0:03
The podcast where we sip and spill. You are now listening to this episode of Tea With Kea. I have a very special guest on the episode today. Go ahead and introduce yourself to the people who will be listening.
0:22
Okay, sounds good. Yeah. So I’m Julia. I am a nonprofit sector person. But I’m also a watercolor artist just like a visual artist to an extent. And I live in Miami, Miami, Florida and South Florida area. I grew up here most of my life and I came back after college and I’ve been here ever since. That’s what
0:49
shoe represents then it’s been a minute since I’ve been that way but Oh, okay. What What do you sip or not? Because you know, we have that as a segment. What
0:58
What is that?
0:59
What are bottle?
1:01
Yes, so I’m drinking kombucha. It’s the the ginger Ade flavor the synergy a like GT. I don’t man brand, huge computer person. I feel like I got way more into it after college because I know most people like drink a beer and kick back after work. But I worked so late. Like when I first started, like, I started my career as a community organizer. So when I first started, I would come home and just be so tired and I would want that flavor or something like more like fermented like a wine or a beer, but it was like 11pm and I still had stuff to do. So I um, I started getting really into Cujo.
1:42
I like that. That’s what’s up. It kind of reminds me Oh man, back in school there was this spot that like salt kombucha.
1:51
Okay, guys. I first tried commu job. Yeah, I love it. I had it on tap. It was so cute. It was
2:00
I was like, Okay, this is it. Yeah, that that was my my first little dip kombucha too. So I was like, Okay, yeah, this is it. This is it. I am sipping on a nice little Earl Grey Chai to add on my little doggie mug. Yes, I haven’t any outside of my room right now, after this episode. You can say hi to her. But I was like, okay, me. You know? Yes. But um, yeah, and this is a loosely tea bottom actually makes it It’s really good. I like it. I love the aroma. I love the flavor. It just makes me feel really relaxed. You know? The days of course, they’d be long days. Oh, yeah. Oh, girl, you tell him so yeah, it’s just nice to like, you unwind and you’re just like, okay, You’re sure? Yeah. It’s gonna be only poppin so shoe so I was wondering cuz you know, I always do the part where I say like how I know my guess my memory is usually not as great as the memory of my guests. But do you remember like the first time we met? Of course it was in school. But do you know the beginning? Technically,
3:08
I think we technically like May, indirectly, sometime freshman year. Did you live in the townhouses? Or, like have friends who live in the townhouses?
3:16
I had friends who have my townhouse, so Javier and JoJo, like we were always there.
3:20
Yes. Okay, so I had friends who lived in the townhouses, too, and they would go hang out with Jojo sometimes. And so I think I met you at some point. Like I said, their townhouse, but I don’t think I really ever like met you met you until like through Claire, like later on. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
3:39
Cuz I was thinking I was like, okay, hold up, hold up. Like, we got these friends in common. Like, wait with it. Okay, well, cool. Yeah, that’s what’s up cuz Yeah, like going to visit them. And just because, you know, I’m having like, all that space, like playing games and like playing mafia. And just Oh, yeah. Good times. Good times, man. It’s crazy. It’s like, you look back and you’re like, Wait, hold on. We did that. Like recording graduates like, Okay. Pat’s on back. But you said that after you graduated, you went back home to work. And you’ve been.
