Friday Feature - Kitty Came Home

I confess I missed a week in my Friday Feature blog posts. It’s amazing how even when your schedule should be vastly reduced with nowhere to go, the days and hours keep flying past. Each day I hope is a step closer to seeing the light at the end of this COVID-19 tunnel. You know that news is bad when no one comments on the weather anymore. The weather has actually been glorious here in Adelaide the last couple of months - true we could always use some more rain but I am holding on to these mild days before I find myself continually hunched with the cold of Winter. The sunny weather, is also making me remember brighter days which leads me to my featured makers this week: Kitty Came Home

Katrina and Farley are the magical team behind the Kitty Came Home brand. I can’t remember how I first found their work but I believe it was at Urban Cow Studio many years ago and also at Bowerbird. I have followed them on Instagram and am always in awe of their busy schedule and admit to obsessing over photos of their beautiful cat before he sadly passed. They are undoubtedly the Queen and King of design events in Australia and set the standard for product quality and stall design way back when the rest of us were still barely managing a trestle table with a tablecloth. This multi-talented duo have an incredible work ethic and a skill set that ensures they achieve exceptional standards in everything they set out to do.

Their range of work includes handmade wallets, journal covers, diaries and their famous clutches as well as a colourful range of jewellery and accessories. Everything is meticulously made by them in their home studio with attention to every detail, Their wallets bring new life to colourful vintage fabric finds and they also create their own fabric designs as well as collaborating with other artists such as the talented Dana Kinter and the clever Jess from Birds Nests For Hair.

In 2018, I had the honour of collaborating with Katrina and Farley on four designs to be used in their wallets that we launched at Bowerbird in the November of that year. It is true that collaborating with other people, often produces your best work maybe because you feel the need to work harder to not let the other side down but also because you have the power of more minds working together. It really was a whole year process from start to finish with many a meeting in a coffee shop to discuss designs, colours and purse linings and progress updates and I think we were all super proud of the final products.

The best place to see the work of Kitty Came Home is usually at design market events where you can meet the Kitties in person and see their amazing display of goodies. Unfortunately since all markets are cancelled for the foreseeable future, the best place to shop for their beautiful products is through their website or follow their Instagram or Facebook accounts. Send them a friendly hello if you would love them to make something unique just for you.

I am looking forward to the day when I can catch up again with Farley and Katrina in person. Their website will show you all their wonderful work but what it might not tell you is how amazingly beautiful and generous these two humans are. They have a wealth of knowledge and stories they are always willing to share and are well loved in the Australian design community by all. The cleverest most inspirational Kitties I know!

All photos copyright Kitty Came Home and shared with permission.