We were lucky to catch up with Christina Stawiasz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Thyme and Timber came to life just over three years ago. It started as an idea of merging my love for the great outdoors and my passion for cooking. As an avid camper with the love for cooking, creating and elevating camp meals was a welcomed and exciting challenge. My fulltime job had been working as an independent hairstylist and small business owner. Just like the majority, the Covid-19 Pandemic turned my life upside down and my business had to mandatory close for 3 months. It was certainly a panic and worry in many ways. My business and livelihood was as stake and so was my sanity. I am the type of person who stays busy and gives myself far too much to do. As a busybody it was quite a shock to be forced into a standstill.

Having this unexpected downtime had opened the opportunity for RV travel. A way to stay quarantined and also a way to escape cabin fever. This gave me the time and energy to focus on creating “exceptional meals for the great outdoors.” I logged into Instagram and got started. Documenting creative meals made over a campfire or on my travel grill all while on adventure! I decided to go all in and have fun with the mindset of it as a hobby with possible potential. I decided to go with the flow, have fun with it and see what happens.

Christina, 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?

I am Christina Stawiasz, the creator behind Thyme and Timber. I have always been a creative person . In fact, I was quite the art nerd in High School, well actually ever since kindergarten. I am a creator, whether it be with painting, sculpture, photography to being a career hairstylist to then blossoming into current culinary skills and content creation. It’s absolutely amazing how your calling comes to life, how it finds you. As a food creator on Instagram, I love making food pretty, especially when it comes to barbeque and more importantly, creating incredible flavorful!

Putting the work & love into Thyme and Timber has brought incredible opportunities. I am so grateful to be an ambassador/affiliate for multiple companies including CharGriller Grills, Wallaroo Hats, The Good Charcoal Company and Fairway Packing Company. I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunities that came to life. My next goal is to create a high end BBQ private catering company.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media can be very discouraging a lot of the time. It’s important to stay patient when it come to follower growth. My advice is to put work into finding your niche. Be authentic, engaging and consistent. Currently, most companies are looking for micro influencers. That means having 1 million followers wont entirely matter. What does matter is your engagement with your audience. Trying to figure out the algorithm is exhausting. Once you think you have figured it out, it changes. One post might have a ton a of attention while another doesn’t. Keep in mind that there are over 2 billion users on Instagram alone! Sometimes its hard to get noticed when it’s oversaturated. What I’m trying to say is, don’s beat yourself up. Have fun with it, meet new people and stay engaged. It’s about creating a community with others who have the same interests. Stay supportive to others who have the same interests and they will likely support and engage with your posts as well.

When it comes to ambassador role or affiliate opportunities, don’t be afraid to ask! The worst they’ll say is no but you will actually be quite surprised how many companies will say yes.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creator is inspiring others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thymeandtimberlife.com
• Instagram: thyme.and.timber
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-stawiasz-1567601b5/
• Youtube: @Thyme.and.Timber