Plymouth based craft business EM-MAgination turns 2!
A successful Plympton based women-led crafting business has turned 2. To celebrate this milestone EM-MAgination held a party at the Rees Centre in Plympton on Sunday 30th June 2024. The celebrations began with a family crafting session where party hats, party bags and badges were made to celebrate. After this those supporters of EM-MAgination including other local small businesses came together to share cake and a glass of fizz.
Founder and Director of EM-Magination, Emma Drummond who lives in Plympton with her husband and 2 daughters says: “What a 2 years it has been. I still can not believe that I am able to say that my job is to create happy experiences for other people. I have learnt so much about running a small business and have enjoyed every step of the way.”
This celebration was not just about the business; it was about the incredible community that had supported it from day one. Emma took the opportunity to thank loyal customers, other local businesses, friends, and family for their unwavering support, acknowledging that their encouragement had been the driving force behind the business's success.
The business's story began with a leap of faith when Emma transitioned from a fulfilling 11 and a half year career as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) with 9 and half being in the NHS, to pursuing her dream of having some more flexibility and time for her young family. As a working mum and a woman in business, this journey had been both challenging and rewarding. Emma said “Anyone who has known me will tell you that never in a million years they ever thought I would leave the security of being employed to take the leap of faith to do something so different.”
Having struggled to return to work after her first child was born due to the huge changes the world and NHS had seen after Covid, Emma also has some lived experiences of mental health difficulties which she feels are also supportive with other parents who may also be finding the journey into parenthood difficult. One regular attendee calls EM-MAgination Craft sessions her “happy art therapy.”
Starting this business taught Emma more than she could have imagined. From financial management and marketing strategies to customer service and service development, she embraced every aspect of running a small business. These skills, combined with her background in speech and language therapy, and her own lived mental health journey allowed her to create a unique and supportive environment for clients.
EM-MAgination runs sessions for all ages, from First Footprints keepsake sessions for new born babies, to Crafty Crawler and Messy Makers for toddlers and preschoolers. We also run Family Craft sessions and a weekly Craft-er School Club for primary aged children. Sessions are designed to support creativity and freedom to create. Sessions always get a bit messy!!!
Not only does Emma run sessions for children but for adults also. There are monthly adult craft sessions as well as Care Crafters where Emma takes the crafting to care homes and residential settings.
Those that attend sessions say: “My daughter absolutely loves the Craft-er School Club and I cannot recommend it enough. Emma comes up with amazing projects and ideas.”
“I have attended Emma's adult craft sessions which are also great fun, a lovely opportunity to get creative and meet like-minded people in a very relaxed environment.”
“We had an amazing time at Crafty Crawlers last week. Emma had thought about the activities she had out and was on hand to help with anything we needed. It was well organised and we loved the little keepsakes we made and took home. Look forward to going to more sessions! Thanks again Emma!”
Emma is excited to see what the future holds and what comes next for EM-MAgination.
