I was encouraged by a friend to start a blog to archive my adventures as a small business owner (a very, VERY small business though it may be...) and talk about whatever projects and fun craft ideas I'm currently working on. All that to say, I think it's appropriate for my first blog to be on how HandmadeJEMs came about, so...here goes!
So technically, my adventure began over ten months ago when I graduated from college and began my maiden voyage into the world of unknowns called life. I had NO idea what I wanted to do for a career and pursued a couple different avenues (photography and nannying). By the end of the summer there were two things I was sure of: I didn't want to go back to school any time soon, and I never wanted to run a small business of my own. Little did I realize that within five months I'd be selling pillows to my friends and the general public...thereby qualifying myself as a small business owner.
Once I posted these pictures on facebook, i had a bunch of people tell me they loved them and wanted one for themselves! I was thrilled to say the least. People out in the world wanted to own something I'd made! My very first paying customer was my dear friend, Dorea. She wanted them as Christmas presents for her nieces: one that was blue and green, one that was purple, and one that was really girly. It was hard to find fabric that I personally liked AND fit the qualifications I'd been given. The blue/green one and the purple weren't that different from the owls I'd made in the past, but I tried a new way of doing the breast on the girly one: small felt circles attached to the body with three stitches along the top. Cutting out each individual feather and attaching them took a really long time, but I LOVED the way it looked! I wish I could find a quicker way to do it because I'd probably do it on every owl pillow.
With three owls given away, two made as Christmas presents for a dear family from church, and four that I'd sold...this pillow making was shaping into something more than just a hobby!
Well, at this point, I was talking with the girls in my Bible study about how fun it would be to work together at setting up a shop on etsy and actually selling the various handmade crafts we were interested in making. One friend makes headbands, the other pom poms and craftsy things, and then there was me with my crazy owl pillows. Together we thought it'd be fun to call the shop: HandmadeJEMs (JEM standing for our initials), and the name was born! Having graduated from college, I was really the only one who had large amounts of time to invest in starting up a business so I ran with it and claimed it as my own!
What started with making a fun craft for myself, has slowly snowballed into a small business I hope I can keep afloat! The Lord has been opening doors all along the way, both big and small, so I know He will continue to show me what He wants me to do with this shop I've been given. To Him be all the praise and glory for this venture...I pray He reminds me of that every time I try to bring glory to myself or lift myself up in my own eyes or the eyes of others. Soli Deo Gloria!!
So technically, my adventure began over ten months ago when I graduated from college and began my maiden voyage into the world of unknowns called life. I had NO idea what I wanted to do for a career and pursued a couple different avenues (photography and nannying). By the end of the summer there were two things I was sure of: I didn't want to go back to school any time soon, and I never wanted to run a small business of my own. Little did I realize that within five months I'd be selling pillows to my friends and the general public...thereby qualifying myself as a small business owner.
Ultimately, I started looking for pillows on etsy because I was remodeling my room here at home (settling in for many years of single life with mom and dad before I’d be able to afford an apartment of my own) and wanted some fun decorative pillows for on my bed. In my search for pillows, I came across a very cute owl shaped pillow…which ended up not being a style that would fit with my room AT ALL, but I loved it, and after really looking at it... I thought it was ridiculously overpriced for something I could maybe figure out how to make myself. With that in mind I thought, “Why not try?” So, I went out on a limb, bought the material, tried to mimic the owl shape I’d seen, and made the first cut. I’d sewn several things in the past, but I’d never made a pillow (and especially not one that was a shape other than square)…needless to say, I was nervous.
Well, that first owl did have quite a few flaws and it was HUGE, but when I showed it to my best friend, she freaked out. She was in LOVE immediately! Having such a positive reaction to something I’d made on a whim was incredibly encouraging and so I couldn’t help but offer it to her on the spot. She’s kept it on her bed at school ever since.
From there, I made one to give away at a bridal shower I was throwing for a friend...
Then, I took a trip to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and niece in November of last year and decided to make one for my niece as a present. I tried something new with her pillow though, and embroidered her name into the pocket on the back...it was so fun to personalize it!
My second paying customer, Julie, wanted me to use fabric she already had so the owl would match her daughter's nursery fabric. The fabric was black with a large, white graphic...very chic. The accent color was aqua, which is one of my favorite colors! This owl was so much fun to put together because I had a second opportunity to make the felt feathers as the breast and I used a velvet-like material with clear rhinestone brads for the eyes. So fun! I sure hope they love it!
Well, at this point, I was talking with the girls in my Bible study about how fun it would be to work together at setting up a shop on etsy and actually selling the various handmade crafts we were interested in making. One friend makes headbands, the other pom poms and craftsy things, and then there was me with my crazy owl pillows. Together we thought it'd be fun to call the shop: HandmadeJEMs (JEM standing for our initials), and the name was born! Having graduated from college, I was really the only one who had large amounts of time to invest in starting up a business so I ran with it and claimed it as my own!
What started with making a fun craft for myself, has slowly snowballed into a small business I hope I can keep afloat! The Lord has been opening doors all along the way, both big and small, so I know He will continue to show me what He wants me to do with this shop I've been given. To Him be all the praise and glory for this venture...I pray He reminds me of that every time I try to bring glory to myself or lift myself up in my own eyes or the eyes of others. Soli Deo Gloria!!
