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Meet the maker! I so enjoyed chatting with the fabulous Teresa Bettelley of Shirley Rainbow! She specialises in fun, cheerful embroidered pieces that bring a smile.

We talked over some strawberry daiquiris about how she got started, the joy of spontaneity, the importance of great photography, the joys of building a network of makers (community over competition), top tips for your first online and in-person craft markets, the brilliant Lucy Worsley, how Teresa likes to spend her free time, what brings her the most joy, and more.

Strawberry Daiquiri


2 parts rum

1 part simple syrup

1 part lime juice

5 large strawberries

5 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with a strawberry.

Simple Syrup


1 part sugar

1 part water

Place water and sugar in a pan on the stove. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Let cool, then refrigerate. Add to cocktails as desired.

Keeps for ages in the fridge. I usually use one cup of water plus one cup of sugar and keep a bottle in the back of the fridge to aid spontaneous cocktail mixing.

Highlights in this episode include:

  • Teresa’s top tips for your first online and in-person craft markets
  • The benefits of collaboration over competition
  • The joy of the spontaneity afforded by running your own business
Happy flowers by Shirley Rainbow

Connect with Teresa:

Things we mentioned in this episode:

This is episode 11 of my Cocktails & Chat series, a community-building project for makers and artisans to share the highs and lows of business and making and make it a bit less lonely. 

  • 1:24 Introducing TeresaVarious lavender bags by Shirley Rainbow
  • 3:26 What we’re drinking tonight
  • 3:48 How Teresa got started and grew her handmade business
  • 6:17 Teresa’s intro music
  • 7:10 Teresa’s journey into fun, cheerful products
  • 9:11 Teresa’s favourite underrated tool
  • 10:15 What other kinds of making does Teresa do?
  • 13:32 A common myth about handmade goods – a discussion about how they aren’t cheap and shouldn’t be
  • 16:16 Have you always wanted to run your own business?
  • 19:02 Teresa’s joys and challenges in running her handmade business
  • 22:28 The importance of photography in your handmade business and some things Teresa’s learned about it
  • 24:53 The benefits of collaboration over competition Happy flowers by Shirley Rainbow
  • 29:13 Teresa’s experience of Folksy
  • 31:43 Teresa’s top tips for your first online and in-person markets
  • 37:10 Teresa’s tutorials for Love Crafts
  • 40:25 Products that worked unexpectedly well and unexpectedly poorly
  • 43:57 Teresa’s latest water adventures
  • 46:15 The challenges of becoming more visible when you set up your business
  • 48:37 The fantastic Lucy Worsley
  • 50:07 What brings you joy?
  • 50:56 How do you know when a piece is finished?