How Personal Histories Shape My Creativity

Hi there! Thank you for visiting Olivia Gina. I’m Frankie, and I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new website for my personalised embroidery business, which I started in 2020. In my first blog post, I want to share the inspiration behind my current product lines.

I’ve always enjoyed looking through old photo albums & hearing stories about my family. This summer, I sat down with my mum and spent some time talking through her old collections of family photos. Unfortunately, we soon realised that some of the more aged photos had begun to react to their environment & fade with time. We thought about what we could do, and I realised a unique way I could help preserve these memories and bring them back to life was by using my experience in photo embroidery to capture them in needlework. These photos were too delicate to be exposed to light, so moving them to a new format would be perfect.

We sat down together and looked through the album to see what needed preserving. I went about taking new photos of them as mum my told me family stories. Going through them I started seeing my family members at different stages in their lives, learning about them and their characters, keeping their memories alive.

One particularly glamorous photo of my Granny stood out to me; my mum explained that my Granny was nicknamed "Gina," after the actress Gina Lollobrigida, who also had stunning red hair. She passed her knowledge of sewing & needlework onto my mum, and my mum passed that onto me, starting my passion for embroidery. This connection is special to me, "Gina" is my middle name, and I decided to make it the name of my business, keeping it at the heart of what I do and linking the past, present, and future—especially since my niece is named Olivia.

I found it fascinating to discover about my grandfather's experiences during the war & where he was posted. I loved seeing photos of my great-grandparents riding a motorbike with a wicker basket sidecar, off out on an adventure together. I enjoyed looking at pictures of my mum as a young girl with her cropped haircut. When you see these photos, you can’t help but point out family resemblances.

Once we’d finished looking through the photos, I set about starting the embroidery process. The black-and-white photographs worked beautifully for my embroidery project, digitizing them into a monochromatic grayscale that brings their essence to life. I finished the photos as beautiful wall hangings, canvases, and my trademark embroidery hoops. I adore how they look both together and on their own, providing a great way to keep memories alive.

I genuinely love hearing the stories behind the embroideries I create and how they resonate with people. It warms my heart to know how much my customers enjoy receiving and gifting these meaningful pieces.

At Olivia Gina, I’m always making an effort to improve my sustainability. This new line uses deadstock fabrics, and I'll continue to take steps toward more sustainable practices in my creations for you. The colours chosen for this product line are inspired by the sea and the wild sea plants I encounter during my beach walks.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my inspiration and journey. I hope you enjoy exploring what Olivia Gina has to offer!

Warm regards,
Frankie
Olivia Gina