Trendy Tree is proud to shine the Customer Spotlight on
Anna Beare and Zazzy Country
Anna Beare is the owner of
Zazzy Country. Grab a cup of coffee and lets get to know a little more about Anna))
"I am honored and extremely blessed to have three wonderful children and their spouses in my life. I also have a wonderful step-daughter.
My oldest son, Ronnie, and his wife, Stacy, have a three year old son and a new son will arrive in July. My daughter, Lena, and her husband, David, have six sons and four daughters (that's right - 10 children, all theirs, all single births).
My youngest son, Jason, and his wife, Heather, have three sons, two daughters and a new member arriving in September (that's right - 6 children). My step-daughter, Lauren, and her husband, Chris, have three daughters.
I am blessed to have 18 grandchildren and three step-grandchildren and I love them to death.
I am married to my soulmate and best friend, Vinnie, and he is the person responsible for coming up with all kinds of unique ways to attach my signs, etc., to my wreaths. I just simply adore my husband! I am originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico but have called Houston home for 27 years."
We interviewed Anna to learn more about her business and here's what she had to say.
How did you get into crafting?
My mother and maternal grandmother were always sewing, embroidering, crocheting, baking and cooking. I would just watch them for hours. As I grew older, they began showing me how to make things and I have been crafting ever since elementary school.
Crafting is my therapy. As far as wreaths go, I have to credit Southern Charm Wreaths for turning my head towards wreaths. I would actually stare at those beautiful wreaths and tell myself, I can do that. Then I found Julie Siomacco's book, and I fell in love with making wreaths. 
My head is constantly full of ideas and there are so many great wreath makers out there to draw inspiration from. I learned long ago to make my wreaths my own and I believe I have developed my "own style."
Do you craft as a full time business, part time, or just for fun?
Making wreaths started out as dabbling in a few craft shows and has now turned into a part-time business for me. During seasonal times, it feels more like a full-time business. I also craft for fun on a few projects. Since I am retired, I want to eventually make my business a full-time business.
What type of decorations do you make?
I primarily make wreaths at the moment, but love to make centerpieces, table runners, floor cloths (just to name a few) when I have time. I also love to do party decorations and with the amount of grandchildren I have, I want to do even more! To be honest, I have at least five projects started right now that I have not finished!
If you make collegiate wreaths, who is your favorite team?
I am brand new to collegiate and sports wreaths. I only started making them last year. I was not familiar with team colors, logos, mascots, etc., so it was difficult for me. I also do not watch sports so that made it even more difficult. Since I live in Houston, I will have to say that the Texans are my favorite team.
What was your most challenging project and why.
I had a customer ask for a fall wreath containing crows, sunflowers, turquoise pumpkins and fall foliage. Turned out to be one of my favorite wreaths! I get quite a few very "interesting" requests and so far, I have met every challenge!
Please give one tip on making wreaths that you could share with our readers.
Practice, practice, practice. If you do not like the way it has turned out, take it apart and do it again. There are so many things you have to learn on your own. You just develop your own technique after making so many. If you start getting discouraged, walk away for a couple of hours or a day! It is hard to remember that Rome was not built in a day! There are a lot of beautiful wreaths out there to look at and admire and be inspired by, but you have do come into your own style.
If you ship your wreaths, please give a tip on shipping, packing, supplies etc.
I do a lot more shipping now and only use Federal Express. I do quality control on all the wreaths I ship by making sure ribbon and embellishments are secure. I use a 22" x 22" x 8" box and most wreaths fit very snuggly. For the wreaths that are a little loose, I secure the wreath with a zip tie.
What is your favorite Holiday to create for?
My favorite holiday to celebrate is Christmas, however, my favorite time to decorate is the fall. I absolutely love fall décor because I love the natural elements and I love the colors. I decorate my home more for fall than I do for Christmas or any other holiday.
What current project are you most proud of and why?
I have to honestly say that I am proud of all of my projects. If someone buys a wreath from me to hang on their front door which will greet everyone coming to their home, that is a proud moment! I am also very proud of projects that involve local or out-of-state crafters/artists that I use for my signs. I was humbled on a few occasions to make cancer awareness wreaths
What advice would you have for a new crafter?
Plan ahead if at all possible. I find that the more I plan, the less time I have to spend running from craft store to craft store and wholesaler to wholesaler. I like having all of my supplies ready and my project planned out. You have to remain passionate and love the challenge each wreath brings.
Advice on organizing your craft supplies?
Try to make time at the end of your work session to put everything back. This is my biggest problem because I tend to take out way too much ribbon to make a wreath, along with embellishments. It can pile up real quick. I think organization is vitally important.
Summary
I would like to thank Jeanine Pence for the spectacular customer service she provides and for the ever changing wreath supplies Trendy Tree provides. Because I have not found the time to try out Etsy, I am currently selling online through Facebook as
Zazzy Country.
I also lease a wall space at Junk Street Market in Old Town Katy, where I can display up to nine wreaths at a time. Sales are doing really well for me at Junk Street Market!
*****
Thanks to Anna for sharing her creativity with us. Please drop by the
Zazzy Country Facebook page and be sure LIKE it! Browse through the many photos there of Anna's gorgeous work. If you live in Katy or close to, drop in and check out Anna's wreaths at Junk Street Market.
You can contact Anna on her
Zazzy Country Facebook page. If you need something very special, she'll be happy to fix you up!
