Goodmorning my beauts, and welcome to my channel if you are new! I am so fortunate and blessed you decided to stop by and take a peek at my blogging channel and blog post! I have been back on track with my blog posts recently and have so much planned for you guys for 2018, I am so excited! I have particularly been super excited about this blog post in particular, as it is one of my closest family members and friends to me. I had the absolute privilege and opportunity to write a blog post and interview my cousin, Emily Jones, who is such a beautiful soul inside and out. Emily is 17 years old, grade 12, and has a passion for making crafts from her small business she created called, “Crafts by Em“.  She has been making crafts since a young age as she loves to be creative and design her own things. However, Emily just recently began making crafts to sell and has begun to take them more seriously. She officially began making her crafts last year. That is so amazing Emily, I am beyond proud of you for starting up your own business and doing what you love.  I have always said, ” just do it and start it“, you never get anywhere if you don’t start and just try it. I am super glad you decided to just go for it. That’s amazing.

I was very curious as to what inspired Emily to start doing her crafts and create her small business. Emily explains, “Well ever since I was young my mom always encouraged me to design my own things and pursue what I enjoyed most- which was making crafts. However, when I moved into my dads and his wife house the crafting and creativity came to a halt. A series of events took place at the end of the year of 2016, which resulted in me and my dad moving into a new home, and a new, fresh, healthy environment. I took this as an opportunity to start a new chapter in my life and start either old or new hobbies once again- and that’s when going on the app Pinterest became a daily routine just looking for basic crafts that I could redesign and make my own”.  Gotta love Pinterest! I absolutely love Pinterest when it comes to new designs and new inspirations. The site is absolutely wonderful and is full of so many ideas to recreate.

What kind of crafts do you sell Emily? “I sell a wide variety of crafts, and I continue to look for new things I can make ! My crafts include; cute, decorative clothes-peg picture hangers, jean mug coasters, self-drawn and designed porcelain mugs, self-drawn/designed mugs with handmade candles as well as  handmade candles in mugs that I did not design myself and in small mason jar containers, mason jar night-light, plaid coasters, self-drawn/designed glass containers for eye-make remover pads, self-made/designed bead keychains. What I find unique about my crafts is that I customize any one of my products”.  I absolutely love all the crafts that Emily sells and creates, they are amazing. She is one talented lady and is super creative in that department. It must take so much patience to create and make these crafts, something that I don’t have to kudos to you Em! You go Glencoco!

Since Emily makes a ton of different crafts, I was curious as to which one was her absolute favourite to make! Emily explains that she enjoys making all of her crafts,  but if she had to choose it would be her homemade candles in mugs or other unique that she finds. I do not blame her one bit! I would for sure have to say that these are one of my favourites as well, as they are absolutely adorable and you guys know me with my candles! I can’t get enough of them! I also began to ask Emily where she saw herself 5 years from now later on down the road. Emily states, “with my crafts, in 5 years I see my continuing with my tiny business. Whether I sell them or I give them away as gifts, crafting is my most favourite hobbies and is very therapeutic for me. However, in 5 years I plan to be in university so my crafting may be a tad procrastinated due to how busy I may be, but I don’t see myself ever stopping”.  That is honestly such dedication and I truly believe in you, Emily! I know you can do it if you set your mind and heart to it. You have a bright future ahead of you and I know great things are headed your way!

What are your short and long term goals for now? “My short-term goals, for now, are to continue to find new crafts to make that are unique and will get peoples attention. Another short-term goal would be to expand the popularity of “Crafts By Em” as I want to sell and make as many crafts as I can. Long-term goals would include working towards continuing my crafts because I don’t want to stop it as I have previously mentioned it’s threnodic for me”.  That’s amazing Emily, I know you will go far with your short and long-term goals. You are a very determined person and your business is going to expand for sure! I know for a fact that juggling school and work as well as maintaining a small business can be very difficult. I wanted to know just how Emily does it! Emily states, “ juggling grade 12 homework, as well as working 24 hours on average at my part-time job letting alone throwing crafts into the mix is very difficult. Which again brings up the point that crafting for me relieves stress, which is why I always manage to have time for crafting. I usually craft on weekend though as I’m able to stay up later, but unless I have a week that isn’t busy, I don’t craft during the school week”.  I know for a fact that leaving time and room for your “me-time” such as your hobby or passion is extremely important. I ALWAYS make time for my blogging as it relieves stress for me as well just like Emily with her crafts. I think in order to keep your sanity this is so important. I give kudos for Emily for finding a happy medium and balance in her life to manage all of these things every day.

I was very curious as to who taught Emily how to make her crafts, or if she was self-taught. Emily explains, “no one taught me how to make crafts, it’s just something I kind of picked up on my own. I get annoyed with following instructions so I make everything with my own twist… including food which doesn’t always turn out the best lol. I just use my best judgement to make my own crafts!!”.   That’s amazing Emily you are so creative and artistic!  I hear you on the following instructions part, that is not always my thing, as I do not have the patience hahaha!

“You will be exactly as happy as you decide to be.”

What is one quote you live by? “Despite the negative things in life, there is also something good out of a bad situation, and if the situation isn’t something that you want, then you change it”.  I absolutely love this, and honestly have never heard of this quote before but it makes perfect sense and is so accurate by far. I am going to be keeping this quote in my head for a long time as I find it so relatable and important to go by in life.

What is a piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out with a small business?  “A piece of advice I’d give to someone who is starting a small business is to know your audience- for example, when I started out my tiny business I thought I would have had more customers/supporters-family, friends or acquaintances. So don’t invest your money into something that won’t sell as I have put in at least a minimum over $300-$400 into my crafting”.  I completely agree with this 100%, and knowing your audience is so key! I have to know my audience with blogging as well.

I want to take the time to thank Emily for allowing me to interview her and her small company called, “Crafts by Em”. You can contact her through Facebook at Emily Jones and check out her crafts that she has made. You can also follow her on Instagram at “_jonesyy18_”, also on her craft page on Instagram at ” Crafts_byem_” so come spread some love on her pages! I love you to the moon and back Em and I know you are going to go far in life with your crafts and your small business.  I hope you beauts enjoyed this blog post, I have not done an interview for a while now so it was absolutely refreshing and I want to thank Emily again! Take care, xo.