gather workshop

Yay! Our second installation of creative friends!

I’m super excited about this one. I met Stephanie of Abbitt Collective at Gather Workshop in Atlanta last fall. She had not started her product & brand styling, photography, and lettering business at the time but it’s now in full swing and BEAUTIFUL! Seriously, go to her website and check out all the lovely projects she’s working on. Follow her gorgeous instagram feed too!

She styled and shot these photos of some of our brand swag (designed partly by the amazing Mallory Overton of Castle Paper Co).

Read my interview with her below (I love her advice on fear) and stay tuned for some guest contributions by Stephanie on our blog!

1. How did you get started with what you do?

Ever since I was little, I wanted to create. I loved looking at things to try to draw them or recreate them. So the desire was always there, but the focus and direction wasn’t! Two years ago, I graduated college and started my career as an elementary teacher. I devoted hours upon hours to teaching and quickly realized I wanted/needed an outlet outside of teaching. Also being a newlywed, I wanted to take “adulting” on by storm, so naturally I needed to be an amazing cook and home decorator! I started a blog as a place for me to be just that! I found out I loved creating pieces for our home while trying new recipes and figuring out what our go-to foods were going to be! I literally couldn’t get enough of it. (I still can’t!)

2. How would you describe your aesthetic?

My aesthetic is bold, fresh, genuine and warm with a kick of edge to it! I love creating and styling in a way that reflects people’s missions, values and heart- honesty. There’s something so beautiful about rawness!

3. What’s your favorite thing about your work?

I love the people behind it. I love hearing about people’s stories and why they are doing what they are doing. I love to see the passion in their eyes/words as they walk me through their passions. It’s crazy inspiring to me to hear the determination and strength that they show through what they do!

4. What’s your least favorite?

All the legal stuff + taxes. I am just not that person at all, so even when I prep myself to sit down and try to understand it.. I’m left feeling like a rhino just plowed through me.

5. Business advice?

Don’t let fear get in the way. Your fear of failure needs to be less than your fear of not doing something that sets your soul on fire. If you love something, just go out and do it- you can figure it out along the way. It takes time and be okay with that!

6. What’s your favorite thing at Personify Shop?

Oh my, the new catch all dishes along with the tea towels. I LOVE a good patterned towel and dish for decorating and styling. They are on my to get list and I get so giddy when I look at them!

7. My favorite party question:

If you could hang out with any three people this Friday night, who would you pick? In this moment… James Cordon, Adele and Melissa McCarthy in a carpool karaoke. I’m straight obsessed.

8. How do you know the ladies at Personify Shop?

I met Maddie in November ‘15 at Gather Workshop! I remember the moment I met her I thought she was the coolest and wanted to be her friend. I was amazed at the way she knew and owned her style in a refreshing and real way. She is so fun, spunky and on it. She’s one rockin’ lady and I am honored to know her and cheer her on!

I attended Gather Workshop in October 2015 and it was a fabulous time getting to know other creatives, hearing lots of entrepreneurial advice, and dreaming about Personify Shop. Gather Workshop was started by two creative women, Mattie Tiegreen and Kaitie Bryant. I met Kaitie at the Back to Cool Market by Indie South Fair while selling my Pepper and Orange jewelry. I basically stalked her because I knew who she was, she had photographed a few of my friends’ weddings, and we got to talking about Gather. I decided to attend last minute and am so glad I did!

Here are a few things I learned:

I was able to narrow down our style aesthetic for Personify Shop. We were asked to come up with some images that spoke to what we wanted our brand to look like.

It gave me a clearer picture of what types of products we wanted to have and the overall vibe for our store. We love color, we love bohemian, we love whimsy, we love western, we love folk, we love dreamy, we love playful, we love vintage, and we love modern. Now, if we are thinking about buying something or bringing a new vendor on board, I ask myself if it is a good combination of these things. Our style is modern whimsy.
Kaitie Bryant gave me an idea for a Blog series and I’ve already started working on one!

Kaitie Bryant’s presentation on Living a Creative Life. Photo by Maz Wanger for Ban.do

I just love this idea. Figure out who inspires the people you are inspired by. Stay tuned for posts about Katy Perry and Justina Blakeney of the Jungalow.
Also in Kaitie’s talk on Living a Creative Life she said, “The easier it is to quantify your work, the less its worth. Create work that can’t be quantified, can’t be copied because it is a unique blend and has something in it that makes it MAGIC.” I love this because sometimes in retail it’s easy to just sell what someone else is selling, but I know people don’t buy from us to get the best deal. They love our unique blend of products, style, and the little things we offer customers that companies like Target don’t.

(c) Texture Photo
Mattie Tiegreen’s talk on Branding. Mattie has a business building brand identities and design called Green Tie Studio.

Mattie talked about how to best parts of your business are going to be the best parts of your personality. I love how my business partner (and mom) and I have two different skill sets so our business can be more well rounded. I know I’m not great at the customer service side of the business, but I know she is. I’m really good at researching new products and artists and creating a specific look for the store.
Shanna Skidmore’s talk on Creating a Success Mindset. Shanna Skidmore is a business and finance coach for women in the creative field.

(c) Texture Photo

This one really blew my mind. She talked about shifting the way you think about your business from having as much financial success as possible to really defining your financial need… both in your personal life and business. What do you really need to be making? What do you want your life to look like while running this business?
This one is from Kaitie’s talk on Boundaries and Balance and ties into the last one.

She talked about how you can build your business around what works for you, instead of being a slave to it. Entrepreneurship should bring freedom, not bondage.

Here are some more pictures…

Photo by Eliza Morrill. Kaitie Bryant wearing a Pepper and Orange Necklace!

Katie Bryant ended up purchasing one of my necklaces that she saw at the craft fair the first time we met! Then she featured me as a Gather 12 days of Christmas maker on Instagram.

Some pictures of a few pieces I brought to the weekend:

Eliza Morrill Photography

Eliza Morrill Photography

Don’t I look like I’m having fun? Because I was.

(c) Texture Photo

Me painting at the Mini Studio Sesh with Britt Bass Turner

(c) Texture Photo

The whole crew! It was a blast!

You should definitely attend! They have the conference multiple times a year.

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Tag: gather workshop

Creative Friends: Abbitt Collective

Things I Learned at Gather Workshop

I was able to narrow down our style aesthetic for Personify Shop. We were asked to come up with some images that spoke to what we wanted our brand to look like.

Kaitie Bryant gave me an idea for a Blog series and I’ve already started working on one!

Mattie Tiegreen’s talk on Branding. Mattie has a business building brand identities and design called Green Tie Studio.

Shanna Skidmore’s talk on Creating a Success Mindset. Shanna Skidmore is a business and finance coach for women in the creative field.

This one is from Kaitie’s talk on Boundaries and Balance and ties into the last one.

Here are some more pictures…