Hi,
My name is Agata, I live in Poland, small city near Wroclaw. I am a designer, dressmaker, manager, model and dispatch person in my marmollada shop.
Since I was a kid I liked manual crafts. Almost every summer holidays I spent at my grandma's house in a village where apart from farm duties, in the afternoons my grandma taught me and my two cousins crotcheting, knitting, cross-stitching, embroidery, etc. – I really enjoyed learning all that stuff, it absorbed me very much. I guess this passion to handmade items I inherited from my grandma who till last days was making cross-stitched pictures and had always a nice embroidered table cloth for every member of our family as a gift.
Not only I became in love with hand craft on those summer holidays spent at my grandma. I also started to have a passion for home made marmalades, jams and all fruit preserves which we all made during summer and then during autumn and winter we delighted in eating them. Till now I eat marmalade on almost every breakfast. Because of love to marmalades I called my brand 'marmollada' :)
During high school and architecture studies times I made some clothes, scarfs, sweaters and bags for myself but I never thought of this as a way of living. In those days in Poland handmade bussines wasn't popular, first handmade galleries similar to etsy were about to start.
I thought of giving it a try years later when I was looking for some nice and simple decorations to our new home and couldn't find ones that I like. Beacause felt started to be very popular I tried to make something out of it. So I designed simple and geometric table cloths out of felt. And this is how it all started. Since 2009 my adventure with selling via internet at handmade galleries has began. Through years I experimented with form, fabrics, product design. I looked for my own way of expression and what I like to design and sew the most. I learned how to sew and what properties each type of fabric has.
Out of those reaserches I found out that I like to sew bags the most and my favourite are the ones made of woolen felt in many many juicy colors. So I make them with all my heart. I still evolve and so does my brand and products. I keep on looking for better quality fabrics, better hardware and zippers. I work on how to promote my brand in internet and how to find new clients. I learn how to manage my time, the whole sale and dispatch process, communication with clients, designing and sewing so clients receive their orders on time and they are satisfied with received item.
I want to develop my brand so I keep on improving every aspect.
I decided to start this bussines in time when I was about to become a mum. In Poland maternity leave lasted then half year – I had plenty of time to develop my hobby and so I did.
So when the maternity leave was about to end and I was about to return to my regular work at architecture office I knew I don't have to and what is most important for me – I don't want to return to that work. I gained experience, small base of clients and had perspectives. So I decided to give it a try and I don't regret it. That was the best decision ever :) I am a boss for myself , I can look after babies (now we have two), I can decide what and when to do - this freedom is really precious for me.
I do not look far in the future, I am happy with things are going on and evolving right here and right now. I really would like to take part in this adventure as long as it is possible. I hope that etsy platform will help my small bussines reach another level of sales, that I will find here clients that like my work and thanks to them I will be able to continue my work which I truly love and enjoy.
Thanks for stopping by.
Agata
