Interview With Jeemaa, Part 2

Give-away Necklace

Welcome back for part two of our interview with jewelry designer Jeemaa. If you haven't entered her give-away contest yet, be sure to link over and do so!

Yesterday Jeemaa shared a glimpse of her home life with us, today we are going to focus on the work side of her life.

Jeemaa, do you keep a schedule, and if you do, how flexible is it?

Yes I do, but it is flexible. Our routine changes constantly as our son grows, so flexibility is very important to us. Typically, we start our day with some mommy and baby snuggle time, then breakfast followed by some kind of activity. We enjoy story time at the library, play time with little buddies, going to the zoo or park, or anything that can be done within two and a half hours. Then it is mommy’s work time and baby’s nap time. I try to get done as much as possible during the nap time. That includes making the jewelry, photographing the pieces, listing new items in my etsy shop, packaging the orders, communicating with my customers and so forth. Then it is our lunch time and more play time. Each day is a little bit different though. Some days my son is more independent and allows me to work more in between play times, but some days he needs me more. Those days I work late nights. It was definitely more challenging in the beginning but as my son gets older, our schedule is getting more and more consistent and I get more accomplished.

Come downstairs Mommy!

So where do you do your work? Do you have a separate work-space?

I have a separate work space in our loft but I somehow seem to end up downstairs. So we had to do some rearranging. Now both the loft and the dining room are used as my work space  I think it is mainly because everything happens downstairs and it is child proof. 

I find the same is true for my situation! I have a work studio in our attic and just about every time I go up there to work, something happens to call me downstairs! So if I'm working on a portable project, I bring it down, otherwise it waits until later. Flexibility is key!

So what suggestion(s) would you offer to a newbie work from home mom, or a mom who is considering coming home to work?


Everyone’s situation is a little bit different but I would love to share what seems to work for me. 1) As I mentioned earlier, establishing some kind of schedule and routine is very important.  2) Keeping a good line of communication with customers is crucial. A lot of my jewelry ideas come directly from my customers. For example, “Grandma’s Little Sunshine” was inspired by a grandma who loves spending the time with her adorable grandson.  3) Taking occasional time off to recharge is a must! My husband is in charge of reminding me of this part. It does not need to be a week-long vacation; even if it is just a picnic at a park or a long walk - anything that you enjoy other than your business will help.

That sounds like excellent advice! 

What has been your experience with advertising and promoting your business?

I find blog giveaways and Facebook promotional events a wonderful way to spread the word about my jewelry business. It is cost effective but produces excellent results! I think it is great that small business owners are working together to promote each other’s businesses. I have never been a Facebook person before, but now I really enjoy interacting with my customers and fans via Facebook. I love seeing their feedback, appreciation photos, custom requests, suggestions and questions. In my opinion, it is not just a fan page, I see it more as a community of moms and caregivers who support each other.

Fancy Mama Teething Ring Necklace

Facebook is a great tool, if used wisely! I find myself tempted to waste too much time there! I need to work on this and devote myself more to homeschool planning, work, and housework!

Your necklaces are simply beautiful, yet functional and affordable! Where does your inspiration come from?

Day to day life, colors, natural stones, beautiful outfits, magazines…there are so many things that inspire me to create my jewelry.  But as a mommy jewelry designer, I get very excited about baby friendly and mommy fashionable pendants to serve as the focal points of my jewelry! When I find that unique focal piece, I usually lay it out on my dining table for a few days. Sometimes, the design idea comes to me right away but sometimes it takes days. I love finding out what that stone represents, match them with complimenting beads and create a piece that has a special meaning! I also pay attention to the things that my little man does while I nurse him or hold him.  Here is my son chewing on his favorite teething ring. This inspired me to create my “Fancy Mama Teething Ring Necklace” design.

Inspiration!

Sometimes I find myself in a "designing rut", do you ever feel that way? What do you do when you find yourself stuck in a rut? 

I do occasionally find myself in a “designing rut”. That is when I take a break for a few days and do other things that I enjoy as much. The trick for me is not to think about jewelry at all… then I miss it and get inspired all over again to create some more …It is a great feeling

Jeemaa, thank you for your wonderful advice and insight into your successful work from home business! 

MHW readers, remember to enter to win "Grandma's Little Sunshine" necklace here and be sure to check out Jeemaa's work on Facebook and Etsy!Bonus coupon code for readers: 10% off at Jeemaa's Esty shop. The coupon code for readers is: MAKINGHOMEWORK  

Interview With Jewelry Designer Jeemaa {and Give-away!}

Please join me in welcoming jewelry designer Jeemaa to Making Home Work!  Jeemaa is the brilliance behind Mommy Jewelry Sturdy and Purdy. Jeemaa, tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I am a wife to my wonderful husband Jeff and a mom to our sweet little boy Zachary. I love scrapbooking, cooking and taking long walks in nature. I also enjoy beading and creating unique and functional pieces of jewelry for mommies.

