtly made out of two distinct spaces which signify the couple's distinct business.

Above Ms Jung's desk is a mandala signifying her business Speaking Stones Creations, while above Mr Woodrow's corrugated and timber space, a cow skull gives his side of the shop a Tex-Mex vibe.

Ms Jung's speciality is creating beautiful hand-printed babies, children's and adults clothing, which previously she sold at her shop in an arcade in town.

She said she is thrilled to be in the new shop which combines retail and studio spaces.

"All these items are sewn locally, many from 100 per cent organic cotton and it's good for people to be able to see what you are creating," she said.

"I'm really passionate about all the clothing and I heat seal everything which is hand-printed in the shop myself using and eco-friendly fabric ink."

Mr Woodrow said he loves making leather-goods which are entirely hand-stitched.

Waving his hand at a wall of beautiful hand-crafted belts and bags of all shapes and sizes, Mr Woodrow said it is invigorating to have people pop in and discuss what they want in an item,

"They come in and can see how we work and talk to us about what they want made," he said.

"Around 70 per cent of my business is custom, I can create anything out of leather which can be hand-made, wallets, handbags and belts and I love to do hand-carving."

The pair said they are thrilled so many people in Lismore and the region have turned their backs on mass-produced products in favour of those made with care.

"Our items are made the old fashioned way, with respect for the customer, materials and environment," Ms Jung said.