MEET Fearnhead mum and entrepreneur Antonia Shannon, whose lockdown hobby transpired into a £6,000 a month earner.
The 32-year-old discovered the craft which is now the route of her small business when she was looking for a personalised dress up station for her little boy’s bedroom back in 2019.
Antonia came across a unique but ‘expensive’ idea online that used wire to create personalised signs.
“Instead of buying one, I just decided to give it a go instead and taught myself. My little boy loves dressing up, so I made him a dress up station.”
Having seen her quirky creation, the mum-of-two then began receiving requests from family and friends to make other personalised signs which she creates impressively using freehand.
The business, Wire Fox Designs, then evolved from there, with her now creating personal quotes upon request as well as names and other commissions that are ordered through her Etsy page and via Instagram.
Speaking on her flourishing brand and how lockdown helped get it off the ground, she said: “It was perfectly timed when I discovered the hobby and I enjoy making the signs. I do it in the style of my handwriting and just go completely freehand.
“It just snowballed and in some periods of lockdown I was making up to £6,000 a month. I had to get an accountant.”
While the business started as a humble hobby, Antonia now ships orders to all over the world, having just sent one to Dubai and another to the states.
“I still find it mental that people want to order them from me. I spend my evenings making them and I find it therapeutic to do.”
As well as co-ordinating her business, she also works part time as an estate agent, a job she said she also loves and has done since leaving school.
“I could probably give up work now and focus on the business but I still love being an estate agent,” she added.
Growing her inventory, Antonia has also began making stylish textured 3D canvas’ that have personalised quotes displayed on them – with several colours available.
She spoke of one of the many special orders placed for a personalised quote.
“Some of them are quite touching. I did one last week and the lady who ordered the signs, her dad had recently died, and she asked for a catch phrase her dad often said to be made into three signs, one for her, her mum and her sister.”
Both the signs and canvas’ have proved popular with the likes of social media influencers, including current love islander Kady McDermott who placed a recent order.
As well as creating a dress up station for her six-year-old son Freddie, Antonia said she also made her two-year-old daughter Penelope a ‘Once upon a time’ sign for her room.
To check out more of her work or place an order with Wire Fox Designs, either visit the Instagram page @wirefoxdesigns or her Etsy website etsy.com/uk/shop/TheWireFox
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