Jeemaa and her husband, Disney 2011

 Thank you Jeemaa for interviewing with us, please tell our readers about your business products.

I make nursing and teething ring necklaces for mamas and caregivers. They are especially designed to keep babies’ little hands busy while making the mamas look stylish. I use natural wooden teething rings, organic Flaxseed oil or beeswax and all kinds of semi precious stones.

I have ordered a few of your beautiful necklaces and I love wearing them as much as my toddler loves playing with them! Jeemaa, tell us how you got started making jewelry.

My business was inspired by one of my best friend’s custom necklace requests and my own experience with my baby boy.  A few years ago I opened my Etsy shop to sell my nature inspired whimsical jewelry. At that time, I had a full time teaching job so I could not always find the time to maintain my shop. When my son was about four months old, one of my best friends asked me to make a nursing necklace for her. I got some pretty beads with different shapes and textures and made one for her and one for myself. I wanted the necklace to be durable and functional – interesting enough to grab babies’ attention but pretty enough that it can be worn as everyday jewelry. My son loved it!! He gets easily distracted during nursing, especially in public. With the necklace he was more focused. He loved the natural donut stone and really enjoyed exploring the beads. He played with it while I waited in a checkout line or changed his diaper. He tugged on it instead of pulling my hair. I was so excited that I posted the necklace pictures on Facebook and it didn’t take long before another mommy wanted one. And my business has been flourishing ever since.

 

I love a good story of how children inspire a mother in business! Tell us more about your son.

We have a very busy eighteen month old toddler! His name is Zachary. He loves to play with his daddy’s golf clubs, remote controls, tools (which he doesn’t get from his dad), stickers and anything that makes noise. Zachary also loves books that keep his little fingers busy. We think that Matthew Van Fleet is his favorite author.  He never gets tired of reading Tails with mommy and daddy. 

Oh he's a future reader! We love readers here at Making Home Work!

Never too early for books!

Your child is still pretty young, do you involve him with your work?

I do not involve my son in the making of the jewelry part as I work with beads and small pieces that are not safe for him. I also work with teething rings and keeping them clean is extremely important. So mostly, I make my jewelry during his nap time or after he goes to bed. But there are parts that he gets to help mommy. He loves putting the packages in the “mail” bag. We frequently journey to the post office and he has become good buddies with the post office ladies! We both enjoy listening to the post office ladies sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” to us.  

Packing the mail bag!

Sounds like Zachary is a favorite at the Post Office! 

What do you find the most challenging aspect about working from home?

For me the time management is the most challenging aspect of working from home. I am very lucky because our son takes pretty long naps during the day and it really helps me to get my work done. But I can’t always count on naps - there are days he doesn’t want to nap and needs mommy to hold him or be near him at all times. In such instances, there is not much that I can do but wait for my husband to come home.  Working late nights or weekends can get stressful at times but things always seem to work out in the end. 

How do you handle meal preparation? Do you have a time saving trick that allows you more time to work and less time in the kitchen?

I am not very good at planning things but with the help of my better half who is more organized, we make a pretty good team. We usually have some idea of what we are going to cook that week and create the grocery list accordingly. The amazing time savers are my husband’s grandma’s amazing crock pot that turns anything we throw into it a delicious dinner, a rice cooker that my husband got me for my birthday, the savory lemon herb Rotisserie chicken that Meijer prepares, and a giant wok that we purchased from Amazon! That is dinner/lunch for at least three days of the week. Then we add some kind of easy pasta and tortilla wrap dinner to our weekly menu and we are all set! Our meals get sort of repetitive at times but it definitely saves us time and money.

Sounds good to me! Crock-pots do come in handy, I have two that I rely on heavily here at our house.

So with all of this to consider, is it worth it? What keeps you home instead of having an outside career? 

Absolutely! It is worth everything! I will be honest. Some days I wish I had a 9 to 5 job, made more money, had more adult interaction or more alone time, could go shopping and buy new clothes - but even before I finish the sentence, I take it back. I count my blessings every day and am so thankful that my husband works extremely hard so that I can stay at home with our baby. Without a doubt it is one of the most challenging jobs. So what keeps me home? The joy of watching our lil guy grow!

That's the best reason to stay at home! Thank you Jeemaa for giving us a glimpse into your home life. Next post we will explore the work side of her business. Be sure to check out the beautiful necklace give-away below!!


Jeemaa has graciously offered a beautiful necklace give-away and a 10% discount code to our MHW readers! The coupon code for readers is: MAKINGHOMEWORK  The coupon code is a 10% discount code for Jeema's etsy shop. 

Giveaway ~ "Grandma's Little Sunshine"

Description: This all natural organic maple teething ring measures 2.5 inches. The teething ring and the wooden beads are all finished with Certified Organic Flaxseed oil. It is safe for your little one to chomp on. The wooden beads are individually knotted. The 100 percent 2 mm cotton cord is extremely durable. It is a beautiful soft brown cord. The necklace is adjustable up to 29 inches with a Sliding Knot.

