Business of Bliss...Following A Creative Passion to Success!
- Date: 2007-05-03 - Word Count: 948
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Creating has been a way of life for me as long as I can remember, and my passion for dolls, teddy bears and painting have been ever present. As a former preschool teacher, I have always enjoyed children, and naturally, my favourite dolls to create were child dolls. Fast forward several years, having been married for 5 years, my husband and I were expecting our first child. The excitement was almost more than I could handle! Well, suffice to say the delivery was nothing short of traumatic...but worth every moment when I held that tiny baby and looked into those barely opened little eyes. It was love at first sight.
It was not long after that point that the thought of returning to work and giving 100% of myself to the children of others, became too much to bear. So I decided to leave my full time teaching position, my 12 years of seniority, my 4 weeks paid vacation, my security and stability, not to mention other benefits and perks; and follow my ever-present dream of owning my own business. Once outside of my comfort zone, there was no looking back.
It began with custom hand painted children's furniture, which seemed to merge two of my favourite pastimes quite nicely. It then grew to include my 2nd passion, teddy bears. Soon designing patterns and kits and teaching classes followed. One year and a small business course later, I was a bona fide entrepreneur!
Here I am now; firmly planted in the middle of year 3, and still the surprises keep arriving. Approximately a year ago, I launched a line of cloth doll patterns and kits. These dolls had molded faces made out of felt, and I became obsessed with finding a technique that would make them even more life-like. I love realism in dolls. Porcelain doll making just wasn't as enjoyable for me. Not owning a kiln (& not really wanting one with our 3 year old racing around the place) meant having to travel to create, and I was much more comfortable and inspired wearing my bunny slippers! I had tried my hand at vinyl doll kits, but the creative process was very limited, and there was not much control over the end results. So the cloth dolls seemed like the only option, and I was determined to find a method to make them more life like.
It was while on this quest for information that I first encountered Reborn Dolls. They literally took my breath away! As an artist and businesswoman, my first thought after "I must to have one!" was "how can I make one"!! And so it began, a brand new passion was born. Each and every reborn baby I create is almost like reliving the moment I first looking into my son's eyes the day he was born. I was hooked! Well, having put several babies up for adoption on E-Bay with great success, my confidence grew and I went on to participate in a local doll show. I have been doing shows for years, and have been involved in everything from afternoon church bazaars to international trade shows. I don't remember feeling quite as anxious at any of them as I felt coming to this show...never have my creations felt so personal I guess. Well, this was by far and away the best show I had ever attended. The response was amazing, and everyone fell in love with my babies, I have never sold so much in such a short span of time! I wound up with several classes full of excited participants who wanted to learn my techniques. And thus another facet to my business was born.
This entire art form is still relatively new on the larger scale, so it is a very exciting place to be as an artist and an entrepreneur; the opportunities and possibilities are endless.
I love working from home, and being able to spent time with my son is one of the greatest rewards, so naturally, I am always looking for ways to continue the growth of my business. I offer wholesale and retail supplies, kits, and classes along with my other art and craft supplies. I just completed writing my first doll making manual on this new technique. I strive to capture as much realism in my babies as possible. And while I enjoy all of my artistic pursuits, creating as many of these one-of-a kind-babies as I have time for, fulfills both my artistic and maternal desires.
Wonderful things continue to happen, my designs have been published in several publications, and I have become a regular contributor to Canadian Crafter's Magazine. I travel and take part in several trade shows annually, and have been featured in an HGTV televised interview with Sue Warden of Creative Décor. There are still occasional days when I have put in 60 hours a week, things just don't seem to be happening, and the bank account is at an all time low; and I stop to wonder if it is all worth while. Then I look over at my four year old, playing in our shared studio/office/play room, and I just can't imagine having things any other way. I've never worked longer or harder at anything in my life. I feel very blessed to be able to follow my passions wherever they may lead, and I truly believe that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Sort of like the little engine that could..." I think I can... I think I can...right up that hill, and before you know it you've reached your goal. I look forward to many more years of continued growth, inspiration and triumph!
http://www.achildsworld.ca
It was not long after that point that the thought of returning to work and giving 100% of myself to the children of others, became too much to bear. So I decided to leave my full time teaching position, my 12 years of seniority, my 4 weeks paid vacation, my security and stability, not to mention other benefits and perks; and follow my ever-present dream of owning my own business. Once outside of my comfort zone, there was no looking back.
It began with custom hand painted children's furniture, which seemed to merge two of my favourite pastimes quite nicely. It then grew to include my 2nd passion, teddy bears. Soon designing patterns and kits and teaching classes followed. One year and a small business course later, I was a bona fide entrepreneur!
Here I am now; firmly planted in the middle of year 3, and still the surprises keep arriving. Approximately a year ago, I launched a line of cloth doll patterns and kits. These dolls had molded faces made out of felt, and I became obsessed with finding a technique that would make them even more life-like. I love realism in dolls. Porcelain doll making just wasn't as enjoyable for me. Not owning a kiln (& not really wanting one with our 3 year old racing around the place) meant having to travel to create, and I was much more comfortable and inspired wearing my bunny slippers! I had tried my hand at vinyl doll kits, but the creative process was very limited, and there was not much control over the end results. So the cloth dolls seemed like the only option, and I was determined to find a method to make them more life like.
It was while on this quest for information that I first encountered Reborn Dolls. They literally took my breath away! As an artist and businesswoman, my first thought after "I must to have one!" was "how can I make one"!! And so it began, a brand new passion was born. Each and every reborn baby I create is almost like reliving the moment I first looking into my son's eyes the day he was born. I was hooked! Well, having put several babies up for adoption on E-Bay with great success, my confidence grew and I went on to participate in a local doll show. I have been doing shows for years, and have been involved in everything from afternoon church bazaars to international trade shows. I don't remember feeling quite as anxious at any of them as I felt coming to this show...never have my creations felt so personal I guess. Well, this was by far and away the best show I had ever attended. The response was amazing, and everyone fell in love with my babies, I have never sold so much in such a short span of time! I wound up with several classes full of excited participants who wanted to learn my techniques. And thus another facet to my business was born.
This entire art form is still relatively new on the larger scale, so it is a very exciting place to be as an artist and an entrepreneur; the opportunities and possibilities are endless.
I love working from home, and being able to spent time with my son is one of the greatest rewards, so naturally, I am always looking for ways to continue the growth of my business. I offer wholesale and retail supplies, kits, and classes along with my other art and craft supplies. I just completed writing my first doll making manual on this new technique. I strive to capture as much realism in my babies as possible. And while I enjoy all of my artistic pursuits, creating as many of these one-of-a kind-babies as I have time for, fulfills both my artistic and maternal desires.
Wonderful things continue to happen, my designs have been published in several publications, and I have become a regular contributor to Canadian Crafter's Magazine. I travel and take part in several trade shows annually, and have been featured in an HGTV televised interview with Sue Warden of Creative Décor. There are still occasional days when I have put in 60 hours a week, things just don't seem to be happening, and the bank account is at an all time low; and I stop to wonder if it is all worth while. Then I look over at my four year old, playing in our shared studio/office/play room, and I just can't imagine having things any other way. I've never worked longer or harder at anything in my life. I feel very blessed to be able to follow my passions wherever they may lead, and I truly believe that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Sort of like the little engine that could..." I think I can... I think I can...right up that hill, and before you know it you've reached your goal. I look forward to many more years of continued growth, inspiration and triumph!
http://www.achildsworld.ca
Related Tags: home business, entrepreneur, marketing, work from home, crafts, hobbies, dolls, arts, teddy bears, crafting, business mom, sellling crafts, small busi
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