Unique - No Better Way To Be!

 

We have an incredible feature lined up from the owner of Love Unique Monique! This wonderful unique lady is not only a dream to work with, she is also a sweet heart at what she does. Join me on our lovely interview we were able to have this past week.

Building Bridges: Tell us a little bit about you, your family, and what you like to do for fun!

Love Unique Monique: I am a country girl at heart, but was raised in the small town San Ramon in the East Bay area. I come from a family of six (2 sisters and a brother). We are a crazy bunch of people that love to be loud and have a good time.  I paint, draw, crochet and love adventure.  I love to go fishing and hiking with my fiancé and my pups. They are my world. My fun time is playing with my puppies and just going with the flow of the day!

Building Bridges: What other hobbies do you have?

Love Unique Monique: My hobbies include fishing, hiking, walking, horseback riding, soccer, crafting, painting and drawing, and spending time with family.

Building Bridges: Why did you choose the name of your business? Is there a special meaning behind it?

Love Unique Monique: Love Unique Monique came about because I always had a nickname “Unique Monique” growing up.  I was always the outgoing, dare to be different kid.  I made things my own and wanted to shine in everything, making me unique.  And because it rhymed it just made the nickname more fun! That’s why when it came to a store name, Unique Monique was the ONLY thing I thought of it to be.  And “Love” came into the picture because not only am I sending something unique and the theme to be different to someone but everything is handmade with a lot of love behind it.

Building Bridges: Why did you decide to open your shop and why sell on Etsy.com?

Love Unique Monique: I decided to open up shop because of all the positive feedback I would get from the little creations I would make for fun.  This has been a hobby more than a job for me from the get go.  I would make p.j. pants, blankets, purses and more with the sewing machine when I was younger and loved to share my work.  And when I moved into crocheting (which I learned as a young girl but really got into when I was in college to help pass time and avoid papers – just kidding!! Sort of), I got so many people asking “oo! Where did you get that?” or “wow. Did you make that!?” That it made me think what fun it would be to have a shop where I can spread my love crafting and art. I asked my family of the idea and saw the great reactions from them.  It was just a meant to happen thing.  Selling on Etsy seems like the best place because it was user friendly, I had my friends to help me set up shop whom already had shops on Etsy, and I heard so many passing conversations of people finding things on Etsy that I knew that was the community I wanted to be a part of.

Building Bridges: Did someone encourage you to start a business?

Love Unique Monique: I would say that family and friends have been the biggest bunch to encourage me to start a business.  My parents and siblings support me in anything I want to pursue and they were so quick to jump on giving me ideas of my first items and what others like too.  That alone is encouraging to have the support.  And to have the support my fiancé is amazing too.  He was all about helping me find the right products and clearing the space in the apartment for me to do my thing.  All the factors together were what got the ball rolling for me.  And once it was set up I got great support from my friend Megan Reed because she has had success with her shop too, that she helped me get my first couple followers. (She is owner of In a Dream Boutique). So I wouldn’t be able to tell you just one encouraging person, but the whole clan of family and friends behind me! If I didn’t start the shop after asking them of the idea, I might have gotten the talking to from a few family members! Ha-ha.

Building Bridges: That is so neat to hear that you are friends with Megan Reed? We had her shop featured too!! When did your shop officially open?

Love Unique Monique: My shop officially opened in November of 2013.  This was when I got my first few items up.  I started with crocheted pillows and ear warmers.  And quickly added boot cuffs to the mix of items too.  I love adding a little unique flare to each item because that is my ultimate theme – Be Unique.

Building Bridges: Do you remember your first product that sold, what was it?

Love Unique Monique: My first product that sold was two pairs of crocheted boot cuffs (white and mint).  They had antique buttons on them as my unique touch (buttons from a collection I received from my fiancé’s late grandmother – she handed down all her sewing stuff and collections to me in her passing. Again giving me more encouragement to use the unique, antique buttons dating all the way back to the 1920s! And of course I clean them up and stuff, no worries of that).  I also remember my first charcoal drawing that was sold through Etsy as well – Steamboat Willie.  This sale will always be remembered because it was the one charcoal drawing I did the day I found out my Opa (German grandpa) had passed away. And it was sold to be hung in someone’s nursery.  A new life is born for every life lost. That meant the world to me and will always be remembered in my heart. 

Building Bridges: Do you take custom orders?

Love Unique Monique: Of course! Custom orders are actually my favorite orders to receive.  I am always encouraging my friends, family, supporters, followers, and viewers to be unique and having your own custom order is just the way to do it through my shop! I will do any color you like for any style, and will draw a charcoal drawing of any character you would like too.

Building Bridges: Why make handmade products?

Love Unique Monique: I love handmade products because that is what I grew up with.  I loved making handmade birthday cards for people and making them some cool gift that I did myself.  It just made it so much more personal.  That’s why handmade items in my store mean a lot to me because each one is made with love and passion behind it.  And that goes back to custom orders too.  If you want a custom order you know it is going to be even more personal and special for yourself or a loved one when it is handmade. 

