Now, the project has been so successful she and her team are moving two doors down and expanding to nearly double its current size to offer countless more products and services.

The Goulburn Cottage Crafters Project is stronger than ever.

Part therapy-house, part retail store, the project found its feet in an undeniably tough CBD market. The key to success? An independent, all-local idea with a dedicated team behind it, Ms Edwards says.

“It’s been a fantastic journey and we’ve learnt so much about micro-businesses, especially within the Goulburn environment because we are quite a unique little town,” Ms Edwards said.

“The key to the success has been the people joining the project, people understanding the concept and accepting it and having a go at it.”

She said the model has worked perfectly for the surprising amount of local crafters who struggled to find a home in the local market-sphere.

“What I love about the project is it gives people who are hobbyists or micro-businesses a leg up into the business world. They get feedback from customers; they have that small overhead they have to meet each week.

“It really makes them look at their services or their product and start creating something that people actually want, not what we as manufacturers, creators or artists want people to have.”

There are currently 10 people signed on to the project with products including soy candles, oil blends, paintings, socks, children’s clothes, ponchos, jewellery, succulents, flowers, pots, blankets, scrapbooks, incense, natural cosmetics, jams, desserts and more. All products are required to be at least 85 per cent homemade.

A massage therapist, Reiki specialist and herb/crystal healer also work out of the Project in a small therapy room.

The Cottage Crafters team will move into the old book shop, just two doors down from their current location, in the coming months. The new building will make available an entire second floor for the project, with three therapy rooms and a workshopping area perfect for classes.

Once the move is complete, the Project will begin to offer workshop classes in a range of holistic therapies and traditional craft.

Knitting, crochet and patchwork are listed among the choices alongside twisted wire craft, twisted material crafts, natural home remedies, folk remedies, aromatherapy and psychic development – all run by qualified professionals.

A kinesiologist and bowen therapist are also keen to come aboard the therapy services, utilising a third room which will be available for day-hire for anyone starting out in therapeutics. 

The store will also open a small month-to-month pop-up option at a cheaper rate.

“People can now come in and rent space for the month. They will be in for a month and then will be gone to re-stock to come in again. There will be people coming and going all the time,” Ms Edwards explained.

THE concept for the small market-style business is becoming increasingly popular in tourist towns due to a rise in interest for organics, home-made products and natural living, Louise Edwards believes.

She hopes the Goulburn community will harness this type of business-model and attract more small-businesses into the CBD to create a unique tourist destination. She listed places like Bungendore and the South Coast as inspiration.

“I’ve travelled to a lot of beautiful Australian tourist locations and the people in the town make them,” she said.

“They are places that you would never even worry about stopping at but when you go down the main streets every shop isn’t a $2 shop or an electrical business, every little shop has something unique that is made by local people and you just spend hours and hours wandering through.”

“Goulburn could be that. We could live on tourism money if we could just jump in with both feet and just grab on to all these wonderful concepts that really work.”

For more information on the Goulburn Cottage Crafters see www.facebook.com/TheMagicCraftCottage or pop in to 113 Auburn St.