*Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am from Mexico, I have a BS in Chemistry. When I was working in Mexico City “I fell in love”, he proposed and we were engaged for 3 years, He was in Chandler, AZ, I was in Mexico and the distance in our relationship was not helping at all so finally I came to the USA in 2004, we got married and we have 2 wonderful kids (Derek who is 7 years old and Bethany who is 15 months old), last month we moved from Tempe, AZ to Odessa, TX. My mom, my 2 sisters and their kids are living in Mexico, my dad died in 2002.
*How did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?
I quit my job because I had a high risk pregnancy… since then I am a Stay At Home Mom.
With only my husband’s income and 2 kids I needed some extra money for Christmas and I made my Round Gift Boxes and Photo Frames (not posted yet) with Quilled Paper Flower Embellishments hoping to sell them locally and CL… but bad news. One day watching videos in you tube something got my attention… Kanzashi Flowers and I liked them, I did some research, I got fabric and I made some flowers for my Baby Girl, one day a friend of mine came over, saw my boxes & flowers and she encouraged me to set up an Etsy shop, so I visited Etsy read the FAQs, took me a few weeks to set it up, and finding the perfect name for my shop was the first and most important detail (I wanted a name that was “related to my products and easy to remember” and my products had flowers so I thought “MyFlowerZone is perfect!!!”).
*What are 5 things you want people to think when they see your product?
- Greatest Quality.
- Elegance.
- Unique.
- I must have it.
- It’s worth it.
*Do you have a supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
I love shopping supplies. Right now I am focus in supplies for my products (I started this year so I have been buying little by little) but sometimes when I am at stores just “looking” I see something and I think “Well, eventually I can make something with it”. If I can… I buy it, even if I do not need it at the moment, and usually I create something with it.
*What do you do when you’re not creating? What activities do you enjoy?
I do my chores in the morning. Taking care of my baby girl, then after school I have to be "pushing" my son with the homework… you know kids at this age. My crafts are made whenever I can, usually at night, that is the reason I have plenty of UFO’s (unfinished objects) but I hope I can catch up soon. My family is always first and crafting is my relief for the everyday routine.
When I have spare time I enjoy reading because there is always something new that we can learn, and sometimes I watch my favorite shows in Hulu because I always miss my shows on TV.
* Is this your first craft adventure or have you tried other crafts? What would you like to try?
My Grandmother taught me to crochet when I was a child, I have my large collection of doillies, when I was studying the University I needed extra money so I learned “Repujado” (is drawing on foil aluminum paper (thicker than cooking foil of course and special for crafts) and then stain it to make rustic paintings, I sold some to a Gallery, after I graduated I was unemployed for a while, I learned how to make candles and “Quilling Paper”, so I made embellishments for everything I could put them on (frames, candles, cards, souvenirs, party favors, invitation cards). Lately the fabric flowers and hair bows but there is something that I’ve always wanted to do and so far I have not done it… Learn how to paint like Bob Ross!!! But I think painting is not for me :-(
*If you could give a piece of advice to a new shop - what would it be?
Always provide great quality in everything and have your own style.
*Are there other places on the net we can find you?
FaceBook www.facebook.com/pages/MyFlowerZone/409100069115241
Twitter twitter.com/MyFlowerZone
Pinterest pinterest.com/myflowerzone/
RebelMouse www.rebelmouse.com/MyFlowerZone/
Wanelo wanelo.com/MyFlowerZone