Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandra McLennan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alexandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve always been drawn to creative environments and ways of earning income. Throughout the years, I held multiple corporate jobs and while the potential was certainly there, I never excelled at any of them. They were mostly just a source of income and anxiety. After graduating college, I accepted an internship with a new outdoor wedding venue in the woods, and quickly transitioned to being the new venue manager and day-of coordinator. I found myself immersed in a world where creativity was the center focus of everything we did from styling to problem solving, and I loved it. I knew then that I didn’t belong behind a desk. But, because we were only in operation during select months, I continued to work office jobs as my main source of income. I knew that making things made me happy, so I picked up my old embroidery and macrame hobbies as a way to escape the relentless spreadsheets, e-mails, and dropped balls (although don’t get me wrong, I do love a good spreadsheet). I began making small pieces for friends, and started receiving commission requests. At the start of 2020, I decided to throw a few pieces up online for sale for fun, and unexpectedly received my first sale from Ebay, of all places! Receiving an order from a complete stranger, and not just my amazing and supportive friends, was the catalyst to thinking I could maybe do this more full time. Little did I know, I would soon be out of a job, involuntarily, for the first time in my life. I did quickly come to realize though that if there was ever a chance to take, this was it. I don’t want to minimize the impact Covid had on job stability, but for me, losing mine was truly a gift, as it gave me the opportunity to venture into pursuing my art professionally.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a self-taught fiber artist. I began learning in 2014, but didn’t take it more seriously than an occasional hobby until late 2019. Towards the beginning of 2020, I started teaching online workshops as a way to share my craft and bring people together at a time when we had to be apart. I also started using my new business as a platform to organize the We Won’t Stay Silent Auction, in response to the protests brought on by the killing of George Floyd. I brought together a group of artists willing to donate their work in an effort to fundraise for an organization of their choosing. 100% of the proceeds were donated, and I am proud to share that over the course of 3 auctions, we raised over $17,000 spread amongst over 70 different non-profits and social justice causes. I’m a firm believer in doing what you can, how you can, when you can, and this idea carries over into every aspect of my business. A lot of my work comes from second-hand and up-cycled materials, I purchase from eco-minded suppliers as frequently as possible, and send all of my shipments out in recycled packaging.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is bringing people joy. Whether it’s through seeing tiny hats on disco balls, or the childhood nostalgia macrame recalls, it really is such a treat to create something that brings a smile to someone’s day.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve had to unlearn how to measure success. For so long, I understood success as a monetary quantification only, as opposed to considering the other small wins that come from immersing yourself in a creative field. It’s definitely helped shaped my views on life and my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: dapperhousemenagerie.com
• Instagram: @Dapper_house_menagerie