Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Simmonds.
Julia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have a tough time figuring out how everything happened. I graduated with a BA in music education and spent a little time doing private voice lessons right after. When I wasn’t teaching, I was always tinkering around making things. With encouragement from friends and my husband, I opened an etsy shop with no idea where it would lead. Eventually, it became a full time job much to everyones surprise. But, no one was more surprised than I was. I lost a lot of myself and my confidence in school being in a competitive music program and I felt like I had found my voice again. I was able to use raw mediums to make beautiful end products and learned a lot about God and my worth through the process. It has been a crazy ride full of ALOT of learning experiences haha
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, gosh. Well, I have always been an all or nothing person when it comes to anything. Go big or go home. When you own your own business it can be a great thing to commit completely, but not to the detriment of your own health. About a year into being a full-time owner and maker, I had been so busy for so long with so much stress that I had a full-on meltdown. I remember distinctly crying at 3 in the morning in the workshop with wood stain all over my clothes, hair, face and my husband with me trying to help finish Christmas orders. When January and February hit and there was finally a lull for me to actually feel again, I spiraled into a season of anxiety that ultimately led up to getting real help. I could not stop my brain and kept spiraling through the same thought, knowing the conclusion of it but not being able to just let it go. I was diagnosed with OCD and learned a lot of creative people have mental illness and that it wasn’t because I was not good enough or did not pray hard enough. If I could give advice, it would be to connect with other women and find a mentor. Talk things through with others and listen to your body. It was a refining experience, that is for sure. Just know you are not alone and that community over competition may sound hippie-dippy, but it is so essential. We especially as women need to lift one another up. And last advice, when I am working I sometimes pray out loud. Not only do I believe 100 percent that God listens, it is also scientifically proven that people who talk out loud by themselves are happier people
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Crafty Hands Full Heart – what should we know?
As I mentioned, I really enjoy taking something that may seem raw or hard and making it into something beautiful. I specialize in woodwork including soldering maps by hand that you can track your travels with. I also work with glass and gem live edge furniture as a more local business rather than Etsy. And lately, I have really enjoyed getting into leatherwork using the soldering iron to make designs and using different inks to dip dye the pieces. I am proud to be a handmade business. There is something so personal about working with your hands that reminds me of working with my voice. You really put your heart and soul out there for people to see.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
My mom was always creative and my dad was in lumber sales, so I believe it definitely has been a family affair. There are many a day where I end up phoning my dad asking questions about different wood species and going over designs with my mom. I also watched my sister as an athlete and the determination and discipline that required and it had a big impact on how I run my business. I forgot to mention that my mom was also a preschool teacher so we were always busy working with our hands and being creative from the very beginning. I remember homemade dough to play with and model magic being popular activities haha
Contact Info:
- Address: cultural district of Fort Worth
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/craftyhandsfullheart
- Phone: 214-675-7750
- Email: craftyhandsfullheart@gmail.com
- Instagram: @craftyhandsfullheart
- Facebook: @craftyhandsfullheart
Image Credit:
Julia Simmonds
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