Happy Friday friends! How has your week been? We seem to be still getting healthier which is good. I had the opportunity to volunteer in my sons preschool class this week and that was a lot of fun.
Being that it is Friday it is time for another Meet the Maker. Today's interview is with Jenna from Just Another Bracelet. Today I am going to let Jenna take over my blog and tell you about herself. Have a great weekend friends. Without further ado, let's meet Jenna.
I'm from Rocky River, a suburb on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio.
After living abroad for a few years, I returned to my roots and am currently living in Lakewood, Ohio. It's another city that borders both where I grew up and CLE itself!
I've been into crafting for as long as I can remember. I've only been making bracelets with the purpose of selling them for almost a year. Apart from making friendship bracelets, I also do a lot of scrapbooking and photo collages!
I began making bracelets at summer camp when I was probably around 10 years old. They were something almost all the kids did and a great way to keep me occupied for long stretches of time...like rest periods at the pool. I was inspired to start Just.Another.Bracelet after my Peace Corps service in Peru. While in Peru I was invited to teach an artisan group my bracelet making techniques. The group thought that by adding friendship bracelets to their repertoire, they would be able to draw in more business. I was blown away by the participation of these women in my 2-day workshop (some traveled hours on foot to attend each day)! Apart from teaching the artisan group, I also made bracelets for my Peruvian friends...as gifts, as a way to remember me when I went back to the States, as a way for them to represent their favorite soccer team. I realized that for some of my friends their bracelet was so much more than just a bracelet. It was a connection to someone far away or represented a memory or a loved one who had passed. When I got back home I needed a way to make a little money while I was job hunting and Just.Another.Bracelet was born. I wanted to be able to share my bracelets with the world.
I think I started selling online in September or October of 2016. Because
I needed a forum to market my bracelets that was low cost.
For the future of my business, I'd like to hit 50 (or more!) sales by the end of the year on Etsy (I sell quite a few in person to friends of friends of friends and so on also). I'd also like to keep growing, adding new patterns and styles. I'm also in the planning stages of adding headbands which I think will be a really great addition to the shop!
My favorite piece is probably my Dreamcatcher Festival Cuff or maybe the charm bracelet that I made for myself...it has a charm that says "live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air."
For those looking into starting a small shop business remember to "Stick to it!! It's really hard to get started and stay motivated when you're not making a lot of sales or getting a lot of attention. But if it's something you love and it shows in your work, eventually the sales will come!"
As final thoughts, I'd just like to thank you for this opportunity and give a shoutout to the maker community at large. Everyone has been super supportive of my endeavor and I love being able to share my work with the world! And never be afraid to reach out to me about my work, or how I got started, or a custom piece, or whatever!
My Etsy shop:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JustAnotherBracelet?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/just.another.bracelet/
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/jab180/justanotherbracelet/
Upcoming Event:
Nov 6-14 Lydia's Guild Holiday Craft show.
Doylestown, PA
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