4:09
So I started community organizing back in 2018. So we graduated. And then I took some time off, I thought I was going to do something completely different. But I got really involved with an auto profit, and just decided to really switch into community organizing. And I worked at a nonprofit that is in the same network as the one that I got involved with when I first graduated. And yeah, it was a super exciting experience. I actually just left that position that I’d been in for a while. I’m at the end of last year. So yeah, it’s been really exciting. And just on one hand, I’m like, I really was surprised. That’s kind of the direction I went in. But on the other hand, like, it just makes so much sense. I feel like in high school and college I was always really interested in policy issues and things like that. And so yeah, I was a really intense experience. Really Mmm, interesting experience, I feel like it was it was a perfect move for me after school that
5:05
way. Okay, so let’s rewind, you switched roles at the end of last year, or power to you on. I was just gonna say that, um, it’s interesting, because obviously, like, you know, we’re in a pandemic, and I feel like a lot of times, people, they’ve been, like, more hesitant, and, you know, changing jobs. And I mean, I’m kind of like you in the sense that I was with the company. And it was at the end of October that I decided to leave and, you know, go somewhere else. And of course, you know, when you leave something that you’ve been with for a while, there’s always that risk. And of course, in times like these, you know, we, we have to be more strategic and the risks that we take some interesting because I haven’t talked a lot of people who are, you know, switching things up, you know, since what, like, February, March of last year. So, ya know, it’s just interesting to hear that because it’s always like, you know, you wait, you weigh the pros and the cons and just, you know, see, see where your path takes you. So, props to you on that props to you. The reason why we are here today, I like to have guests where we can have a conversation about something that I think is either going to motivate other people inspire other people. And I really want to talk about your brand. I want to talk about your beginnings. I want to talk about where you are now, I want to talk about like, you know where you’re going by Julio from you. Where did those all begin? I want to know, take us back. Yeah.
6:35
I mean, I feel like I’m still really in the beginning. I didn’t launch my Etsy until December. So it’s really only I think it’s been like officially a little bit over a month, definitely way more than a month. But like, we’re also at the two month mark. And yeah, my goal is to have over 100 sales by the end of the year. But yeah, like, I mean, the idea really started because of COVID. And the quarantine when I was younger, I was super into Visual Art. I would go to like art classes and like, my parents would take me to like art fairs in town and things like that. And yeah, I mean, growing up, I always had like different ambitions. But one thing that I feel like I always always wanted to experience was being like one of those people with a booth at the Art Fair. I like I have such vivid memories. Like for example, there’s just one lady who had like a ceramics business and she made these really cool flowers out of ceramic wire. And she gave me one just because she was like, sitting there working at the like her stand and the faired, she was making stuff of their hands while people came in. And she just like gave it to me for free. And I was like, okay, and I’m pretty sure to say them, whatever my parents house, but I just remember like how cool it was. And like how much like she thought it was like nice that there was this kid, they’re just like asking her questions about her work. And I feel like Etsy is like, like the virtual version of being a little Art Fair. And I’ve always like shopped on Etsy here in there, too. So yeah, I was just excited to do something different. I think during the very early stages of the pandemic, I mean, that was still the beginning of 2020. And a goal I have for myself in 2020 was to just get back into art, um, it was something that I’d been so into before. And then when I went to college, really other than like, you know, making crafts for this, or that thing that like the sorority I was in would ask you to do, I never really did any of that. And I missed it a lot. And then when I jumped into community organizing, it was so busy. And coincidentally in March, every year, we would have this big event. And it was like the pinnacle of the work that we did and like you would work so so hard, like toward that event, like the whole month leading up to it would be like non stop. And so I told myself in January, I was like after we call it the action. So like after the action, I’m gonna get back into, like, I’m gonna, like really jump back in. And Funny enough, that’s right when the pandemic happened. So, so that’s where it took off. I mean, it really was just even reworking my skills. There was a lot of things that I just like, almost like, it’s not that I forgot how to do them, but it’s like, you know how they say that? Like, you never forgot how to ride a bike like yeah, you don’t forget the basics. We’re not gonna ride as fast as you used to so
9:21
true. Or like that phrase. They say, sometimes your hands remember what your mind forgot. Mm hmm. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think what’s like admirable is just like you, you made a promise to yourself, cuz Honestly, I think look at those goals, like telling yourself, okay, I’m gonna do this and like, you hop back on my horse. I’m like, you go for it. And you really just kind of like, yeah, you make it happen. That’s something that is what you like, really appreciate and shout out to your two months. And I think I looked, I think you already have like 25 or 26 or something like that sales to about a quarter of the way there. Yeah, right.
