How an accident led to new crafting business idea for Yorkshire mum

Out of sheer boredom the mum of one began to make pretty personalised bookmarks and fabric pictures on her bedside cabinet and set up a shop on Ebay to sell them. Kirsty had suffered a fall and partially dislocated her hip, bored and stuck at home all the time she could not work in her usual banking job. She was also in a lot of discomfort.

"Nobody could work out why I was in so much pain. I was diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome and the fall had made things worse.

Hypermobility syndrome causes pain and stiffness in joints and muscles and joints that keep dislocating among other symptoms.

Kirsty, who was in an early days relationship with her partner Darren says: "I had a private physio which helped me learn how to manage the condition and Darren came round and helped me in the house with Jack."

Her then toddler son, Jack, was an inspiration and she wanted to make more things for his room.

Frustrated and in pain Kirsty filled her time making kids pictures from fabric and bits of beads to pass the time. "I couldn't find pictures I wanted and Jack wanted cushions of Thomas The Tank Engine.

"So I just started to make my own.

"I had always liked crafts and I started sourcing bits and pieces online and getting creative.

"I started to hand-sew cushions as I couldn't use a sewing machine and neither did I own one," she says.

"As I got better and started to walk again, I got a sewing machine and learned how to sew with it."

"Friends and family commented on the pieces I made and said they were so nice I should sell them, so I stuck a few bookmarks I had made on ebay and they started to sell.

"Then I started trying to make more things and sell them too."

Meanwhile Kirsty had to take 14 months off work and later stepped down from being banking advisor to cashier because she couldn't physically do the job as she had to be sat down.

Suffering with her condition, she eventually went part time, then moved house and went on call for the bank, while still making and selling her items online.

Her health continued to blight her.

She says: "In January 2015 my kneecap started dislocating.

"I had to hand my notice in and I went self-employed with an online shop called Simply Divine Things.

"It took a few years before I was close to a full income but I was recovering so I was not gung ho about it. I just took my time."

Kirsty says everything changed during the pandemic when suddenly orders went through the roof.

"In 2020 lockdown happened and we went crazy with online orders. It was full on."

Kirsty employed two members of staff - one lady to help with sewing, one to help with the posting and packaging and moved to offices in Holywell Green in Halifax, close to her home, where she rented the offices for four and a half years.

After struggling through the cost of living crisis, and having to sadly lose her staff, Kirsty managed to keep going and in April last year she began formulating a plan to move into physical premises.

When Kirsty saw the "shell" that was to become her new bricks and mortar store - ironically a former bank - she says she could see instantly how it could look.

As the light flooded through its windows Kirsty's dreams started to come to life.

"It was a shell but it has high ceilings and large windows with lots of natural light.

"I could see how it was going to look and I put an offer in straight away.

"It's over three floors and is absolutely huge."

The doors opened on April 27 this year and the first month has been what Kirsty describes as "a whirlwind."

She says: "There have been times when I have wondered "What have I committed to?" but I have an army of friends and family around me, all supporting me.

"It's been busy and has been getting really good responses.

"People come in and say it smells really nice and it looks really nice.

"I want people to come into the store and feel good, so they want to return.

"It's getting the reception I hoped for."

Kirsty is using numerous Yorkshire based suppliers including chocolate producers who are a mum and daughter team from Sheffield, a Brighouse based lady who makes children's clothes and home schools her own children to give her the flexibility to make it work, a Brighouse potter who has designed an exclusive range of mugs just for the shop and a soap and cosmetics producer from Mirfield who make Vegan soaps.

Kirsty says her suppliers are 70 percent Yorkshire based.

"It is important to support UK businesses. "The whole ethos of the store is we all go to the High Street together as small businesses" And she says she is selling "something for everyone" in the huge store.

Kirsty also has an online shop and offers individual sewing lessons at various prices in customers' homes.

She says: "I am selling mugs to bags to jewelry and toys. There is something for everyone."

Kirsty says there are lots of positives that have come with having the shop, including the sociable aspect and being in the market town of Brighouse - where she has settled in easily and been welcomed by locals.

She says: "I am very sociable - I like meeting people and so I love being in the shop rather than being alone at home.

"It's lovely chatting to my customers and having that friendly interaction.

"And the customers have been so friendly and given such a positive reaction."

Kirsty, who has just celebrated her 40th birthday, says despite originally planning to open a shop in Hebden Bridge, she is happy to have opened her store in Brighouse, where she says she is delighted with the community feel.

"There are lots of independent shops in Brighouse.

"The people are friendly and word spreads."

Best of all Kirsty says she loves selling items for all her sellers.

She says: "If you're a seller and you sell something you do a little happy dance inside.

"When you sell something from one of your sellers you do a little happy dance on their behalf.

"You know they are chuffed to pieces that someone wanted to buy what they made."

Simply Divine Things expanded into bricks and mortar at 23 Market Street, Brighouse, HD6 1AR. For online orders visit www.simplydivinethings.co.uk