Sick of admiring the sense of community found in cities like Sydney and Melbourne from afar, Kate Scott and Meg Bevis decided to do something about it. So, the Keepsake Club – a book/craft club, run out of Burleigh’s Sean Scott Boutique – was born. And it resonated instantly.
“It came from a simple realisation,” Kate says of The Keepsake Club, which officially launched in April. “Places like Melbourne and Sydney seemed to have endless creative clubs and welcoming third spaces where people could meet, make things together and form genuine friendships.
“For the longest time, I thought moving away was the only way to find that. But over the past year, it became clear that the Gold Coast wasn’t lacking creative people – it was simply lacking spaces that brought them together.”
Instead of leaving to find that community, Meg and Kate decided to create it.
“The Keepsake Club is our way of building the kind of welcoming, creative space we had always been searching for, right here on the Gold Coast,” says Meg. “We hope it’s somewhere people can slow down, make something with their hands, and leave with both a keepsake and new friendships.”
It’s gone off. Tickets sell out within hours most of the time, which is great and also a bit annoying, because it means people keep missing out – something Kate and Meg say they’re actively trying to fix as the club grows.
We caught up with the pair about why everyone seems so hungry for in-person hobbies right now, and where they want to take Keepsake Club next.
We’re seeing Gold Coasters really embrace these opportunities to connect in-person. Why do you think that is?
I think people are starting to realise just how lonely life can become when so much of it happens online. While social media helps us stay connected, it can’t replace genuine, face-to-face interaction. As human beings, we’re wired for connection. Spending time with people who share our interests, creating something together, and simply having conversations in the same room has such a positive impact on our mental wellbeing.
A lot of your events focus on creating things by hand. Why is that so important, especially for adults?
Once we’re out of school or university, a lot of us forget the importance of learning new skills and creating simply for the joy of it. As adults, we’re often so focused on being productive that we rarely give ourselves permission to make something just because it makes us happy. Creative activities like scrapbooking or journal making encourage us to slow down, be present, and use our hands in a world that’s increasingly digital.
What have been some of your favourite moments from your events so far?
Some of our favourite moments have simply been making new friends ourselves and watching friendships form right in front of us. It’s been so lovely seeing girls who initially came to an event by themselves find their people through the club, and then come back to future events together. There’s something really special about watching people arrive as strangers and leave having made a genuine connection.
What would you say to someone who’s keen to take part, but nervous about coming alone?
We’ve been in your shoes before! We know how nerve-wracking it can feel to walk into something new by yourself, but we really encourage you to give it a go. So many of the people who come to our events arrive on their own, and that’s actually how some of our favourite friendships within the club have started.
If you’re feeling particularly nervous, you’re always welcome to pop into Sean Scott Boutique beforehand to have a chat with us and see the space where we scrapbook. Sometimes knowing what to expect makes taking that first step a little easier!
What’s the ultimate goal for The Keepsake Club?
Oooo that’s a big question! We’d love to keep growing Keepsake Club and collaborate with more local artists and creatives to host an even wider range of workshops. The big dream would be to one day open our own dedicated Keepsake Club studio – a permanent creative space where people can come to make things, learn something new and meet like-minded people.
For now, we’re just really excited to see where the club takes us!
Keep an eye on Keepsake Club’s socials for the next Scrapbooking Soirée, Murder Mystery Party or journal making workshop, or pop into Sean Scott Boutique on James Street, Burleigh Heads, and say hi to Kate and Meg in person.
