Working Retail Isn't All Bad

Working in a craft store did wonders for my creative side. I realized that my mind saw things a little differently, especially since I grew up with a resourceful mom who thinks outside the box. We were poor so she had to come up with solutions to every day problems that were maybe unconventional but that were definitely cheaper. I like to believe that this sense of innovation rubbed off on me.

I began working for JoAnn Fabrics when I was 15 and was there off and on throughout high school and college. This experience opened my eyes to possibilities I never knew existed and I learned a lot about sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, home décor, yarn weight, cake decorating, fabrics, threads, notions, sewing needle sizes, trims, etc… Measuring fabric day in and day out, calculating coupons and discounts, pricing, and cashiering gave me invaluable math finesse that I still use daily. I was somewhat adopted by my coworkers, being the youngest, and to this day consider many of them family. I loved my job.

I remember a few specific examples of when I was awakened to my knack for creative solutions. Specifically, when it came to event decorating. I had always loved planning parties and one day, a frantic customer named Lenora came in spouting about how her daughter was getting married in the next couple days and she needed ideas on how to make the reception look nice. After walking her around the store, pointing out products she could buy, my brain sparked with an idea that involved tulle. I brought her over to the fabric cutting table, grabbed a 6-inch roll of purple tulle, and picked up a pair of our orange handled Fiskars to cut it into 6-inch squares. I layered the squares on top of each other, pinching the middle with a clear rubber band, and showed her how to string up the pom-poms for the wedding. She LOVED it! Long story short, she ended up hiring me to decorate for the wedding. I made strand after strand and the backdrop of the reception looked beautiful. I just wish I had time to do more!

I made the same pom-pom garlands for a friend’s baby shower and for a cute little tea party I threw for my nieces and nephew, just for fun. To this day, I LOVE planning and decorating for parties. Pom-pom garlands are an easy go-to for me but there is so much more to this hobby. Coming up with a color scheme, theme, and a game plan is a high that only compares to the feeling I get while writing or playing music. From flannel triangle banners and baby shower game boards to a dainty 3 tier cupcake stand made out of second-hand plates, I LOVE using innovative crafts to make and event special (and less expensive). I do get a lot of my inspiration from DIY ideas online but find myself modifying them to better fit my own style and, depending on the party, better fit the style of who the party is for.

Another example of how I thought outside the box is when a mother came into the store with her daughter and her coral-colored prom dress. They wanted to add sleeves to the dress but couldn’t seem to find the right color. Now, my solution wasn’t rocket science and I’m definitely not trying to sound like a genius, but it’s always exciting to feel an idea click in your mind. I grabbed a bolt of satin closest to the pink hue in the dress, then went to the sheer fabric and found one in an orangey-pink and layered them together. Boom! The color matched perfectly. I showed them a sewing pattern they could use with the layered materials and helped them measure out how much fabric they needed. Crisis averted!

The lessons I learned from working in craft stores are invaluable. I often implement them into my own home, when gift giving, or when I’m on a tight budget. Once I get going, it’s sometimes hard to stop but creating is crucial to a happy life and I hope I never lose the hunger to do more of it!