Illustrator Colette Bream makes colorful, cozy knits and wooly friends aimed at both kids and adults. With all products handmade, there is a palpable value in them – an added layer of meaning and character, as opposed to items that are mass-produced in a factory. There’s also an added personal touch to her items, which makes them all the more endearing.
“My shop started when my daughter was born,” recalled Bream in an interview with the Etsy blog. “I had a desire to rid her room of anything that wasn’t natural (any polyester, plastic, etc.). I was looking for something beautiful in its simplicity and innocence, and I wanted to accentuate that with colorful accessories. With that in mind, and with a nostalgic nod to my own childhood (perhaps in an attempt to bring old, faded memories back to life), Colette Bream was born.”
Nowadays Bream divides her energy between her business and her daughter. “Although she loves being around while I work, being a mom is my priority,” she notes. “Time goes by so fast and I consider myself lucky to be able to be home every day and watch her grow. I cherish taking our daily walks together and seeing the world through her eyes.”
Her daughter also provides an endless source of inspiration, when it comes to her artistic creations. “Imaginative play is such an important part of one’s childhood — that’s why I strive to create things that are inspiring to others,” she says. “For example: a cloud. A whole story can be created around a simple cloud. You can hang it up on your wall and start pretending, making up stories and imagining.”
Nature is also a huge source of inspiration for Bream, as well as her own childhood. “I was always a dreamer as a child and even now children’s aesthetics are very enticing to me as an adult,” she admits.
