Adelaide mum, Nicola Cross, dreamt up the idea of her exquisite online store, illunah, in what she calls a “moment of everyday mum mayhem”.
Wanting to find a tangible way to capture the messy, wonderful season of motherhood in all its sticky, magical, crazy, wonder, she was inspired to create homely pieces that evoked emotion. Pieces that would help teach her children how much beauty could be found in the little things.
We chat with Nicola about launching illunah, what’s on the cards for 2021 and her personal sources of inspiration.
Congrats on launching illunah, tell us about it?
illunah is our latest passion project. We’re starting small, with just two tapestries (didn’t want to put all our life savings on the line and finish 2020 beautifully bankrupted hehe). Lots of things are coming slowly, and thoughtfully, we’ll be adding treasures to the virtual shelves. It’s an online store for mothers, for lovers and for all others; trying our best to create things that evoke emotion and act as a snapshot of this chaotic life with little ones.
What are your future plans for Illunah?
We have some fun little things in the works for 2021. Bringing a few local, talented friends on board to help me out in the regions I am not so talented in (aka graphic design) to hopefully create some magic!
You have such a beautiful presence on Instagram and would be called an influencer, but what influences and inspires you?
Thank you! Cliche but my family inspires me; my Rosie Bear, photography, sunrises and sunsets, the ocean, the moon and the smell of cripsy hot chips.
TELL US…
Favourite SA beach?
Butlers Beach, hands down! It’s the inspiration for one of the tapestries we have released at illunah. Pat and I have been camping at Butlers Beach since we were teenagers, it has seen us go from vodka filled New Year celebrations, to bringing our pup Atticus for a roll in the sand, to a pregnancy, the addition of a baby who is now a toddler and soon to be a place for our latest little one to play. We have many family memories there and it’s a place I hold very close to my heart.
First thing you do in the morning?
Open all the blinds and assess the weather, the weather app is never accurate. lol
Favourite pastime?
Maybe when the beach was a relaxing place to drift away listening to the waves.. it’s now very different. Not bad, just different.
Last book you read?
Haven’t read a book in many moons, but I do listen to them and my latest one was ‘The book you wish your parents had read’
Last podcast you listened to?
‘Everyone has an ex’ by Georgia Love
What song can you play on repeat and never get sick of?
Fix you – Coldplay
Favourite time of the day?
Sunrise.
For more information on Illunah:
