Small Business Saturday - Quirky Hippie Decor
Happy Saturday Islanders!
We are excited to bring you Episode 5 of Small Business Saturday! This week we are eager to introduce you to Ashwini Vasudevan of Quirky Hippie Decor.
One day as we were catching up with our lovely Islanders comments we received the kindest message from Ashwini about one of our products. Quirky Hippie Decor from that moment caught our attention and we became mesmerized by her mandala designs. We found ourselves examining every dot and just how unique each one was. We were always rather drawn to bright colours and this was something we enjoyed seeing on our feed.
Please give this small business some love let her know what you thing of her amazing products.
XO
Rylan
1) Tell us a little bit about your small business?
My name is Ashwini, and I am the artist behind Quirky Hippie Decor.
I hand paint Mandala designs on various mediums – coffee mugs, keychains, baskets, bookmarks, coasters, stickers, wall hangings etc. I find the process to be meditative, and each dot and stroke is thoughtfully added to each piece, to make it unique and colorful! I love to draw inspiration from nature, in fact my earlier collectively were heavily inspired by my houseplants!
2) What is your favourite thing about your small business?
Quirky Hippie Decor is my side hustle, which gives me a wonderful creative outlet as well as an experience very different from my corporate job. I get to meet such wonderful makers, and artists through it… and it also continuously pushes me beyond my comfort zone.
3) What is your small business’s origin story?
I started this business in 2020, at 5 months pregnant and newly laid off during the pandemic... it was not just my way to cope, but also to ensure I would remember my pregnancy journey as one of resilience & self-belief!
I often call it a “naptime business” because even now, I only get to paint once my daughter is tucked in for the night.
4) What are your best selling products?
My mandala coffee mugs are a huge hit, even for custom orders. A close second are my seagrass baskets, because they can quickly add a pop of color to a garden or a closet! I also sell stickers and bookmarks in my Etsy shop, which do very well as stocking stuffers during the holidays.
5) Why should people focus on buying small and local if possible?
Because there is an actual person behind the business whose dreams and hopes are attached to your approval of their products/service. And every single purchase makes someone’s day!