I fell in love with as soon as I spotted it. Definitely one of those shops that you simply want everything, from jewelry to stationery. William Knopp and Jessica Tata are the team behind this innovative shop. Please read on to find out more about them and their offerings.
When did you start selling on Etsy and Why Etsy?
We started selling on Etsy in May of this year. It was a natural decision to sell on Etsy, having both shopped on Etsy for quite some time. We felt like the community feel and modern handmade aesthetic of Etsy was really in line with what we wanted to do. It is not only a great place to buy and sell, it's also an inspiring and motivating place to browse!
Is this a full time gig for you?
In the last two months, Son of a Sailor has sort of taken off, and we are lucky enough to call this our full-time job now. We each have other part-time gigs that we've been doing as we started Son of a Sailor, but we're really focusing most of our time and energy on the shop. On the side, though, William works on a ranch in the hill country of Texas, as well as for a local farmers market. I am a contributing writer for Apartment Therapy and I also work with my best friend, who owns a jewelry boutique and creates her own line here in Austin.
It's quite a juggling act when I think about it…while SOS is our full-time gig, we each have two other jobs! It keeps us on our toes. Establishing a routine is a goal of ours, but we're really not sure if it will ever happen! We just have to stay flexible and versatile! I think that we're realizing, too, that some times we just have to declare a day off! When you work primarily from home, you're technically always working! Shutting off is hard to do, but also totally necessary.
If Yes, what do you love about it.
That's easy! The fact that Wiliiam and I can sit side-by-side in our home studio and create jewelry and artwork for a living is a dream come true! There are difficulties and stressors in owning your own small business, but the simple fact that I get to be creative on a daily basis with the one I love is pretty priceless.
If I could only buy one thing from your shop right now, which would you recommend?
That's such a hard question! I mean, I suppose that if we didn't want to wear something that we made, we probably wouldn't sell it! But I suppose I do have a couple of favorites…which often has to do with how new something is! My current favorite necklace is the 3D Geometric Chevron in Seafoam Green! But ask me next week, and it might be something entirely different! The thing I wear every day, though? The Lariat Layering Bracelet in black and white with a "J" initial tag. That's two items, but that will have to suffice as my answer!
What was first piece you ever made/sold?
When I was 13 years old, I started a jewelry business with my friend Emily. I'm talking handmade pieces that we would tote around in our Caboodles, and sell at school! As an adult, though? William and I met in San Francisco when he was there visiting my roommate with whom he went to college. She had to work a couple of the days that he was visiting, so he and I traipsed around town for a bit. We went to my favorite thrift/art supply store, Scrap, and brought home a myriad of random craft supplies. That was when we realized that we could sit around for hours doing projects and being perfectly content.
We ended up beginning our relationship that trip, which was a little complicated since he lived in Austin and I lived in San Francisco. But somehow we knew that it was worth it, and thus began 10 months of traveling back and forth. The second time he came to SF, he brought with him a collection of vintage buttons he had found. That was when we created our first Vintage Button Earrings, one of the first items in the Son of a Sailor repertoire. When I moved back to Austin in November of 2010, we began making jewelry on a slightly more serious level, and it really just snowballed from there.
What are your plans for the future?
I think that William and I would both be perfectly happy finding a way to continue creating and making in a way that we can sustain ourselves. If we can pay the mortgage and bills and perhaps stuff a little bit of money away for things like a family and the occasional vacation, we'll be pleased as punch. A little bit of stability goes a long way, but we don't have dreams of taking over the world.
Do you have a workspace? If so, can you share what it looks like?
We bought a house in March, and after each living in very small spaces, feel like our 1200 square feet is extremely luxurious. We have a great big room that is our studio, and we're slowly making it an organized and inspiring space for creation! We get to spread out, make a mess, and then just close the door if we want to. I've spent years dreaming about having this sort of a space, so it's pretty exciting to see it come to fruition!
Where else can we find your goodies?
Lately, we've been filling orders with boutiques around the world. The first shop to carry Son of a Sailor is Schatzelein (schatzeleinaustin.com), a fantastic boutique here in Austin that showcases independent designers from all over. It's owned by a very inspiring woman, Christine Fail, who also creates her own line of jewelry, fail (). Christine and I have been best friends for over 16 years, and it's been amazing to watch, support, and encourage each other to begin our own endeavors for years.
Since then we've grown a bit and are now carried in the following stores:
Parts & Labour | Austin
Sanctuary | Austin
Amelia Presents | Oxford, MS
and you'll see Son of a Sailor within the month here:
Neon Village | Australia
Victoire | Ottawa, ON
Dots & Loops | Nova Scotia
Majestic | Montpelier, France
For fun: fill in the blanks
I can't get through the day without ……coffee! And William…but only after a cup of coffee! : )
I'm currently reading …….too many books and magazines about weddings. It's pretty fun, to be honest, so I am indulging myself a little.
My favorite song is ……..I'm gonna go with two choices (I'm not good at choosing. I'm a libra!) I have to go old school and claim Say it Ain't So by Weezer! There is never a time that I can't listen to that song and feel happy. Also, You Are My Sunshine. My father bought me a stuffed elephant that plays that song on the day I was born. I still have the elephant, and that song will always remind me of my mother and father, both of whom are two of the most amazing people on the planet.
I'm lusting after ……a vacation! I love my job, but I would love a week off traveling somewhere I have never been!
My dream vacation would be ……We're trying to figure out where to go for our honeymoon, and boy if there aren't a ton of amazing looking vacations that would totally break the bank. If we could do anything? Either a week in a bungalow over the ocean in Maldives off of the East coast of Africa, a getaway to Iceland and Greenland, or a month-long walking trip along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. William did the 400+ mile walk in the middle of a year that he traveled the world, and he has the best stories about the experience--I'm jealous!
And as always I'm a brunch fanatic- Any local Austin brunch recommendation for when I make it over there :-)
Oh yeah! I have to go with Juan in a Million (www.juaninamillion.com/)! It's an East Austin mexican food joint owned by Juan Meza, who has become an Austin icon. He will shake the hand of every last person in the restaurant, and make you feel like you're the best customer in the world. The food is good, but it's not earth-shattering! It's the experience as a whole--not to mention their famous Don Juan taco--it's enough for two meals and costs less than a burger. Delish!
William and Jess
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