This week's Stellar Seller is a friend of the OWLs...Judee, or jujuw.
http://www.jujuw.etsy.com Judee lives in Madison, a small town on the Connecticut coastline. She's a born and raised Connecticut gal. She lived in Atlanta for about 10 yrs and returned home 7 yrs. ago.
Judee has 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl. Then there's her pup of 14 yrs. who is her best friend, and most of the time, best kid.
Judee is a hypnotherapist and a reiki practioner but loves painting the most...ALL kinds of painting...houses, walls, furniture, clothes, it doesn't matter. She developed a neurological illness and fibromyalgia 7 yrs. ago which doesn't allow her to be 'reliable' enough for hypno or reiki clients nor to work out the house. She is confined to the house a good part of the time but can get out on good days. She can paint in bed which is great because (as she says:) I NEED MONEY!
Here's what Judee says about her work and how she got started:
I started painting kid's clothes almost 30 yrs. ago when the kids were little. My husband was out of work at the time and I began sewing aprons and painting on them. I entered myself into a local craft fair and made a whole $40...which was not bad considering my things weren't that good at the time. With that money I bought some good paints and few sample things and began painting away. A few of the neighbors asked me to paint over the stains in their child's shirts, and hence, a business was born. I then got ballsy and cold called my first store and was given 3 dozen of her unsold shirts to paint on for a good price, I might add. From there it mushroomed and developed a life of its own until I was selling to 10's of stores in the NYC metro area and doing very large juried craft areas in NY and CT. After several years of working 18/7, my husband's new job offered him a transer to Atlanta, which we accepted. At that time, since we no longer needed the money from the business we decided it was more important for me to spend my time with the kids rather than a business so I shut it down. I dabbled in painting off and on over the years. About 2 mo. I suddenly, and I mean suddenly, had the thought to start up my business again so I got some paints and some stock and began to get ready a small sampling so I could put out emails flyers to friends and friends of friends. I've been doing well with it and now I sell what I paint, as I paint it. While this is not a hobby to me, and IS a business...long gone are the days of keeping to deadlines and the pressure of meeting them. I discovered Etsy through a friend of a friend who was sent my email mailer. She suggested I look into Etsy, thinking I would fit well with the site. I looked into it and agreed so I began the beginning of May to list some of my items. I've found the people, for the most part, really nice and in just a month's time have met many that I email privately with, which has been great...you can ALWAYS use new friends. I've even come in contact with a gal right here in my town, if ya can believe it. Judee, what inspires you to create?
hmmmmmm...I hate to sound like a moron, but I don't know. I like funny...humorous things...sweet, when it comes to kids...and above above all, simplicity, in all things. I LOVE primary colors, especially on kids. I don't know what inspires me...Describe yourself in 1 word:
That's a toughie....hmmmmm....unique! I guess it would have to be unique. And true! Unique...and true....that's 2 words I guess, but that's me.Favorite...
Book:
My favorite book is "God Calling", altho I don't imagine many people know of it, or would care to, but it's THE BEST book!Movie:
"What About Bob" with Bill MurraySong:
"Someone Like You" by Van Morrison. Describe your shop
I'd like to think it to be 'sweet.' I like to think of kids being 'sweet'...wearing 'sweet'....but then maybe I'm showing my age...hahaha. I think kids grow up TOO fast today, and wear clothing WAY too old for them, even in infant sizes. I don't like to see monsters and adult colors on kids, I think they have more than enough time to wear that kind of stuff, I like sweet on young kids. ALSO...I wholeheartedly believe in affordability. I believe EVERYONE should be able to buy unique, hand done clothing at AFFORDABLE prices....they should not be for the chosen few only. I try to offer unique, well made clothes at affordable prices so everyone can affordable to have at least 1 thing for their child that is different and special...I've always that and that's been my mission statement for 30 yrs.
