What is your name?
Aimee
Where are you located?
Virginia
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a stay-at-home mother of two little boys: Chase, almost 3, and Ryan, 3 months. I have a wonderful husband who is very loving, helpful, and supportive of me and my crazy ideas. My passions are creating things, nature, and photography. I was also born in Australia :)
What type of merchandise will shoppers find in your shop?
Handmade and custom jewelry. Lots of unique styles, and I'm always coming up with new ideas.
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| Wrapped Amber |
How/why did you get started?
After I found out I was pregnant with my second son I decided that I needed to a) make some money to help lessen the financial burden on my husband, and b) find a way for me to keep in touch with my girly crafty creative side since there are a lot of boy activities around the house. I thought making jewelry was perfect! A lot of my friends have been encouraging me, and I absolutely love to make things that others enjoy and make them happy.
How long have you been crafting?
I've been crafting for as long as I can remember. I've always loved to be crafty. My mom was so great by showing me all kinds of crafts and teaching me many skills. She taught me how to cross stitch when I was 4 years old! I have so many beautiful childhood memories of making things with her.
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| Swirls of Peridot and Crystals Bracelet |
What is your favorite thing to make?
Oh, there are so many! My favorite things to make right now are personalized bracelets for all my friends' daughters. It kind of fulfills that desire to have my own daughter plus it makes those little girls so happy and excited to have their own piece of jewelry that's not the cheapo mardi gras beads they already have. :) I will be adding those youth bracelets to my shop soon!
How did you start making jewelry? What is your favorite material to work with?
I actually started by accidentally coming across a jewelry book when I purchased a stroller for my oldest son online. The book caught my attention, and I kept going back to it so I finally decided to buy it to read it through. After that I was hooked! I started with beading, and I've already expanded so much and plan to keep growing as much as I can. My favorite materials would have to be clay and wire because with both of those the possibilities are endless and I can create the ideas in my head without much restriction.
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| Peach and Coral Fan Necklace |
What inspires you to create?
So many things inspire me to create ... my own love for creativity, my mom and her side of the family (all are so talented!), my friends -- I am so blessed to have so many great, unique friends and their personalities really inspire and give me great ideas for projects and new styles -- and the pure beauty of nature. I am always looking to the sky, and there are such beautiful colors all around me. I love to appreciate and find the beauty in things that others take for granted and walk by every single day.
What is one thing you need to have with you while you craft?
Actually, I love to have my husband nearby while I create. He is my rock and makes me feel so comforted just by being around me. I usually make things late at night after the kids are asleep and the housework is sort of done. My husband and I usually watch some of our favorite TV shows together while I work on my projects. I have to have some sort of background noise while I work. I can't stand working in silence.
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| Barbie's Glittering Pointy Heels |
How do you balance mothering and running a small business?
That is very, very tricky. Sometimes I get really excited and enthusiastic about my Etsy shop and find myself sneaking off to the computer to edit photos or update something or other. I have to remind myself that my babies will only be little for so long and to really make sure that I put them first and appreciate my time with them while they still adore me. :) I end up balancing it by working during nap time and bed time. Some weekends my husband will have father-son time with them, and I get a lot of work done then too.
What is your favorite thing to browse Etsy for?
There are so many things! I love miniatures, nature-related items, unique toys or trinkets, jewelry, and, of course, my fellow SAHM's shops, to name a few.
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| Nest Egg Earrings |
When you're not crafting, what are you doing?
I am playing with my boys, fighting the never-ending battle of housework, cooking, and spending quality time with my husband. I try to throw some sleep in there every now and then too. :)
Where can we find you?
You can currently find me on Etsy: jewelrybyaimee.etsy.com and Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewelrybyaimee
What is your favorite shop (not yours) on Etsy currently?
Hmmm, that's a tough one... One of my good friends from high school who is SUPER talented (and I really mean that, she never ceases to amaze me) has a new Etsy shop, le animal, and I always find myself checking out what new creatures she's made. Her link is: www.etsy.com/shop/leanimale
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