We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jiselle Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jiselle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
Hello! Thank you for allowing me to share my story with you. Learning the craft has truly been a journey. I don’t have one craft in particular. I guess you can call me a Jack of all Trades. My first craft was sewing. I started hand sewing when I was about 6 years old. My grandmother was a seamstress back then and I would just sit in the room with her while she made quinceañera gowns. I used her fabric scraps to hand stitch tiny pillows. As I got older I took sewing classes in middle school and high school and eventually my parents bought me my first sewing machine. In high school I started getting into painting. It all started when I joined Student Council and was assigned to paint large banners for the school cafeteria. Fast forward to college, I was at Walmart one day and decided to go to the crafts section. I saw the small $0.50 acrylic paint bottles and bought a few along with some canvas panels. Painting those banners in high school developed my interest in painting but I didn’t get deep into it until college. This led me to taking a painting class. I painted for several years until I decided to try something new. Something lit up in me and I just wanted to try it all. I went from sewing, to painting, to Cricut crafts, sticker making, polymer clay crafts, digital design, and now laser cut projects using a Glowforge. As previously stated, It has been a journey. Youtube, Pinterest & Instagram have been my best friends when it comes to tutorials. There is so much out there to learn. Even though I don’t have one set skill, I love being able to feel like there are no limits to my crafts. Best part, I still use them all and it has been helpful for developing my business and to pursue my creative career.
Jiselle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Absolutely! I have been crafting and creating for as long as I can remember. I always limited my crafts to just a hobby but I always knew deep inside I wanted to take it further. It wasn’t until I gave birth to my daughter a few years ago that I decided I want to pursue a creative career and start my own business. Having my daughter motivated me to start exploring a creative career because I want to work on my own time and give my kids the attention they require especially during their young years. I always knew I was talented. Why not do something with it?
Creating has been a passion for me all my life. I have always gravitated towards bright and colorful art (We can all thank the brand ‘Lisa Frank’ for that). With all the crafts I have learned throughout the years, In my business I currently make and sell handmade items such as tote bags and pouches. These items represent my early love for sewing. Another category of things I sell in my online shop is stationery. From working as an Executive Assistant I developed an interest for stationery. I always liked planners and notepads but had trouble finding a specific style. That is when I decided to design my own notepads, notebooks, bookmarks, stickers, planners, and more. The best part about designing stationery is that in a way it is passive income and that comes in very handy as a busy mom. I also invested on a Glowforge Laser printer a few years ago which has now led to me designing and creating my own keychains, wall signs, and wall decor. I sometimes struggle with the main focus of my business but in a way I sometimes feel like it all ties together. Tote bags, pouches, notebooks, notepads, and a pretty keychain to finalize the look. Sounds like a great combo to me specially for back to school or working in the office.
When it comes to my business, I am very big on problem solving and customer service. I go above and beyond to make sure my items are of good quality because if someone is going to spend their hard earned money on my items, I want it to be worth it. I am also using my business to share my faith with others. I am a follower of Jesus Christ and like to post motivational content to uplift others, not just with bright colors but with the word of God. Behind the scenes, I also create a lot of custom work for friends and family. It is not the main focus of my business but I am always open to help someone turn their vision into life! My goal overall with my business is to uplift others and bring them joy!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is testing my skills and bringing visions to life. I often find myself getting ideas for projects and designs and breaking down the process of executing the final product. I love every part of the process. From an initial idea, to planning, gathering the supplies, and finally creating. Naturally the process isn’t always as pictured, there is usually some type of obstacle. But that’s the beauty of creating. Even though obstacles can be frustrating, I see it as an opportunity to sharpen up my skills and even learn new ones.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Resources I wish I knew about earlier in my creative journey are design websites, and how to promote my brand. There is something out there for everything, I just didn’t know how to use it. Honestly, I am still learning how to use these resources. I wish I would have done a lot of my research sooner but I believe I am right where I need to be in this journey. I recommend creatives to use Canva or Procreate for design needs. These apps are life changers!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jisellemadeit.etsy.com
- Instagram: @jisellemadeit
- Youtube: @JiselleMadeIt.
- Other: Pinterest: JiselleMadeIt
Image Credits
Image Credit: Jiselle Williams