9:54
Yeah, yeah, I’m excited. I just launched my Valentine’s Day cards. So I did Christmas cards, and gift tags and Hanukkah cards and gift tags. And now I’m doing Valentine’s day I’m going to skip Easter, because a lot of people have been asking me for like paintings. So I’m just going to do between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, I’m just going to do paintings and stickers. So I’ve been like working on developing stickers and I have a few I actually, with my Christmas orders, since it was like my first set of orders, I sent a little sticker to most of the people who, because I’m just trying them out, like I have plenty of experience with making cards, but I don’t have any stickers. So I figured that could be the trial run is sending people a little sticker. And I did do stick on gift tags. But yeah, it’s been it’s fun. And it’s just one thing that I love about like stationery, like that kind of thing is like, as a kid, what I like to do was always like making cards for people making art for other people like to give us gifts. And I think that’s the kind of behind the name to like, buy me from you. Like, you know, I want to help people celebrate the special people in their life. And, you know, I just think it’s fun. I think it’s fun to be able to give something unique and one of kind that you’re not going to find anywhere. Exactly,
11:03
exactly. It actually made me think okay, so when when you’re creating your cards, of course, you know, you have like your own original ideas. But do people ever come to you with their ideas and say, Hey, I’d like to, you know, see XYZ in a card and then like you kind of like based off their ideas.
11:20
I have done a little bit of that. So when we I was super popular was like when I was just doing some like stuff in my sketchbook and posting it on Instagram, I did some mushrooms. And then I did like a big painting of a mushroom just like for fun. And I had multiple people like messaged me to ask for mushroom cards, and then also for like mushroom paintings. So I did do a couple of those. And that was really fun. That’s been like the main one. And then the other thing that I’m going to put up on my shop probably tomorrow is gallon times day. So actually for Valentine’s Day cards, I made them mostly really generic like Happy Valentine’s day where I love you as opposed to like your the love of my life like super like you know, traditional romantic love so that way people can give it to their girlfriends and like actually have just like such cute memories of doing like Valentine’s Day things with Claire and another friend of mine in college and going out to eat together on Valentine’s Day and having a good time and celebrating you know, love, like platonic love with your girlfriend’s.
12:25
Oh my gosh, I love that so much because it’s just like, like you get to enjoy like creating art. And then also Yeah, it’s like, we get to like, celebrate, like having those holidays or like having those shared memories together. And it’s just like, oh, gosh, I’m excited to see what they look like.
12:44
Yeah, you can I’m actually painting some more right now because I’m like, out of some of the ones I already put up from like the order so like, this is like one that’s in progress. I know it’s not it’s not a visual medium.
12:59
But when the listen I I love this though. I love this. Oh gosh, yeah, I oh my goodness gracious. I I’m not an artist or per se in that sense. Although my uncle He He loved to paint like he he was gifted with that those are in his gene. So it’s always like really cool to just like, you know, scroll and like look through and be like, okay, shoot parts to hash to put something together looking like this, you know? Oh, man, do you ever? Um, do you ever do like people? I’m curious.
13:35
I’m not really. So I’ve always really struggled with people. I’ve done a few things of people here and there. Like, I love gymnastics. And it was super popular on my Twitter that I I tweet out just like in my sketchbook I did a painting of Simone Biles and Morgan furred, because they were like the number one and two people in the US a couple years ago. And yeah, that like that was super fun. And I don’t paint people that often by what I do. I definitely take most sick inspiration from like, people I really find inspiring, or, you know, things like that.
14:11
I like that. I like that. That’s what’s up, shoot. So you kind of touched on this earlier. So most of your inspiration comes from, like memories you had when you were younger memories that you’ve had, like with people, right? I think that in itself when you think about creating art and just being able to because this is like a shared experience. You know, and I don’t know I just think that’s that’s just so cool.
