We had the pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Claudia, founder of Huskia Creative, to chat all things floristry, creativity, and building a brand from the heart. From handmade wall hangings crafted at her dining table to stunning bespoke florals for weddings and events, Claudia’s journey is a testament to passion, perseverance, and boundless creativity. Read on to find out more about Claudia and her passion project, Huskia Creative.
Can you share more about those early days when Huskia was born at your dining table? What sparked your love for clay and wall hangings?
It all began with trying to find something for my Mum’s Christmas present all the way back in 2019. I wanted to give her something unique and personalized that she could keep forever. After scrolling through Pinterest for inspiration (as we all do) I found an image of a palm tree seed pod that was being used as wall art which sparked an idea to create a wall hanging! I found a husk from someone’s garden (community pruning at its finest) and began brainstorming how to create that vision I had in my head. I handmade my first ever husk wall hanging in my kitchen and gifted it for Christmas and she loved it!
A few months later in March 2020 Covid lockdown began and I had some free time on my hands after the florist I was working in reduced my hours. I decided to try a new creative hobby and chose clay! After experimenting and creating bespoke designs, my friends and family began placing orders which sparked the thought that maybe I could actually grow something with it. I set up an Instagram and an Etsy storefront and it all blossomed from there - I began selling husk wall hangings, rainbow wall hangings, keyrings, custom crosses, christmas ornaments and so much more!
Huskia is such a unique name! What does it represent for you and how does it tie into your creative journey?
The name is very unique and came to me randomly in 2019, before I had even made my husk wall hanging which began it all. The name is a mixture of HUSK (for the palm tree wall hangings) and the IA from Claudia.
As my business has grown and evolved, Huskia represents so much more than wall hangings, and clay creations but now also bespoke florals for gifting, weddings and events. It has grown and creatively evolved with me over the years and I can’t wait to see how it continues to grow!
Moving from Wagga to the Sunshine Coast is a big transition! What inspired this move, and how has it influenced your creative and personal life?
From one beach to another we like to joke, if you know you know.
My family and I used to come to Noosa for our annual summer holiday and fell in love! Once my younger sister graduated high school, we all packed a suitcase and made the move to the Sunny Coast!
Once I began working in the wedding and event industry here in Noosa, I noticed the change instantly! The access to beautiful blooms is so much easier with flower markets on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane, the fellow industry vendors are so unique and creative, the venues are incredible with most having ocean views or nestled in the lush hinterland. When I arrived in Noosa, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to work for Emilia from Bloodwood Botanica who has connections to clients that I would have never dreamt of creating for such as Veuve Cliquot, Tiffany and Co and Louis Vuitton. You definitely don’t have access to that down in Wagga haha!
You began working in floristry at such a young age. How did those early experiences shape your vision for Huskia and your creative approach?
I began working in floristry when I was 15 which is 10 years ago!!!! Those early experiences inspired everything and I fell head over heels with it all - I fell in love with the wedding and events industry, I fell in love with knowing that you were apart of someone’s special day, I fell in love with the idea that each flower has its own unique colour, fragrance, season and shape.
Everything I know about floristry is inspired by learning from the best creatives, watching and asking questions, practicing in my free time and finding my own signature style which I describe as romantic, modern, feminine and fun!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of creating florals for weddings and events? Do you have a favourite project or memory?
The most rewarding aspect has to be knowing that you are apart of someone’s special day; the day that two lovers vow to forever!
There is definitely one iconic memory that comes to mind - I was lucky enough to be part of a project which installed home flowers for King Charles and Queen Camilla for their private holiday residence in regional NSW…… Yep, wild!
Tell us about your beautiful retail space in Noosaville! What do you hope people experience when they walk through the doors?
I love my gorgeous little studio!!!! I hope that people come in and fall in love with the bespoke experience - the front half is my retail space where I custom make each bouquet from my wall of fresh seasonal blooms which sits alongside a gallery wall of handmade clay quote and palm tree arches and a custom built pink tiled counter which is a fan fave. The back half is where all the mess happens, prep all the flowers, store my event vessels and all the tools!
As both the founder and head designer, how do you balance the creative and business sides of Huskia? Any advice for other young creative entrepreneurs?
Balancing the creative and business side is something that I am always conscious of, the creative side is definitely a lot more fun!!! At the beginning I underestimated the amount of back-end admin there is; the constant communication with my flower wholesaler, staying on top of new enquiries, finalising quotes with existing clients, constantly updating my website, creating content for social media and don’t even get me started on the finance end haha!
Once I opened my retail space and evolved into the events industry, I prioritized a consistent weekly routine that suited me and the business; Mondays and Tuesdays are my days for smashing out and catching up on admin, Wednesdays I am back in the studio creating fresh flowers and setting myself up for my weekend events, Thursdays are for conditioning all events florals, Fridays and Saturdays are typically on-site installation days and Sundays are usually spent bumping out, then repeat… with a few margaritas here and there.
Something that I learnt the hard way is you need to rest or you will creatively and physically burn out. Listen to your body. It is okay to pause and reset and take the time. You will always have your passion if you look after it properly, otherwise you risk falling out of love with it.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Huskia? Are there any exciting projects or goals on the horizon that you’re excited to share?
The past few months have been a fabulous whirlwind after completing my first wedding season creating for my beautiful clients. I am already looking forward to the Autumn wedding season, it’s going to be so special!
Sometime next year I would love to host some form of creative workshop in our studio space, I think it’s the perfect space to sip champagne and play with flowers.
