Meet the Maker - BisQuotes

What got you started making / creating your designs / products?

My background is in graphic design, so naturally, I have an affinity for typography, great writing, and memorable details. Baking has been a passion since I was young, having been raised by a domestic goddess who enjoyed baking ~ the rolling pin in the photo belonged to my mother; it’s a prized possession.

What brought these two areas of interest together?

On a trip to Japan a few years ago, I found an unusual set of biscuit cutters complete with individual letters of the alphabet, numbers and oddly adorable icons. I brought a set home to London… and the rest is history. BisQuotes was born - a small business making artisanal type-y, message-y biscuits for gifts, celebrations and events, promotions, and shops.

How would you describe your designing / creating style?

Bright ideas translated simply and graphically… bringing a smile to the mind and a tickle to the tastebuds.

I also have an affinity for the absurd… I love puns!

And I’m a bit obsessed with all things creepy-cool, which is why you might find the odd eyeball, poisonous toadstool, or life-like maggot in my range. All edible, of course!

What is your motto?

When I was a child, there was a decorative trivet hanging in our kitchen. It said: ‘The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.’ Since BisQuotes are freshly made in small batches and all decorated by hand, I sometimes find myself facing tight deadlines; this saying reminds me to keep breathing, stay focused, and get the job done to a high standard.

(Quote by Lewis Carroll, from Alice In Wonderland)

What was your first success with your designs / products?

Each time a customer tells me how much they enjoy the home-baked taste of my product, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment. 

I also get a kick out of hearing customers say they’ve chosen not to eat their BisQuotes, opting instead to keep them as a souvenir from a special event or celebration. I’ve had mums tell me they’ve framed their Mother’s Day Bisquotes rather than eat them! These moments are bizarre – BisQuotes are made to be eaten! – but I take these comments as a compliment.

Each order placed by my retail customers is very rewarding - there’s nothing quite like going into a shop and seeing BisQuotes on the shelf.

Tell us about your design process.

Whether it be for my bespoke work or my standard range, I always keep my eyes peeled for inspiration... it might be the colour of a front door, a quirky typeface from an old sign or a ribbon on a beautiful piece of packaging. I collect bits of everything. I’m a maker; I often produce my own hand-cut letters and shapes for stamping and decoration.

I love collaborating on bespoke orders; I start by getting as much information as I can about the event and then I focus on creating something unique and memorable. I do lots of word lists to make thought provoking connections, I loosely sketch design ideas onto paper. I experiment with different techniques and effects, such as stamping with edible inks; I make mock-ups of final designs when needed and Adobe Illustrator can be a useful tool for showing colour options or message variations. Once the final design gets the green light, I go straight to baking and making. My customers love being involved in the creative process, which I find deeply rewarding ~ creating something together has a positive effect for all involved.

How important is the environmental sustainability of your products?

My biscuit ingredients are sourced within the UK, as are 90% of my decorations and baking supplies.

Being a graphic designer, I have background knowledge in printing. I make every effort to use sustainable, eco-friendly materials for all my in-store and postal packaging.

Working with like-minded environmentally-conscious businesses – like the Globe – is satisfying, as it takes commitment from all of us to affect change. On my first delivery of BisQuotes, their merchandising team were happy for me to use re-purposed shoe boxes to pack up my order; they even saved the boxes, returning them to me to fulfil the next order. Simpatico!

 What has been your most interesting commission?

Besides the creations I make for the Globe, one of my standout commissions was producing BisQuotes for a Christmas promotion for FUND jumpers, a ‘fashion for good’ brand which helps reduce poverty by funding school meals for children in countries around the world. Their jumpers are embroidered with unique statements inspired by famous quotes and phrases, making them a perfect fit for a partnership. We got playful together, creating a range of biscuits using their festive jumper palette… 4no. catchy biscuit-y puns which worked well alongside the product range: TREE-MENDOUS, MARV-YULE-OUS, JOLLY GOOD, REBEL WITHOUT A CLAUS.

Since the early days of BisQuotes, I’ve supplied Hoxton Street Monster Supplies with a varied range of creepy Bisquotes, including witchy Ingredients for the Cauldron and Just My Type & Bite Me biscuits for vampires. I keep busy making vile vials (!) of Minty Maggots, one of the monster shop’s top-selling, well-loved products.

 

Instagram: @bis.quotes    

Website: bisquotes.co.uk