Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Fox.
Hi Erin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in Maryland, with a barn full of tools in a home my parents renovated themselves, I was immersed in creating. My mom had her own business, “reThreads”. She created items from new and recycled materials. She mixed “mediums,” creating anything using pottery, wood, and fabric. I couldn’t help but follow in her footsteps. I went to college and received a BS in Technical Theatre, focusing in Costuming and Scenic Artistry.
Fast forward about ten years and I am living in Las Vegas. Now married and a stay-at-home mom of two active young girls, I needed to create. I wanted to work with wood, a medium I love, but didn’t have the tools or funds. I started working part-time in jobs that allowed me to be somewhat creative. But I still wasn’t happy. I needed to create my own things for myself. In 2011, I started making toys and clothing for my girls. Being a full-time mom and wife and working a part-time job didn’t leave enough time to figure out if I could turn my crafts into a business. In 2016, we decided it was time to focus full time on my business and I quit my part-time job. I started really creating. Wooden signs were all the rage, but I had to figure out what to do that everyone else wasn’t doing. I wanted to incorporate recycling products as much as possible. I started making plaques with “memes” on them.
All my products are made with new and recycled materials. I was continuing in my mom’s footsteps in my own style. reThreads: Foxy Style was born. Creating these plaques with such a variety that there was something for everyone, but making the same thing over and over again can get boring… my mind needs to constantly create. I was always adding some new ideas into the mix. While I am still doing this style currently, fast forward to almost two years ago, we picked up and moved from Las Vegas, NV to Howey-in-the-Hills, FL. I now had to rebuild my business in a whole new area. During this past year with the pandemic, my husband decided we needed a laser cutter. The laser cutter opened up a whole new world for what I could do for my business. My creative juices were flowing. I am now creating 3D scenes, still from new and recycled materials. These scenes have become a work of art. Always evolving and creating, I look for inspiration around me in nature, recreating images from others and translating to this new style.
Alright, 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?
Making and running a handmade business is not for the faint-hearted! I have chosen the route of focusing on selling my products at local events. This means setting up and taking down products multiple times a week. It is hard and exhausting. It takes a physical toll on my body. I had figured out a good routine of events in Las Vegas. Moving across the country meant it was time to rebuild and reinvent. We arrived and I hit the ground running. I was finding events, starting to rebuild and then the pandemic hits. I am now dead in the water with my business.
The pandemic makes me realize the only option is to use the time to rebuild, using the new tools at my disposal. I quickly realize we are not the only ones who decided to get a laser cutter during the pandemic! There are many other artists making signs and I am now faced with the challenge of figuring out what I can create that will make my work stand out. This is a challenge I am familiar with, which leads to this next phase in my creative world and growth for my business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am known for making small wooden plaques with inspirational, humorous quotes or “memes.” With these plaques, I make it a point to have a massive inventory of options. It is important to me that there is something for everyone. I make it a point to keep my colors neutral, which means that they really can go anywhere. My 3D scenes are where my inspiration shines, allowing my creative passion for take shape. They are unique and sized to fit anywhere. These scenes range from simplistic to complex, a challenge to design and fun to make!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
In this gamble of life, every day is a risk. Sadly, I learned this at a young age when my mother passed away from a car accident. I realized that you never know what will happen in life. The strength I developed from losing my biggest champion has served me well in this creative journey. I get my creative genius from her and think of her every day, especially in my business. Risk is a funny thing… you never know what will work or what people will feel compelled to purchase. I have chosen the avenues of events and word of mouth to sell my creations. Without the use of internet sales, the risk is ever-present. If it rains, events get canceled and no income is made. I always have to be aware of what will set my products apart from competing vendors.
Many of the risks I have chosen to take in life have revolved around cross-country moves. In order to support my husband following his dream, we moved from Pennsylvania to Florida and Florida to Las Vegas. My commitment to the family will always come first. The challenge that comes with this commitment is how to express my creativity and contribute financially to our family. While in Vegas, I decided to take the risk of quitting a secure part-time job in order to work on my dream of starting a handmade artisan business. Happiness for me comes from my family and my creative passion. I have found a successful way to blend these two worlds.
Risk creates possibility. My husband’s dream brought us back to Florida again from Las Vegas. My business took a hit with this move, as I had to find all new venues and meet new people who loved my products. As I was gaining momentum, the global pandemic stopped the world. It feels as if I am constantly reinventing and redirecting through these changing times. Risk is always present, always scary and always pushing me to new levels of creating. I choose to focus on the possibility, which is why my business will always survive.
Pricing:
- $20 for Plaques in inventory
- $30+ for Custom Plaques
- $50 for 3d Scenes in inventory
- $80+ for Custom 3d Scenes
Contact Info:
- Email: info@reThreadsFoxyStyle.com
- Website: reThreadsFoxyStyle.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/reThreadsFoxyStyle
- Facebook: Facebook.com/reThreadsFoxyStyle
