Meet Jessica Garcia-Abello | Craft Artist
We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Garcia-Abello and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jessica, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always loved crafts and everything handmade. As a little girl I used to cut my clothes to sew clothes for my barbies and I would also make their furniture with Popsicle sticks. Once I had my first daughter, my interest in crafts only grew stronger as I wanted to make everything for her. I learned how to hand-knit her headbands, booties, and all sorts of things. There was a point where I even sold a few personalized name signs and headbands all made by me. But with adulthood comes more responsibilities and that led me to the medical field in which I worked for over 5 years; although I loved it, it just wasn’t my passion. I learned a lot working in the medical field but at the end of the day, I would feel frustrated, unaccomplished, and drained.
Fast forward to 2019 I was pregnant with my second baby, working 50+ hours a week, struggling to stay healthy both mentally and physically, with almost no time to spend with my daughter or my husband so one day my husband and I sat to talk and after weighing all the pros and cons we came to the conclusion that with our family growing it would be best if I took a step back and became a stay home mom, at least for a while because at the end of the day our family needed a healthy mom more than anything, plus nobody was going to take care of our kids better than me.
Then 2020 came and oh boy… it was the craziest year! I had been a stay home mom for quite some time then and although my husband provides for us more than enough I always felt like I could and should do more so I invested in my first Cricut machine right before the pandemic started and it has been the best investment of my life. It started as a hobby, a way to keep my mind busy, a little self-therapy… I was able to make the cutest personalized gifts not only for my family and friends but for anybody who requested it. Little by little, I fell in love with crafting, and as I learned more not only did it become my passion but also an income. So one day I woke up and thought to myself “If crafting is my passion and its something that I can do at home and doesn’t take me away from my family but it can help me make a little income. why not?” I took a leap of faith and went for it. That’s how I decided to make Yeya’s Designs my business.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Yeya’s Designs is a family-owned business, operated from home. One thing I do that I think sets me apart from the rest is that with all or at least most of my orders I try to get to know my customers. I like to know what they like, how they like it, and if possible how they feel, this helps me help them better at the time I’m making anything for them. I can say that a lot of my customers have become friends even though we have never met in person. I have met people from all over the USA and although a lot of people can do the same as me most of my customers come back to order their personalized gifts from me because I work with my heart and soul, I go out of my way to make sure they get exactly what they were expecting and maybe a little more. I can’t believe sometimes that people from all over reach out to me and trust me with their requests, that alone humbles my soul.
At this point in my life, I’m most proud of how far I’ve come, of how many things I have actually made with my own hands, and honestly, it’s super exciting to know that there’s so much more to learn and do so that the possibilities are endless!
I have put my blood, sweat, and tears into the business (literally). I have even spent sick days, sleepless nights, family birthdays, special occasions, floods, and now even a freeze working because that’s the thing about owning a business that nobody really talks about: -There’s no clocking in or out, there are no sick days, PTO, or paid vacations, You set your own schedules and timelines but you have to put in the work if you want it to succeed. It is completely up to you to succeed or not.
It hasn’t always been easy but if you want something bad enough you will fight for it and that’s exactly what I have done, I have fought to keep this business running and so far I have made it work.
One thing I had to learn along the way was to ask for help if I need it and accept help if it is offered. I don’t know if everybody has heard the saying “it takes a village to raise a child”. Well, it’s the same with a business. Not everybody is so lucky to have a support system or group of people but if those that want to help you come around cherish them and accept the help!
Another thing I have learned is that it’s okay to say “No”. I would love to be superhuman and be capable of doing it all but I am not. It’s better to say no than to disappoint your customer, and yourself and give your business a bad reputation.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The thing about Houston is that you can find something different to do every day of the week! If my best friend was visiting the area I would take her to brunch to present company or even walk around Montrose and find a nice spot to hang. I love Montrose because it gives you the best vibes. you can find all kinds of people and places and always have a good time no matter the day or time plus you can find amazing artistic walls to take great selfies.
The next day I would take her for a good Colombian lunch at either Mi Pueblito or Paisa’s Twin which are both located between Richmond and Gessner. The good thing about it is that you can find a lot more Colombian restaurants in the same area. After that, We could go for a night of dancing. I love dancing to tropical and Latin music so I would take her to Club Tropicana on a Tuesday. I feel like the kind of crowd changes depending on the day of the week, Tuesdays have a good crown of great dancers, the music is fantastic and you actually have space to dance.
I would also take her to dinner at Gloria’s in Midtown and we can stay dancing afterward… This restaurant is super cool because during the day it’s a restaurant but after 10 pm it turns into a Latin club with great music and great drinks. The next day I would take her to Fabian’s, Churrascos, or Batanga in Midtown. Both are great places to eat and hang out!
I would also take her for a walk around discovery green. They always have activities going on and it is a place that the whole family can enjoy.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
None of my success would have been possible without the love, help, and support of my husband who has helped me and motivated me countless times in all possible aspects. He has invested money and time in helping me grow this business from the ground up, all while making sure I don’t go crazy trying to do it all.
Although my kids are still little they deserve all of the credit because they are the reason behind all of it. Hailie, Jorge and Ariel are my biggest encouragement and motivation to succeed in life so that they can grow up and be proud of their mom.
But I would also like to thank all of my family and friends who have supported me from the very beginning. There’s a big market for crafts out there but you all have always chosen and trusted me to make your ideas into the perfect gift.
Thank you all for believing in me and helping me turn my dreams into a reality!
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yeyasdesigns?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
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