I've been very lucky to have met and made friends with a number of talented cardmakers over the last couple of years, and more than a few of them have escaped the sidelines and are now Hot Shots out on the field. ;-D
I feel like such a slacker!
But, hey, if you can't be a Hot Shot, it's pretty cool to know a Hot Shot, and one I like a whole lot is Kryssi Ng, co-founder of Mama Elephant.
I first met Kryssi when we were Hero Arts Hostesses together, and she recently sent me a few Mama Elephant stamp sets, so I thought I'd share the love and offer one as a prize for the January CCC. And then I got to thinking... hey, why not interview her?
If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Kryssi, I hope this interview will give you a little glimpse into this sweet and talented artist!
If you aren't familiar with Mama Elephant's origins, here's a snapshot from the website:
At 7 years old, Kryssi always had a knack for doodling and drawing, that's all she ever did nonstop. One day she doodled on one of her friend's notebook covers and, little did she know, it was the inspiration that sparked Angela's art career. Fast forward 20-something years... the two childhood best friends created a mom and mom business based in the NJ/NY tri-state area selling their art with clear stamps. The two moms enjoy sharing their passion for art and inspiration with creative minds around the world through their blog and social media.
I find this to be an incredibly cool and inspirational story, don't you?
So let's get to it, shall we?
Tell us a little bit about yourself, Kryssi! Where are you from originally? Where do you live now? Do you have a family?
I grew up in the heart of NYC and haven't (and can't) imagine living anywhere else. I'm a city girl to the bone. I have a small family of two hilarious little girls and a husband. There aren't many interesting facts about me; I mostly like to keep to myself and not stand out too much. I've always been the quiet type who lets my work speak for me. In my spare time - late nights when everyone is asleep - I watch Korean dramas online. I would say I'm addicted to them!
(How can you say there aren't very many interesting facts about you?! You speak Korean and are intimately familiar with the Big Apple and have been to Hong Kong - and that's just the stuff I know!)
What did you study in school? If not design, are you self-taught? Did you take art classes?
I have an educational background in fine arts and am self-taught in graphic design with the guidance of my partner!
(See? Right there - I think teaching yourself graphic design is extremely interesting!)
What led you to design stamps? How long have you been designing them? Is this your first design gig? If not, what else have you designed?
I think the decision to design stamps was a natural path for me considering my background. I never went into the hobby thinking I could turn this into a career but am really thankful things have turned out this way. I am still doing what I love, which is to create and design, except now my designs are enjoyed by customers all over the world. It's the ultimate goal as an artist.
(I agree - you go, girl!)
When you aren’t designing stamps, what are your other artistic endeavors (if any)? Do you have other hobbies that you pursue? Has becoming a stamp designer/seller cut deeply into your time as a stamper/card maker?
I take up interests and hobbies randomly. One day I could be so into knitting, and the next I could be into woodwork, and then the next day I am all about creating my own canvas art. Funny thing is, with each new found interest, I will buy all the supplies and it's all good for a day or two until I lose interest again and go back to stamping, lol. I used to make time for stamping but now that stamping is my job, I make time for other things. I find that I am always looking to achieve some kind of balance in my life.
What’s the coolest use of your stamped images that you’ve seen?
I don't know, there are too many. I like to fish through Instagram where people use the hashtag #mamaelephant. I always think it's such an honor to be part of someone's handcrafted creation that they are so proud of. I'm just so happy we can be a small part of that creative process and bring joy to the person.
Awesome!
What's your typical day like?
Wake up at 7:00 and shove the kids onto the school bus by 7:30. Then, depending on the workload for the day, I either go straight into my office and start working, or I take my morning nap and then work. Kids are home by 2:30. Dinner around 7:00. Bedtime routine at 8:00. House is quiet by 10:00. Then it's ME and my drama time for an hour or two, lol! I try to be asleep by 12:00 and then do it all over again the next day!
What do you see in Mama Elephant’s future?
We like to take baby steps and only take on what we can handle. Mama Elephant is growing surely and steadily, so we are just happy about that for now.
Any comments, stories, etc. you want to share with us?
Appearing on national tv (live!) promoting our brand was the hardest thing we've ever had to do. Both of us are extremely shy, so it was quiet an experience to prepare ourselves for that experience. But we tried our best to tough it out for the sake of or company! (Matt Lauer is incredibly handsome in person, by the way!)
Okay, the woman's been on live TV and met Matt Lauer, but she's got nothing interesting going on in her life. Nope. Not a thing.
I should live such an uninteresting life!
Can you tell us anything about your creative space? Got some pictures you can share?
I just transitioned to this new space that I call my office. For nearly seven years my "crafting space" slowly took over our family living space. After the move, my kids have their bedroom back, and I have a dedicated space to design and create. Having a dedicated work space has helped me separate my family time and work time which were extremely blurred the last two years. I was working at all hours of the day, not knowing when and how to walk away from it all.
The white desk is my design table, the smaller wood table is my crafting desk. Not pictured behind the desks is a massive 72" x 36" table for when I need to tackle bigger projects.
This last photo is my shoe organizer turned supplies storage unit. It holds all my knicks and knacks, such as envelopes, various types of ink mediums, paints, adhesives, strings and things, etc. The storage units are expandable so I can continue to build upon them. This has worked well for me as I can easily find what I need since everything is out in the open and labeled. I'm not the neatest person in the world so having a specific landing spot for everything really helps me stay organized.
Thank you, Kryssi, for giving us a peek into your life, AND for you and Angela being courageous and chasing your dream so the rest of us could have such very cool stamped images to color!
Check out the
Mama Elephant Blog for all things pachy-stamp-tastic, packy-delic, and packyderm-a-licious (and to see more cards like the ones shown here)!
Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!
Deborah
