A Nottinghamshire artist's badge design has been used for a costume worn by actress Margot Robbie in an upcoming Hollywood film.
Ellie Mortimer-Gill, of East Leake, set up her design business, Cousins Collective in 2016.
The 29-year-old takes inspiration from traditional tattoos to create accessories such as pins and badges as well as embroidered clothing.
In January last year, she was contacted by a costume designer for Warner Bros. Pictures whose studios are based in Los Angeles.
Mrs Gill said: "She asked to buy a lot of my patches. I started thinking, 'is this real?' And then after some digging, we thought this might be quite a big deal."
The film company placed an order for 89 of Ellie's best-selling 'crying heart chenille patch', requesting them to be shipped to LA by the following day.
Ellie added: "They paid in full, they didn't ask for discount. I had to get the order sent out by DHL for it to arrive on time.
"But at that point, they didn't say what film it was for so I didn't even know if they were going to get used.
"But after they asked me to sign a contract, my husband and I Googled the name that appeared on the report and it confirmed the connection to Birds of Prey."
From starting out making enamel pins and fabric badges in her spare bedroom, the artist gradually grew her online business, moving to her own studio in Keyworth in May last year.
After gaining experience with another small design company in London, Ellie said it had always been her ambition to run her own business.
"I just design things I like and hope that my customers will like them too," she said.
"The crying heart is a best-seller, and I've made sure I've got loads in stock. I also do embroidery on t-shirts and the barbed wire design is really popular."
Birds of Prey, out in the UK on Friday, February 7 is the latest release from Warner Bros. Pictures and eighth in the DC Comics extended universe series.
The sequel to Suicide Squad stars Margot Robbie returning as the flamboyant Harley Quinn leading an all-female cast of supervillains.
The heart patches make their appearance in a scene where Harley Quinn is crying while wearing a pink onesie.
"The trailer for the film came out a year to the day of the order, and Owain shouted 'it's in the trailer!' and I just thought 'oh my god this is real now'," Ellie said.
"Margot Robbie is part of the production team so that makes me think she must have had a say in it.
"We're going to see it on Friday morning when it's released.
"I'm still in touch with the costume designer and they have bought some other designs.
"I've also already had people contacting me to make their own Harley Quinn 'brokenhearted onesie'.
"This is definitely the biggest thing that's happened to me, and who knows what will happen next."
Ellie's husband Owain Gill, 40, said: "I think I understood the magnitude of it more than Ellie did.
"It's a film with an all-female cast and crew, who are recognising other females in business.
"I just couldn't be more proud of Ellie singlehandedly building a business that she works on daily.
"She also got another order, and when we searched the address, it was the director Cathy Yan, so they must love the designs.
"It gives me great hopes for her future."