14:33
Yeah, I just for me, like I think like COVID has really been impacting like, the way I look at things and what I want to create a main like feel like especially at the very, very beginning, we were really really locked up right and I still am like, I don’t go anywhere. But I feel like you know now I feel less weird about like walking here and they’re like at the beginning we didn’t know like what the science was about masks right like now. We have understand the science behind masks like I know I can go on a walk where my little mask and we find sometimes, you know, I feel even nervous to do those things. And I’ve always loved like drawing like natural things just like flowers and leaves and little motifs like that. And just things that, like commemorate things that make me happy or things that are happening. Like when I first started with painting, I like posted a picture on Instagram, I did a painting of like Lysol wipes, or like one wipes and Lysol spray. And people were like, what? This is so funny, but it’s just like the reality of our life. And I feel like, you know, when I used to go to Target and finally landed that, that thing of Lysol wipes. It was actually I feel we have a lot of things going on right now. So I feel like the holidays too, I know, are hard for people right now or so I want to be what I just like, do what I can and you know, just put something happy out
15:56
there. Exactly. Like literally that. That is what like I really appreciate about what you do, because you’re making a positive contribution to the world, obviously, like you said, it’s it’s hard times there’s, you know, even though 2021 like you said, like we we understand the virus more, but there’s still so much uncertainty for us, you know, how the rest of this year is gonna play out. So being able to be a person who adds positivity into the world. I’m just like, okay, Matt, Matt snaps for you, you know, so? And I think too, would you say that I’m making cards, since like, the pandemic has started has like, contributed to your mental health a lot.
16:34
Yeah, for sure. Um, I guess, you know, like, 2020 was a big year for me to really take on like mental health stuff. So I mean, I really started the year out even before the pandemic kind of struggling mental health wise. And I’ve always had like, different struggles with mental health. And I think the pandemic really just forced me to take it seriously, because I felt like my anxiety, really Hale point that was unmanageable, and I was finally able to, you know, take it way more seriously with like therapy and like developing a better plan with my doctor and things like that. Um, and I think for me, like making art, like, even before I launched my Etsy, I was making a lot of just like paintings here and there, like posting them online. And just, it just, it was something to do. And even when I felt so unmotivated with like, work with everything else, I feel like painting or like making things was the one thing that like, I still felt motivated to do. And that made me just like, really excited and happy. And I think, I think that’s one of the best things that’s come out of it is like, this is something that I’ve always cared about, but I feel like in 2020 I really found it, like something I could rely on more of my life to like be consistent with and have always there. And I think, you know, that’s been the case for a lot of people like people, some people develop like baking bread, some people bought a ton of plants, like, you know, we’ve all found those little things that can be consistent in our lives. I too have made bread and Bob plans. I think painting is like what really has stuck. Yeah.
18:06
Oh my goodness gracious. Yeah, it’s, it’s definitely important to like, know, what makes you happy at the end of the day, cuz Honestly, I think it’s really relatable, especially Oh, gosh, to me on the point about work, because the way in which, you know, we all have bills to pay, you do your nine to five, sometimes it carries a little over it, we don’t want it to but you know, when you can just sit down with yourself and be able to use your time, the way that you want to know nothing else compares to that, you know, so, and you get to you get to have like a feeling of joy, you get to have like a sense of like, you know, accomplishment to like you get to hold it and be like, okay, I just I just did that, you know, so I wonder. Um, so before you made your Etsy you were were you making cards just for yourself, or were you doing paintings for yourself? or What were you doing before? beforehand? I know you said that. Yeah. Well,
19:03
so it started with I did a big card sale for Mother’s Day. And it was for basically for charity. Like I donated almost all of the money other than like what covered? I didn’t even cover all my supplies. I covered like half of the cost of buying the paper. But I did Yeah, I did a ton of Mother’s Day cards, I think I raised almost $400 for a couple of different things. So one was kind of a mutual aid situation where there was a young lady who on Twitter reached out because she’s really involved in like the gymnastics online community. And she just posted about how she needed a lot of help of being able to pay for her education costs. And so that was part of what it went to then another part of it went to a couple of different nonprofits including the nonprofit that I work for. I used to work for. So getting used to that, but yeah, so I work in a different nonprofit now, but I still still believe in what my previous employers doing and yeah, so at the time, I was still working there and I did donate some of those proceeds over there. And it was. Yeah, it was awesome. And I think it was like, I think it really gave me the confidence to just like do this more and eventually started my Etsy, between May when Mother’s day it was an Christmas here on there people would like DM me on Instagram and I’d make stuff for them like mailing out and stuff like that. But yeah, that’s that was really where where it started was like I made Mother’s Day cards.
