handmade by the merriweather council

hello there friends, how are you? how was your weekend? i hope you had a good time, because a new week is already here and we do need to start in full force! so, in order to do that… i wanted to bring something really energetic! i found this shop a while ago and when i came across it again a few weeks, i thought it could be such a nice guest and i asked this lovely lady to be here today! so who is this {lovely lady}? her name is danielle and she is the creator behind {the merriweather council}.

and as usual, i asked her some questions about her life… and work. because danielle is that lovely, she was even funny in her answers!

hello danielle, so we are here today to talk about your work… and i am curious… how did it all start? it all started when i was supposed to go to graduate school… but that basically lost all my documentation after they accepted me with a full scholarship. my plan fell apart and so i decided that it was as good of a time as any to try this crafty business thing i had always thought about. that’s when i started {the merriweather council}.

what fascinates you to keep doing what you do? the endless possibilities! i like seeing what i can come up with. everyday i have new ideas – new ways of thinking about the same materials i always use. i think that is my biggest motivator, trying new things! i also love custom orders for that reason – people ask me if i can do things and i try them and i get new ideas or discover that i can do something i wasn’t totally sure i could before.

what challenges do you face every day? i face the challenge of being social but not too open, of people personal but not blurring the line between marketing and personal life… i also am challenged by slow times. i feel defeated or worse- lazy! i struggle sometimes to stay self motivated but i manage pretty well for the most part.

if you could design one of your pieces to anyone in the world, what would you design and for whom? wow… that is tough! i would probably design something for oprah or ellen…. they could then endorse it and i’d make a million sales… that’s how it works right?!

if you weren’t doing what you do, what would you do? i think i would want to work with college students in a higher ed position. when i was at school i had an advisor who became my friend, and she really helped me through a lot of things both related and unrelated to school. i would love to be that person for someone.

where do you wish to be in 5 years with your business (go crazy with your dreams now!)? i would like to be working out of a store front in 5 years. a place where i can make, and consult with clients, and sell my work as well as the work of others and maybe teach classes or sell supplies… i have big plans, but i need to narrow down my focus, wouldn’t you say?

aren’t these just amazing? such energy coming out of these hoops! i love the sweet messages… the colours danielle chooses… the designs… and when you open the {shop}, you see everything so well put and presented, you feel the urge to click on each hoop to find out more! you can also visit danielle over on her {blog} (i love her sense of humor… & particularly the way she tries to explain what she does for a living!), like her on {facebook} & if you are a tweeter like me… {tweet} with danielle!

images: the merriweather council via etsy (click on each image for further details)

p.s. remember {this} post? oh yes, i will be back with some set of interviews about photography skills with some exquisite photographers! you will not want to miss this!