Building Bridges: What do you love or hate about selling?

Love Unique Monique: I love seeing all the reactions from my products the most.  I may not get sales on a regular basis but I always get likes and views and that alone is fun for me.  Of course I want to actually make sales and I love to see all the different orders I get from people when I sell, but reactions are the first step.  I love to see the color combinations and how people challenge me with new drawings and paintings.  Making other people happy and having their visions become reality is something I love in selling.  What do I hate??? I wouldn’t be able to say that I hate anything.  Trying new things and not having my initial plan go as I want it to is frustrating but then it turns into a whole new product that I end up loving and that takes all frustration away. 

Building Bridges: What is your favorite part about owning your own business?

Love Unique Monique: My favorite part of owning my own business is making my own creations.  I get ideas from everyone I know and they tell me “make this. Make that” which is fun to do, but in the end I am taking all those ideas and making them into something that I create.  That is the best part of owning because it’s all my rules, my creations and my passion behind it all. And making my own hours is always nice.

Building Bridges: Do you have a product that you prefer to design/create over others?

Love Unique Monique: No.. I love every product and design and there is no one design or item that I like over the others.  It is all so exciting for me: painting, crocheting, charcoaling, and sewing.  I do not have a preference.  The only preference would be to do custom orders over anything else because I love making things that the other person truly wants!

Building Bridges: Do you have any advice for other crafters who would like to start selling their creations?

Love Unique Monique: Do it! Anything your heart and mind wants to do, just follow your instincts and do it.  I would tell them to start an Instagram and Pinterest account for your business and gain followers there too.  Reach out to any other owner and ask for advice or other questions about the business.  The Etsy seller community is amazing.  Everyone is so supportive.  That is the best advice I can give a starter right now. (I am still a starter myself and always learning.) There will always be more to learn and more to improve on your shop/yourself when you join Etsy. 

Building Bridges: Best advice you received when you went into business for yourself?

Love Unique Monique: The best advice I received would probably be exactly what I give someone else.  Starting an Instagram and Pinterest has boosted my confidence in my work and views.  But the overall best advice I got was from my cousin’s friend (Beary Bikey Mama shop owner).  She told me, “Be creative and be yourself.  If you love what you do, there is always someone out there that will love it too”

Building Bridges: We love to attend craft and vendor markets - do you?

Love Unique Monique: Yes! I love craft and vendor markets.  There are so many farmers markets that have people selling more than farmed products, and other craft fairs that I attend.  I love to support small businesses and get new ideas. 

Building Bridges: Did you always see yourself becoming an entrepreneur?

Love Unique Monique:  No way.  I thought about being the owner of a business before but never did I dream of it being this business or even true.  Just one of those childhood visions you have thinking about how cool it would be to own something, anything! But to actually become an entrepreneur, this was never really something I saw myself doing.

Building Bridges: What is your most popular 7 favorite product on the market right now?

Love Unique Monique: my most popular product right now? I think would have to be my handbags/totes and Frozen charcoal drawings. I love everything but I have grown favoritism for my personalized charcoal drawings! You can see the photo(s) attached.  You can change the names to whatever you want.

Building Bridges: What is a typical day like when you are crafting?

Love Unique Monique: A typical day in the life of crafting is in short hectic! Well sort of.  It is a bundle of fun, laughs and interruptions from my pups to play with them.  They demand my attention a lot which makes me laugh when I am starting a new project.  I get it done of course but there are little breaks to give my full love to my little babies (my pups). I work as a Sign Language Interpreter 40 hours a week and come home to take the pups out potty, make something for dinner and get to crafting or drawing or painting.  Depends on my mood what I’m feeling like doing! I turn on the TV or radio and craft with the background noise.  And then when things aren’t going as planned or I’m just getting more droopy eyes than creativity, its quitting time!

Building Bridges: Tell us anything extra you would like to be added to your feature.

Love Unique Monique: I am always open to custom orders and love challenge myself with each creation.  I am family oriented and outgoing, and would sleep out on a bale of hay with the horses every night if I could! I have always been Unique Monique and want to share that same theme with everyone else.  I believe we are all different and encourage you to stick to the thing that makes you YOU. Thank you for your support and keep an eye out for more promos. Be unique!

Building Bridges:  Monique resides in Folsom, California with her fiancé, and two chiweenies.  You can find her crafting away with reruns of her favorite shows in the background (Once Upon A Time, I Dream of Jeannie, Brady Bunch, Full House and Bewitched. She can best be reached via Etsy, for orders. Please go follow, love, and adore her on Instagram - @loveuniquemonique, Pinterest, Blog, & you can also email  her at: loveuniquemonique@gmail.com. Have an awesome blossom Saturday! Hugs to everyone!