20:28
Yeah, no, looking at your work. I’m just like, Okay, first of all, it’s so cute. Attention to detail. Like, like, when you you know, talk about confidence. I’m like, Girl, your work speaks for itself. Like, go ahead, like, you know, she’ll go ahead to your own horn. Okay, you know, we love being humble and 2020.
20:50
That’s funny. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I, I think for me, it’s just like, one aspect of it is like, there are a lot of people doing like little watercolor art out there. So I don’t know, like you. I’m trying to, you know, set myself off and be unique, but also just trying to make stuff that I like, I don’t want to, you know, not be true to myself either. And so that’s been Yeah, that’s been one really good aspect of this is I feel like it’s really helping me refined my voice. Like, I feel like when you’re being a community organizer, especially like, I would do a lot of written work that I was supposed to, like, it was required to not be in my voice and supposed to be in the organization’s voices, or, you know, one of the people in the organization was going to be our spokesperson, like in their voice, or, you know, in college, like I was a Spanish major. So I I really was writing in a very academic voice that wasn’t true to me, for the most part. You know, I took some creative writing classes and things like that here on there. I really missed being able to have my own voice have my own expression out there. And yeah, it’s been good. It’s been good to really be able to do that. That’s what’s
21:54
up. What is uh, what’s like your favorite. Your favorite thing to paint or create? I’m curious, like, cuz I know I’ve seen a lot of your cards like tend to have like nature settings or like flower settings. But if you had to put like one at your top favorite, like what would it be?
22:12
Definitely leaves. I love leaves. And just like greenery. I also love flowers too. But I grew up with like, my family just like loves nature and loves plants like before like all of us will Emil started buying a house plants like my mom already had her her house filled with plants. You know, I grew up to surround like lots of plants, lots of flowers, lots of like, going out into nature, like going to nature parks. And I’ve always found that so beautiful. Like, I probably have like notebooks and papers from what I was like, eight, nine years old, was really similar stuff to what I make now because that is really what’s been, I don’t know, always inspiration to me is like how beautiful like an intricate, even like a leaf is. And I did a lot of like environmental science stuff in high school too. And so we would spend a lot of time even just like looking at like those intricacies. And that was always fascinating to me. Oh, gosh,
23:10
see? I think like, that’s really cool in itself. Because Yeah, like, I mean, for one, I think that people already kind of like, got more of appreciation for nature, especially because of the pandemic and you know, not being like, you know, be in spaces like, you know, for while other peoples have been gonna be outside. But I think in like that way, it’s also like, your art kind of like helps other people like it kind of like stimulates an appreciation for nature and other people too. Which is really dope because you’re right, even if you’d like step outside right now just being able to I mean, you know, in this and on a sunny day, being able to just really like appreciate what Mother Nature is like put in front of us is something that is just like, you know, just like leaves on awesome time. So that’s pretty dope. And that’s kind of cool to like, so your mom was like already a plant Mom. Yes. I have my wait so are you a plant mom to do your play? I
24:11
am Yes. I have like a couple posts. Oh send like a baby rubber plant. So and like a couple little succulents. That’s the key. Yeah. And I have like a big ol kaseya like elephant your plant and I also have a safe plant that I keep forgetting to bring from my parents house.
