What do you think of when you picture an artists’ studio? Piles of paints and beads and scrapbook paper? Brightly colored room with a huge table to work on? Or maybe this is just my dream! How about an RV? No? Well, read on then…
Jolene was always a creative person thanks to the creative spirit of her mother. She began with pencil drawing and later tried her hand at graphic and computer design as well as photography. A few years back she was forced to retire from her job for some medical reasons and instead of crawling into a hole; she decided it was time to take an adventure! Jolene, her mother Sandra, and daughter Amanda sold everything and purchased an RV and minivan to tour all the Florida State Parks! In order to fund this adventure they acquired jobs as campground hosts which involves 20 hours per week of cleaning and maintaining campgrounds in exchange for free hook up and camping!
Not one to leave creativity behind while on this adventure, Jolene set out to find a way to create and bring in a small income while on the road. One problem with an RV….room! There is none! The craft that she chose had to fit into the confines of their space, be portable and still creative enough to keep her motivated. Her mother can spend hours working with yarn, but Jolene was looking for something else.
After searching the internet and studying different ideas, she stumbled upon jewelry. Beads and gemstones in a variety of colors caught her eye and SouthernWomenCrafts was born. Jolene loves to work with glass beads, pearls and gemstones as well as crystals and wire. Once she began to hone her skill there was no stopping her.
In the meantime, her mother continued to crochet and just turned her focus from creating gifts to items for sale. She works with the softest yarn in rich colors and joined in the business side of things. Not to be left out, her daughter Amanda took on the daunting task of taking pictures and keeping the newest creations listed on the websites as well as handling the shipping out of orders. This trio of talented ladies soon became a true multigenerational partnership.
This business has taught Jolene a lot and she advises anyone thinking of joining in the handmade craft movement that you must treat it like a business. It takes hard work and patience. She encourages others to learn your craft well and make notes of your processes, what works and what doesn’t, as well as the materials you use to help you write descriptions later. Find a cheering section to support your work. Involve family, friends and a mentor to keep you on track. The best advice….Have fun! If you are not enjoying your work it will become just another job on the daily to do list.
While they are on the road, craft fairs have not been in the cards, though according to their website they will be setting up at a fair later this month! SouthernWomenCrafts maintains their online presence on both HandmadeArtists and on Etsy as well as on their own site. You can see what they love on Pinterest and follow their crafting adventures on Facebook. If you would like to see their travel adventures, you can follow their progress Here.