05.12.08
My Interview with Jamie, Owner of Forbidden Fruit
Please meet Jamie Dobbs, Owner of http://forbiddenfruit.etsy.com, http://www.myspace.com/forbiddenfruitcuiosities.
Where are you located? Knoxville, TN.
What do you design? Handbags, Jewelry, Accessories and Soaps.
Where/How did you learn this? Trial and error for the most part! I learned quite a bit of crafting from my grandmother though.
Favorite Artist who inspires you? I would have to say my grandmother, Betty Luton.
Where does your inspiration come from? Music, movies, television, books, comics….I’m an entertainment junkie!
What do you do to combat creative block? I listen to music, surf the web for inspiration, or even go through my craft stuff to get inspired.
Where do you design your creations? I’ve converted my dining room to a craft area. My family eats in the living room anyways, so it was wasted space! My crafty stuff sometimes spills out into the living room as well sometimes.
What does your work space look like right now? Super messy! I have so many tubs of fabric, and other stuff, that you can barely walk.
How does your family feel about what you do? They know it makes me happy, so they are pretty supportive.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to make their own creations using this method? Don’t give up. Keep trying until you get it right!
Best advice you received when starting your business venture? There will be dry periods when you don’t sell anything at all, but don’t give up! People will come back around!
Favorite part of owning your own business? The freedom. If I ever need a handbag, piece of jewelry or whatever, it’s like I have a whole store to choose from!
Least favorite? Sometimes I can be really shy, so selling my things in public can be a bit rough for me.
How do you relax? Listen to music, knit, read.
Favorite color? Purple
Does this color show up in a lot of your work? Most definitely. I have to constantly remind myself not to make everything purple. It’s not everyone’s favorite color!
If there were more hours in the day, what would you be doing? Crafting and writing more.
A sample of Forbidden Fruit products. For all products, please visit Jamie’s website.