24:31
Okay, so my friend actually got me a snake plant for my birthday cuz I um, I’m not like good with the plants that are very, very, very sensitive. And so she was like, Okay, here you go. This this is a very strong and durable plant and I was like thank you so much free.
24:53
State plants are perfect for that and I actually my logo is a snake plant that I painted because I Just love like the way they look. And I feel like there’s like see plants are like the epitome of like how, like watercolor art, like can look really cool and also lend itself to painting things that are really organic like a plant. Because like you just blend the colors together and kind of like the snake plant, like the way the variegation is. And I love it love the yellow border.
25:27
Yeah, I clicked and I was like, Oh my gosh, look at it. It’s like, it’s so cute. Just, oh, gosh, you just, I feel like, I feel like when you look at your art, you just you just feel happy. You know, like, you just, I’m glad you spread good vibes, you know. And like, that’s, that’s what we need. Yeah,
25:43
that’s why I’ve been working toward making stickers and like little sticker sheets too, because I want people to have like a little piece of art on the go. And I think, you know, especially as we returned to normal life, I like also want there to be reminders of like, the simple things, I feel like we’re all going to take away from this experience, like all those little things that made us happy. Like, like how so many of us, like, for example, got really into plants, or the bread or the paint day or whatever it was, it’s like, that kept us going. And once we get back to, you know, quote, unquote, normal life, like, I feel like so many people would put off their happiness until like, well, I’m working toward like this big European vacation, or I’m working toward this big thing. And I know, I was so guilty of that before, that’s like, focusing on that future thing, that big activity that I’m going to do and no, not appreciating the things I have right in front of me.
26:35
I like that. I like that you’re right, cuz, I mean, the first thought that comes to my mind when I think about stickers, and I think we can all kind of relate to this, but automatically it goes my personal laptop, you know, so anytime I need to, you know, not do some work related, boom, it’s right there. So that is kind of a cool concept. Like when you look back at it, you know, cuz I mean, stickers are forever. So looking back and being able to say, hey, this time, like, you know, really appreciating the other things that we kind of, you know, found ourselves using our time with during, you know, during the pandemic, because eventually, although we don’t know when exactly we will be will be transitioning back to our own our lifestyle beforehand. So that’s pretty freakin dope. Shoot. What? So have you Have you made any stickers yet? Or you just want? Okay, yeah, I’ve
27:24
made a bunch. So I have a Cricut machine. I was borrowing my boyfriend’s mom’s Cricut machine. And then my parents were so gracious to buy me one for my birthday. So I have a Cricut machine, which is what a lot of people make their stickers on. And yeah, so for the holidays, I made little stickers that were gift tags, like you know, those ones you buy at all? Yes, yes. Mmm hmm. Yes, yes, we are the first like stickers that I sold, but they were really gift tags. And then I’ve made stickers, like of the little little plant, but they say plant parent on them. The little snake plant? Yes. And so I’ve just been the owners that I haven’t sold them as because I’ve been trying out papers because I don’t want to sell a bad paper. Like a bad sticker to people.
28:11
Okay, educate me because I’m really thinking like, maybe I just don’t know. But I feel like, I feel like stickers, they feel the same. Like they’re glossy on the side, you see, and they’re filled, they’re not all the same.
28:24
Like, they’re not. So the problem is like, so when you’re making a sticker at home. So for At first I was like, Okay, you know what, like, I’m gonna have to give this, the Cricut machine is like this big machine, it’s like, it’s basically a cutting machine. So you make your sticker you print, you design it on your computer, then you print it out. And then you have this little machine that cuts it by when you want to make them at home, it’s completely different than like if you upload your designs to like red bubble or something like that, where someone else is going to print them. So what I’m going to make them at home, I had so many options, and I was so lost as to what kind of paper to get to print my sticker designs on and then cut in the machine. Because when you get when you go to the store and buy stickers, you know, they already picked the paper for you. But I had no idea where to start. And so the first paper that I got was perfect for those little gift tags because it was like, it’ll stick on to a
29:19
gift for like
29:20
the four hours before you give it to someone.