Grandmas Little Sunshine

Value: 11.50

To enter, (you can have up to five chances to win) leave a separate comment for each one you complete:

Mandatory: 

• "Like" Mommy Jewelry Sturdy and Purdy on Facebook and leave a comment here

Optional extra entries: 

• "Like" Making Home Work on Facebook 
• Follow Making Home Work Blog
• Tweet this give-away (tell us your twitter name!)
• Share this give-away on Facebook (tell us your Facebook name and/or leave link)
• Post one comment telling us you've done each item above and increase your chances to win! (up to five entries!)

Entries must be made by Friday, Nov 18, 2011 by midnight. Random.org will select our winner, verification and announcement will be made Sunday, Nov 20, 2011 by noon.  Check back here to see if you won!

Your Belly, Your Baby, Your Birth Wear...

Since I was a little girl I have been enamored with pregnant bellies. When a woman in our small church was pregnant I would beg to sit with her and place my hand on her ample baby belly and feel those flutters. I was awe struck and in wonder of it all. Of course once the baby was born I was all too willing to work the nursery. The simple things that children delight in.

My wonder of pregnancy and birth never disappeared although it did take a back seat in my life until I became pregnant myself. I knew that I wanted a more personal pregnancy and birthing experience so I sought out a midwife in our local area to assist me. She introduced the concept of a Doula to me.

Having a doula for my first birth was so important to me, made such an impression on me that I decided that I wanted to serve other women in the same capacity. When my second child was a mere 2 months old (after my first home-birth with a doula & midwife), I attended my doula training workshop with my little nursling and began my birth work journey.

As a "birth worker" I wanted to wear jewelry that expressed my love of pregnancy, the wonder of birth and new life, the sacredness (if you will) of being a partner in bringing a brand new life into our world. I wanted something that would honor the process and the Creator of that process. I looked around online and found many 'birthy' pieces of jewelry but most of them were dedicated to some deity or another that I did not acknowledge and I did not feel comfortable wearing. One evening while feeling quite unsuccessful in my jewelry quest, the thought occurred to me that I could make my own. Could I? I wasn't sure of my abilities but I wanted to give it a try.

I began making polymer clay sculptures that were quite large and cumbersome (compared to my current offerings), although at the time I was quite impressed with my humble beginnings!

Bulky Polymer Clay Belly!

I gradually perfected my belly bead sculpting which enabled me to make smaller and smaller clay beads. I shared my new jewelry with my other doula friends and found out much to my delight that they wanted to buy them! I began offering belly beads and hemp jewelry on Etsy.com in February, 2008. I often get special orders and have shipped all over the US, Canada and the UK.

Then I ventured into acrylic resins. Acrylic allows me more opportunity for creativity, although I still do love my clay! Acrylic beads have a more polished, refined look that pairs wonderfully with natural stone beads, semi-precious gems and artisan glass beads.

Amber-Opal Resin Belly Bead

One day while sculpting a tiny belly, I mused about making a baby and placenta out of clay and casting it into a clear acrylic belly bead. Thus the"Inutero" bead was born. These beads speak loud and clear about the life within the bulging belly. They are quite tedious to make however, and I don't have very many in my shop at once. They are indeed a limited edition item.

My First "Inutero" Bead

Besides my current offerings, you can request a custom piece here. Birth jewelry isn't just for doulas or midwives, I have found many women who want a symbolic piece of jewelry to wear while pregnant, trying to conceive or as a remembrance piece. There really is no limit.

I do my best to offer a quality piece of jewelry and if somethings needs adjusted, I aim to please!

Designing birth art jewelry allows me a creative outlet while helping to normalize pregnancy, birth and the concept that children are a blessing, which begins in the womb.

What people are saying about B'earth Angel's jewelry:

B'earth Angel's hand-crafted birth jewelry will always have a special place in my heart. I stumbled upon your birth jewelry as I was just starting my doula career and finally realized one day that your prices were way too reasonable for me to be dragging my feet any longer so I bought my first piece: a bracelet with bright oranges and a fun little jingle to it! I wore it to all of my interviews and when I taught CBE. One afternoon my toddler yanked on it and the latch broke. Brandi, you told me to send it to you and you fixed, fast as lightening, and got it right back to me at no extra charge! I've never forgotten that amazing service...~Ashli Powell, CD(DONA), CLC, PES, Lubbock Doula Service

I own five gorgeous pieces by Brandi, 4 necklaces and a bracelet. She captures the pregnant body perfectly in each of her beads. I love them all because they are all different and have the "Brandi" touch. I recently wore my favorite necklace in my professional maternity photographs. Another favorite is a clear belly with a visible baby inside. I am so happy Brandi is designing and making jewelry again. I am looking forward to shopping! ~Michelle Steele, Birth Doula

Pregnancy Blessings!

Pregnancy kiss photo by De Monson