Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Thresher.
Hi Sandra, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Our story began when we met about six years ago through an online dating website. Neither of us were sure what to expect when we first met in person. Lucky for us, we each found our soul mate. Now we’ve been married for almost a year and we enjoy channeling our creative talents into our business, It’s All Geek to Me.
Early on in our relationship we enjoyed going to comic cons and conventions. We loved the creative items and art that were available for sale but often they would be out of our budget. This is where the idea for It’s All Geek to Me was born. We wanted to make quality, handmade art and crafty items that were affordable for everyone. Sandra shared her love of papercrafting with Mike. Mike was intrigued by the electronic die-cut machine she used and thought maybe he could make it do more. He has a strong background in photoshop so he tried his hand at doing something a little different. From that Mike began making geeky and pop culture layered paper art – like a flat shadow box – and we began going to comic book conventions and other events for makers. We also branched out to other items like glassware and decals.
Over time we have morphed into what we do now where we focus heavily on upcycling materials into unique items that are still affordable. We use materials like comics, toys, books, newspapers, and even old VHS tapes. We transform these items into pop culture and geeky household items, notebooks, jewelry, and lights (from those used VHS tapes).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No creative pursuit is without its ups and downs. There are many bright sides along the way though. We get to meet some very creative people as well as interact with great fans. There is no greater joy when someone loves your work. Especially when people from other countries come by and grab something from us to take home.
It is always hard for us to find the right events for our items. We may sign up for a convention that we are sure is going to be great just to have it tank. Like many, covid was a struggle for us. We were unable to attend conventions for quite some time. Even after restrictions were lifted, many conventions still didn’t run and those that did were poorly attended.
Another challenge for us is Sandra’s full-time job as a teacher. Her schedule means we can usually only do events on the weekend. We also can’t travel too far outside of the Central Florida area, since she needs to be rested enough to be ready for school on Monday. Summer is a time when our schedule opens up and we try to do more events if we can.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Mike has been writing professionally for many years. He started out writing screenplays and doctoring them for others. Currently, he is working on novels and short stories.
Sandra has worked locally as an elementary teacher for the past 10 years. She has a passion for STEM education and loves getting her students excited about learning.
When it comes to It’s All Geek to Me, we each have our strengths. Mike is skilled at creating lights out of VHS cassettes and making mini versions of VHS tapes and books as earrings. Sandra’s favorite materials to work with are old comics and storybooks. She uses decoupage techniques to create jewelry and photo frames.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
There are a few core values that we hold in high regard. We strive to make quality items at an affordable price. Our motto is, “Handmade by fans for fans” and we live that every time we interact people at events. We love chatting with people at our events. We believe it’s that genuine connection that keeps people coming to visit us.
We also believe it is important to give back to the community we live in. You have to be willing to give back. As a small business, we know that the community is what makes us successful. Some of our favorite local organizations to support are Give Kids the World, Zebra Coalition, and Miracle of Love.
Another important quality for us is being able to take feedback from others. We have to listen to the people we meet and find out what they want. We have to be willing to accept that sometimes things that we think are wonderful don’t go over as well as we had hoped.
Pricing:
- Everything we make is priced fairly. One of the reasons we got into this is because we would visit many conventions and events and while we loved everything other makers created we couldn’t always afford to purchase something. We want ANYONE and EVERYONE to be able to see us and buy something they will enjoy regardless if it’s a $2.00 bookmark or a $65.00 minifigure shadowbox.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itsallgeektome.biz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsallgeektomepaperandvinyl
