We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chelsi Weaver. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chelsi below.

Chelsi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

When I purchased my first Cricut machine back in October 2020, I had no idea what I wanted to make or even try to sell. The possibilities seemed endless as I researched different DIY and personalized home decor items. I knew that I wanted to create something that people would love, but also something that had a twist to it.

I started researching on Etsy and Instagram to see what Cricut makers were creating. After about a week of what seemed to be endless searching, I finally found something that I wanted to try… Shadow Boxes! Most people were making shadow boxes that incorporated handmade paper flowers, so my first step was to learn how the heck I was supposed to do that. After I somewhat mastered the sizing and rolling technique of the flowers, I had to find the best (neatest) way to place them in the boxes. It took a few trial and error attempts, but I finally got the hang of it.

I enjoyed creating the flowers, but I started to realize that so much more could go in the shadow boxes. This is where the “twist” comes in. I wanted my shadow boxes to stand out, but I had to figure out what would actually fit behind the glass of the boxes. I had about 3/4 of an inch to play around with, so I spent a day going to different craft stores and purchasing materials to experiment with. I bought plastic diamonds and pearls, buttons in the shapes of basketballs and footballs, rose petals… Lol I was excited. I created different themed boxes with these items and started posting on Instagram to gauge interest.

After I really got the hang of making the shadow boxes, I started to focus on building my customer base. I created my first Instagram business page and posted 7 different boxes that I made for friends and family. I asked each of them to post their boxes and tag me or create stories on Instagram with their honest feedback on their boxes. More and more people started to see my work circulating or heard about my business through word of mouth and BOOM, I was truly in business by the beginning of December 2020!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Chelsi Weaver and I am the owner of Decor Me by Chelsi. Decor Me by Chelsi offers custom home décor and gifts for any occasion. Each of my products are handcrafted with love and are well-known for their creativity and uniqueness.

I started my business in 2020 after decorating my first apartment. I loved the feeling of finding that perfect piece of home decor, and I wanted to recreate that feeling for others. Over time, I realized that most of my customers were ordering my products to give to their loved ones, so I challenged myself to create more items that would make great heartfelt gifts. My product line includes custom shadow boxes, glass blocks, paper letters, keychains, and more!

I am proud to say that I truly focus on providing exceptional customer service and creating products that last a lifetime! I am so happy that I started my business and never gave up on my dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I am actively building my social media audience. This hasn’t been the easiest for me because I am no social media algorithm guru or someone that posts consistently (I know I have room for improvement here). What’s helped me the most is posting quality content that stays on brand, creating reels, and showing my face more on my pages!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I am a HUGE overthinker, so when it comes to social media.. I had to stop focusing on trying to post when the most people were active or posting only at certain times of the day. I was starting to lose the joy of using social media. I realized that what was most important to me was sharing my passion to the world and showing my beautiful creations!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @decormebychelsi
• Facebook: Decor Me by Chelsi
• Other: TikTok: @decormebychelsi