{Giveaway & Interview} Schmooks + Claire Cimbora

schmook, clair cimbora, artist interview, quirky whimsical children's art, illustratorI have a wonderful Easter present for you all today! Set aside some time to get lost in the unique and beautiful world of Claire Cimbora, the artist behind Schmooks. Her creative collages + quirky illustrations & art jewelry are dreamy and fantastical, like windows into a child’s dreamland. I first came across her work when a co-worker showed me Claire’s Etsy site and I quickly bookmarked it as one to visit again and again. So I was really pleased when Claire wrote me about featuring her lovelies + offering our readers a giveaway. I of course slipped an interview into her busy schedule because I love getting to know the creative mind behind the art. Read on to the end of the interview for a chance to win a $50 Schmooks gift certificate. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us Claire!

schmook, clair cimbora, artist interview, quirky whimsical children's art, illustrator

Hi Claire! I am so excited to introduce you & your handmade goodness to Oh My, please tell us a bit about yourself & your work:

Sweet innocence. Playful curiosity. Inquisitive charm. A touch of mischief and light-hearted fun. Enchanting scenarios and endless adventures.

My name is Claire Cimbora and I am a designer and illustrator. I live in chilly Canberra, Australia and have a little brand called Schmooks. We opened online in 2009 selling art prints and have since expanded into an exclusive range of paper goods through publishing House Lalaland. Schmooks has a lush line of handmade jewellery which can be found in select boutique and art stores. Our most recent work has been teaming up with The Wall Sticker Company to produce Childrens wallstickers.

schmook, clair cimbora, artist interview, quirky whimsical children's art, illustrator

What is a normal work day for you? Do you work full time as an artist/small business owner?

A normal day for me begins with my 3 year old son Luke waking me up at 6am, then breakfast and usually a walk. I have two little children who keep me very busy and I try to work my business around family life which can be tricky at times. Most days include trips to the post office for customer or retail orders and around an hour a day is spent answering and sending emails. I work from home in my studio which is where all the creative magic happens and usually late at night with when I feel most relaxed and energized.

You have a very unique style that I really love, what inspires you most as an artist?

A lot of my inspiration comes from my two little children, they have a wonderful innocence and inquisitive charm. Their imaginations are inspiring and I draw on their world of make believe to fuel my work. The happy memories from my own childhood also have a strong influence on my work, as does my love of fabrics and textures.

schmook, claire cimbora, artist interview, quirky whimsical children's art, illustrator

Were having a small business Spring Cleaning theme this month on OMHG-do you have any tips & tricks for keeping yourself/your time organized?

A clean working space is the key in keeping Schmooks running smoothly. I do a major two hour tidy in my studio once a week (trust me it needs it!). I am big on boxes and I store everything in recycled cardboard boxes. They don’t look very glamorous however they are great to scribble on and label. For me lists are the most productive way to get through seemingly unending mountains of work and I like using whiteboards to give me a clear visual direction.

schmook, claire cimbora, artist interview, quirky whimsical children's art, illustratorClaire has generously offered a $50 gift certificate to use online in her shop, woohoo! How I wish I could enter too…

How to enter *This giveaway is open internationally*

Visit Schmooks on Etsy and let us know what your favorite items are by commenting below

Get extra entries by (leave a separate comment for each 1 comment=1 entry)

–Liking Schmooks on Facebook

-Tweeting about this giveaway (be sure to mention @ohmyhandmade)

-Posting this giveaway to your Facebook wall (please tag @oh my handmade-you have to like us first)

-Leaving us a comment about this interview or Claire’s work

-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back to this post

This giveaway closes next Sunday, May 1st at midnight EST with the winner announced Monday,  May 2nd at the bottom of this post.

by entering this giveaway you are agreeing to the oh my! handmade goodness giveaway policies

This giveaway is now CLOSED! Thank you all for entering & congratulations to Amber with comment #25. I am only a little bit super jealous; )



90 comments

  5. Lyndsay says:

    Thanks for hosting this give away, Claire’s shop is so pretty! I have a hard time choosing between the secret garden or the ‘my heart belongs to you’ ring, both very pretty!

    Happy Easter 🙂

  6. Simone says:

    I honestly cannot choose just one favourite from Claire’s Etsy shop – impossible!!!!! I do love Pandi Bears, and In the Woods 🙂

  17. Renee Nordholm says:

    I love the Schmooks necklaces! They are so adorable and very creative. I am super happy to be introduced to these precious gems and can’t wait to own one! Thank you for featuring Schmooks and hosting the giveaway!

  22. Lora W. says:

    I love the Going on a Bear Hunt Art Necklace. The illustration is darling and the charms are wonderful. Thank you so much for the giveaway!

  23. Lisa says:

    That was a hard one. I went with the prints as I am in the market for art…stars in jars, but oh that little Philip is a penguin is so very sweet and so is Hugo!

  40. Jessica says:

    I wish I was as crafty as her! I can’t believe how organised she is though, I would be a mess in a business like that. Her workspace is very pretty too. Well done!

  45. Angela says:

    I would have to say my ulimate favourite item (it is hard to narrow them down) is the Secret Garden Art Cocktail Ring. I bought this a few weeks ago when you guys were at the Finders Keepers market in Melbourne. I have had so many comments on this ring. “OHMIGAWDDD where did you get THAT from!?”. It is colourful and captivating and brightens up any outfit as well as my day. Thankyou 🙂

  48. chrissy foreman c says:

    Finally, loved reading the interview. I find it interesting to read how other artists manage their time … I wish I was as organised! My clean-ups are far more sporadic than weekly, that’s for sure! Kudos!

  55. Aston says:

    I have a necklace and a ring by schmooks and I also got my friend a ring and we both love our jewellery. Claire was so helpful when I was deciding what to get and even posted my package express for me. I can’t wait to order more products from her. 🙂

  56. Katherine Cota says:

    BEST giveaway!

    I love Going on a Bear Hunt, Stars in Jars, and the Going on a Bear Hunt Necklace!

    Claire’s prints have been a great inspiration to my own illustrations. I love the whimsy and beautifully bright colors. I’m a small lady who loves animals, so I fell deeply in love with her adorable little characters when I first saw them. Keep up the beautiful work!

    Twitter: @crucialballoon
    Blog: http://echoday.tumblr.com/
    Facebook: /katherine.cota

  57. sally carroll says:

    i love all your work its takes me back to a time when anything was possibile eg alice in wonderland , the lion the which and the wardrobe, where the wid things are , alice in wonderland , snugglepot and cuddleby , neverending storey >3>3>3 just so much magic , that sadly we forget as adults … but my favourite pieces are your simply charming necklaces that can be worn each day to remind us to never let go of that magical part of our mindsi realy love your love nest owls necklace and your going on abear hunt i love your necklaces so much that i send the kiss .. with 2 bunnies to my daughter in london ,, but truley to own anything of yours is a antuique of the the furture ,,,, i really love the way your mind works <3<3<3

  81. Dorangela says:

    I completely understand about trying to get work done with two little ones. I too get a second wind after they go to bed and play catch up with all my work! Thanks for the giveaway!

  82. christina says:

    ooooh secret garden ring and you are all i need print.

    schmooks seriously needs to use usps online and they will pick it up at her house too. going to the post office daily with a three year old = no fun at all

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