Hi, my name is Courtney.

I live in a small town called Barham in rural NSW, sharing my home with my husband, three daughters under 6, cocker spaniel Lainey and 4 fussy chooks.

Straight out of high school I moved to Ballarat to pursue a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Fine Arts) degree. I lived in Melbourne throughout my 20’s, working part-time as an illustrator and photographer, before returning to the country to raise our family. Inspired by my children’s curiosity, I am currently completing my Primary School teacher accreditation. 

When the pandemic hit in 2020, I found myself feeling a little overwhelmed, confined to my home with a baby and a busy 3-year-old. I started to organise little craft activities for my oldest and I to enjoy together while the little one napped. It added some structure to our day, as well as some much-needed joy! I shared some of these activities online and was flooded with requests for more.

From there, Little Mate Create was born!

I have been lucky enough to have the Little Mate Create Instagram page featured on the frankie magazine website, helping it grow a sweet and supportive little following. https://www.frankie.com.au/gallery/little-mate-create-shares-crafty-activities-for-kids-554176

Here we are two years later, I have continued to share our crafts, made and sold art kits and launched art classes for kids from our converted backyard shed.

Creative thinking is such a vital tool for the 21st century! Our little mates are bursting with ideas and I love being an educator who can encourage their creative exploration.