29:24
And that’s it right there. I
29:25
wasn’t worried. And nicely, it was like nice and matte, so you could write on it. But I knew that wasn’t gonna work for regular stickers. And the other hard part too is like, it’s so hard to go to things in store right now. You know, with the pandemic, like I was trying to be as safe as possible. And then also like, it just it’s just hard to like, shop around for this type of stuff. Because like you want to be able to feel it you want to be able to like look at it. Yeah. So yeah, so I did a ton of research online like I think I probably spent hours watching YouTube videos like reading reviews of different kinds of stickers. paper and yeah, I finally found some good stuff. Yes. So hopefully, after Valentine’s Day after we’re done with Valentine’s Day cards, stickers will be next. best luck.
30:12
I mean, should you sound like you did all the research you did what you had to do. So I mean, it sounds like it’s gonna play out if when you Okay, so when you go through like trial and run, you know processes like that, what do you like? Do you just you just keep them for yourself or like the nada, I don’t want to call them mistakes, but the PRI, right?
30:36
Yeah, I’m a little bit of both. So for example, with like card designs, I do a lot of that just like in my sketchbook. So I have like a watercolor paper sketchbook and I do a lot of that just on
30:49
my own, I
30:49
try to paint or draw at least like five times a week, or like, as close to everyday as I can. This scale, and you really got to keep it up. And you know, actually, over the holidays, I took a big break from painting. But I was still trying to do other creative stuff like I crochet, and I was learning how to embroider over the holidays. So it wasn’t water coloring as much. But I was really trying to develop just like new creative skills all the time. So I’m always making something. And so because of that, like my process, especially for like the illustration part of things, is really not that for like I just, I am pulling from the things that I’m already making, for example, like I painted like monstera leaves for my friend like she wanted to frame some like monstera leaves. And I was walking around like Target and I saw a card that just like was simple like I and a heart and you and it was like a part that they were selling for $4. at Target. I was like, wait a minute, I can make that. But instead of like a heart, which is boring, like, I can make a monstera leaf because it looks like a heart. And that’s just something that I already liked to draw, or do you like to paint like, so most of the illustrations side of things super easy to develop for me because I’m I’m just doing it already. But the material side of it is really what’s hard when when you’re trying to do this stuff. Especially because one I mean, it’s costly. If you buy a ton of stuff, and then it doesn’t work out. It’s going to cost you it’s going to really eat into your your bottom line. You know, like this is a passion project. For me. I’m not like looking to become a millionaire off of this, of course, but But yeah, so I think for me, the trial and error process especially like, for example, like I was saying the stickers, the stickers that I ran, that I knew weren’t gonna be, you know, probably the best waterbottle sticker or something like that, I still just cut them out and give them as gifts with some, like I said, I give them as gifts with my old orders. Because at the time, I was really spending a lot of time prototyping sticker papers. That was expensive. It was a lot of money invested. So basically all the money that I got from my Christmas sales went right back into that prototype process for sticker paper. But other than that, I really just I really just tried to research as much as I can, so I don’t end up with bad materials. And then, I mean, I make a lot of stuff for my family especially and for my friends so I because of that I just like I give a lot of stuff away. I also have a drawer like I have one of those like 10 drawer carts from my goals where I keep myself so I have a whole drawer of stuff that’s like halfway finished
33:41
well archives Yeah, not here and there. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, no, I like that. I was I was wondering because one of my friends she’s similar in the sense that she also likes making cards and she has the some she has the shoe box that she’ll put them in so she’ll put them and like their own little their own little sleeve and just put them on the shoe box and just walk in and you can just you know flip through because it’s it’s kind of cool when you look back and you know you look back at like all like you know ideas and like thoughts that you had that you know maybe like Weren’t you know, you know put out there on blast but still something that was really cool to you at the time. So right that’s really Oh, man. Wow, we kind of like cover like a bunch of you know, different topics in this episode and we kind of you know, dove into a bunch of different things. But when people listen to your episode, what do you really want the listeners to take home out of everything. She said, What do you really hope resonated with them?
