Name: Madeleine BloxamYear: Sophomore Major/Minor: Theatre; French MinorHometown: Centreville, VA
What inspired you to create a business out of your crafting hobby? When did you start?I’ve always had this little CEO-business-loving side to me. I was the one trying to start lemonade stands and charging members of my extended family for random chores around the house. I think it’s just been a matter of what I want the business to be. I started all the “crafting” when I was getting ready for my freshman year and knew I wanted to go all out on decorating my walls. A bunch of different people would say “Wow, you could totally open an Etsy shop”, but I brushed it off for a while. When I really got to thinking about it, I thought why not? It is something I love to do and if I can share it with other people, then all the better! Over this past winter break, I figured out the logistics, took a few product photos, and set up my shop! I named it “M is for Madeleine”.
How do you manage your business on top of schoolwork?Painting helps me relax and refocus before or after a long day of class and I never want the “business” aspect to take away the fun of creating each piece. I’m in seven classes this semester and I still rarely find myself stressing over trying to find time to get an order in on time. That being said, organization is key. I’m big on to-do lists and my planner is my baby. Yes, sometimes I’m running through campus with a stack of padded envelopes so I can stop by the post office and make it to class on time, but hey, I like being busy.
What is the most popular item in your shop?The piece that really inspired me to create the whole business has actually been the most popular! My “Virginia Lilly” canvas has been requested a lot and I really like being able to customize and send them to people all over the state – they’re all a little bit different! I painted the original for my room the summer before freshman year, shared it on Pinterest, and it went VIRAL. A lot of the pieces I paint are Lilly Pulitzer print inspired which is always fun to paint and quite popular right now, but I also have art that is completely my own and those are the ones that are a little harder to part with!
What is your favorite piece you have created, whether for business or your room?My favorite piece hangs above my bed in my room! It has a Walt Disney quote, “if you can dream it, you can do it!”. I made it before I opened my shop and never had (or have) any intention of selling it, but it’s the perfect thing to wake up to in the morning to motivate me for the rest of the day.
What do you look at for inspiration? I follow a bunch of travel accounts on Instagram, as well as a few style bloggers. One of my favorites to follow is a photographer who mainly lives in Paris, but travels around the world to shoot – @parisinfourmonths. You should definitely check it out!