Meet the Boomers!

This week we are glad to have an interview with one of our fearless leaders, Joon. Read on to see what she has to say…

1. What is/are the name of your shop/s? 2. What kind of items do you sell?
My original shop is joonbeam, where I sell earth friendly upcycled art and vintage finds. My second shop is flyinghousewife where I sell handwritten letters on one-of-a-kind original designed papers and envelopes with extra eco friendly surprises tucked in.

3. How long have you been engaged in your art/craft?
In the 1980s when I was a young mother I had a little sewing venture called Dinky Duds which were my handmade, original designs of tot sized chef aprons, totes and bibs with appliques. I didn't have an outlet for vending though. I lived in a very small town and craft fairs were few and far between. I recall doing only one. So it was just word of mouth. Then in the late 1990s, I started Bumblelina's Boutique and attended quite a few art/craft shows in the Eugene/Corvallis/Bend, Oregon area. I made decoupaged collage mixed media recycled art. This is when I first started using thrift finds for art. I loved it and experienced a {small scale} success and following this time. I also found the art community, which kept me inspired to create and became very good friends with a few artisans that remain very special to me. I started sewing paper items in 2003 when Scout started her Monkey's Way T shirts and we attended some small Holiday Craft Fairs in rural NH.

4. Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?
I am a professional housewife and mother. I don't consider myself a hobbyist or a craftsperson. I do what I love and I consider it art. Selling is not a natural gift of mine. If I ever became a professional craftsperson, it would be through chance or fate.

5. What inspires you?
Art. Many people say nature inspires them and that is true for me, but I am more inspired by what my fellow men & women create. The power of the human spirit is life's greatest gift.

6. Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio?
I work sporadically unless I have flying housewife orders. I rarely create in the evenings. And I am S-L-O-W.

7. What keeps you company while you’re working on a project?
The pets are never far. Sometimes too close! But I love them and their presence brings me a lot of happiness. I listen to music at times - John Denver, Elton John, Josh Groban, Seal, Madonna on Pandora or AOL Radio now. Scout's my DJ.

8. What is your favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
Anything scissor related and design. I love the spontaneity. I never know what I will make or assemble ahead of time. So everything is a delight. To have a creation unfold before my eyes is my favorite aspect of art. Who doesn't love a surprise? I also love the photography. I have photos of things I've designed and made since forever ago. When I find them it's like a treasure to me because I'd never remember all of those things or believe I ever created them without the photos.

9. What is your least favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
Practical matters like mailing issues, book keeping (which I stopped. Smart move.) or assorted people nonsense. Life is too short for the mundane, isn't it?

10. What are some of the venues you use to promote your shop/ware? (Do you blog? To which teams do you belong? Do you use other sites? Which ones? etc.)
I do blog and I love flickr, but I don't get to do either as much as I'd like because I need the desktop & it's inconvenient for me. I only belong to one other team, eco etsy, which I am leaving. I am dedicated to this BBEST Team. I love it. I do have a website. It's nothing much because I am not savvy enough. But I'd hate to lose my domain name so I keep it. I did sign up for the Austin Makers Faire as a maker and I enjoyed making connections there and did get exposure.

11. Related to your craft, tell us about a funny, strange or unusual situation you found yourself in.
We were at a Show in Corvallis, OR on July 4th. Scout was 2. Because we were 6 adults who hovered over the girl - we all thought someone else had her - at one point she wandered off and none of us realized it. It was a nightmare. Because of the community of artists, the panic spread quickly and we were not far from a creek, too. Well, it was only a matter of minutes, though it seemed like hours, when Kristoffer scooped her up from a police officer. She'd tugged on his pants demanding he find her mother. Typical Scout. We learned she gave him the all encompassing info about me ... 'She haves a boof.' (booth) Before we all had stopped crying hysterically upon her return, two sisters, oblivious to the trauma, walked into the booth, la de da, all bubbly and excited and chose a couple hundred dollars worth of my items as gifts for all their family. Talk about a bizarre half hour in my life. We still talk about that day. The boys were scarred for life I think. (And we still hover over her!)

12. Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t necessarily know about you by talking to you in the forums.
When I was 12, I talked two other girls into trying to kick our way across the ocean inlet from NJ to NY. We were all just hanging onto one canvas raft. There was a huge Cathedral on the NY side, which was looking closer now than the diminishing NJ shoreline. We joked about walking in in our bikinis. Of course, the tide was pulling us out to the ocean, but we couldn't tell. A man and a little freckled face boy, right out of a Norman Rockwell painting, arrived in a small motor boat to rescue us. He said my father sent him. We were undeniably three distinct nationalities. I nudged Joanne and whispered 'Ask him how he knows our father.' The man was incredulous. Exasperated, he barked: 'He's small, he's waded out to the boats, fully clothed, standing in water up to his waist, holding his socks and shoes in one hand and every vein in his head and neck is bulging out.' I said: 'THAT'S my father.' And we climbed in the boat. It was a a good 30-40 minute ride back in. I've never lived this one down. I often wonder about the other two gals.

13. What’s your favorite book and why, favorite movie and why, favorite kind of music?
My favorite books are biographies, cookbooks, non fiction and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. I love people and history. Favorite movies is impossible. Naturally, To Kill A Mockingbird. I love Wonder Boys, What's Up Doc?, Moonstruck, As Good As it Gets, Romantic Comedies, Wes Anderson films, Chaplin, Juno, Dave, Tootsie, Anne of Green Gables, the PBS Goodbye Mr. Chips, Waiting for Guffman & classics. There's a start. Besides the music listed above, I like movie scores and Broadway Musicals a lot.

14. Would you care to share any 'words of wisdom' with other aspiring artists or crafters?
About 6 years ago, I had a gorgeous little blank journal book that I called Good Things. The challenge was that every night I had to list three good things that happened that day. I did it for a year and a half straight. I wrote it in an artsy way and it has doodles, too. It's precious to me. I need to start one again. It takes some real dedication and stamina. It's not easy, but it has to be the best gift you can give yourself and you deserve it. I cannot recommend this too highly.

Please leave a comment for Joon! She would love to hear from you!