34:49
You know, I I listen to a podcast that kind of inspired a little bit of this watercolor journey. We’re another watercolor artist who was crazy successful you Not at the point where I’m at at all. But a super successful person was talking about their watercolor art in their journey. And what I really got out of it, I mean, like, of course, it’s her business out, and she, she has like a million dollar business out. But it really started because she was at a stressful job that she didn’t like. And at the end of the day, she would come home and be really happy painting with her watercolors. And I think that’s a good joy that I’ve really been able to reclaim. This past year, I’m just finding something that makes me happy. And I think for a long time, even though I was like, at a very, like rewarding in terms of like, intellectually, very fulfilling job, and, you know, knowing that I was doing something positive for the world, the specific things that I was doing, were always really filling my cup. So I think I’d almost forgotten what it was like to, like, physically do something that was really, like, full of happiness for me. And so I think reclaiming those things, finding those things for yourself is like the most important thing. And if I can spread that happiness by, you know, putting it into cards into stickers, and, you know, hopefully one day I’ll have more more like little gifts and things that you can give. I think that’s, that’s happiness to me. And I really hope that that’s like a takeaway for people. It’s like prioritizing your happiness, prioritizing the things that you love. That doesn’t mean that they won’t be there won’t be hard days or days where you won’t be frustrated. There’s some days that like, I’ll paint stuff, and I’ll be like, this is ugly, like, I don’t like it. Or, you know, when I’m really trying to research like what the best options are for paper, or for stickers or for this or that, you know, it’s not always super fun. But if like, the ultimate picture of a is really giving you joy, I think it’s always worth it, it’s always worth the time, it’s always worth prioritizing you and why it makes you happy. Especially like with people our age, I feel like being your mid late 20s. It’s, it feels like everything needs to be serious. Here adults, for no, like, we just have to have more fun, we have to have more fun and put our happiness as a much bigger priority than I think a lot of people our age.
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I agree with that so much. And it is something that I really hope that people like, especially in our age group do take and I think it really hit home with saying like reclaiming your happiness, because yes, you are giving yourself to an organization, a company when it comes to you know, your nine to five, but being able to when the day is done, asking yourself what truly brings you joy, being able to know what things you can actually be like 100%, intrinsically like into that is something that I think that like everyone could definitely benefit from so I agree with you 100%.
38:01
I’m glad Yeah. And I mean, if I could add to I feel like the last year for a lot of people like we’re both women of color. And I think for a lot of people, it was a hard year in that sense to. And I don’t even remember where I read this, but like someone I think in college was like your happiness is resistance. And like, I think the fact that I finally have taken that seriously, really makes me feel like like, Okay, well, like for context, I grew up most of my life as an undocumented person. And I still am I am a DACA recipient. You know, the last four years, when we had a different president, we’re terrible in that sense, because it felt like I had to sleep with one eye open in regards to my immigration status. And so for me to take, being happy for myself and myself only was important. Like, it just has to be important, especially for us, those of us who are people of color, who are really going through some tough things out there in the world, and who are having a hard time, whether it be in our job in our families, the pandemic, or racism, really public policy, reclaiming our joy is the best thing we can do for ourselves. Because, you know, protecting you protecting your happiness is just as important as fighting those things out there.
39:18
Exactly, exactly. I’m glad you brought that up too. Cuz, oh, if everything don’t like, we feel like it’s compounded on top of each other. And then some days, you just feel like you feel heavier than others. So yes, definitely being able to have that weight taken off by saying, Okay, well, I’m gonna prioritize things that made me feel good. You know, I’m gonna I’m gonna do things. For me. It’s just, it’s just something I really hope that everyone will take the time to do if they haven’t already, for sure, for sure. Thanks for listening to this episode of Tea With Kea.
Tea With Kea 