My name is Carla, I’m 29 years old.

I never know what to write in these things anymore.

BEFORE I was a mother, I was a firefighter in the summer and a vet nurse in the winter. I was a grey nomad, I travelled Australia and shore sheep in Tasmania, caught buffalos and crocodiles for a living in the Northern Territory, was a clown on the rodeo circuit, travelled with the Flying Fruit Fly Circus for a couple of years, mustered cattle in Queensland.
Before i was a mum, I did Jiu Jitsu and MMA multiple times a week. I loved running and hiking, and my two kelpies did too (now they just get dressed up in doll clothes and terrorised by a toddler all day). I had a Clydesdale called Molly, that i rode in the hills with my friends every weekend.

Now I’m a mum, I’m still learning who I am all over again.

After having my daughter (Matilda) in 2023, i found myself navigating uncharted waters, with not enough support around me.

Matilda was the first grandchild born in my family, and all of our friends were yet to have kids. I found myself quickly growing apart from all my old friends as we were now in different seasons of life My own family were working 9-5 jobs and often quite busy, I had a little one that screamed bloody murder every time i put her in the car and refused to sleep anywhere but home. I found myself at home alone, all day everyday, feeling VERY lonely and VERY isolated.

I used to reminisce about spending my own childhood at places like the nostalgic giggle kids and the heritage farm, and felt frustrated most days that Shepparton no longer has any places like this- specifically for under 5s. I longed to be able to get out of the house and go and meet other mums in places that were child friendly and clean.
Shepparton does a great job at catering for kids over 5 years old, but really lacks places for the littles ones.

And so “Matilda’s” was born.

Nap trapped on the couch one day, i opened the notes app on my phone and started brainstorming a list of all the things that Shepparton is missing for little ones and parents like myself. Every day this list grew more and more elaborate until eventually it moved to a document and started more closely resembling a business plan than a “wish list”.

The next thing I knew, I was meeting with Ashley from “The Executive Presence” to see her thoughts on the feasibility of the whole idea. She pushed me to start my Art & Craft classes ASAP to get the ball rolling. And boy, did it roll.
Our little biz has been growing at a rate I never knew possible. The support from the whole community has been insane.

The whole experience has been wholesome for me. I have built so many amazing relationships with so many amazing people. I have found my passion and purpose in life (and finding a purpose outside of motherhood that is still so compatible with motherhood was something i never dreamed possible).

I love what i do so much, I love interacting with the parents and kids, I love searching for and planning fun things for the kids to do. I love practising the crafts and messy play with my daughter each week to ensure the activities will run as smoothly as the internet told me they would. I love running my social media pages and creating graphics and content for you all.

I truly cant wait to see where this little biz takes us.