Family is at the heart of Naomi Crew’s market business, Cleo and Pa.
The hand painted, woodturned gifts available at the Glenbrook Rotary Markets and Leura Markets have a connection spanning three generations. Ms Crew’s father, Peter, turns the gifts on his lathe at Warrimoo while she hand paints the designs; her four-year-old daughter Cleo provides the inspiration.
“My dad is a wood turner and I asked him if he wanted to do something with me,” said Ms Crew, who lives in the same street in Warrimoo. “He said ‘Yes, absolutely but I don’t want to make any money from it. I want any money from my half to go to your daughter’. So that’s what I called it: Cleo and Pa.”
The hobby business features a range of woodturned gifts from children’s toys to bowls, bangles, egg cups and pens.
Ms Crew also has a range of handpainted watercolour gift cards featuring designs inspired by the birdlife and native flowers in her own backyard.
A relative newcomer to local markets, Ms Crew is enjoying sharing her gift items with a special family connection.
Being a market stallholder has other benefits too.
“I’m at home with the kids most the time so coming out here means I get to have adult conversations too!” she said. “Everyone is super friendly here.”