Making bags could be pleasure or business only. You could be doing it out of need, but in most cases we do it because we love it, it gives us satisfaction. And family, well they're experiencing it with you. Any business, not only bags. Whether if it's your paycheck or your hobby. I'm guessing there are not many families who are connected to their loved ones who don't know about their little business/pleasure. And sometimes they come into the picture, or being forced into it.
For example, until I'll open my studio, I'm doing all my bags business from my parents' house, in the kitchen, and on the kitchen table. And it's not only uncomfortable to me, it's also uncomfortable to my family who are being forced to deal with my passion. Right now I don't have a choice. But that's only one example for how families are a part of our business.
Sometimes it's the fact that you're doing what you're doing and your family just knows about it and they could be either supportive or against it for some reason – like thinking you can't possibly make a living out of it, like in many hobbies. They think you should find yourself a job where there is some steady paycheck. But if they do support what you're doing, they're sometimes being very very supportive by buying (or getting for free) your creations. Not only because they're your family, but also because they think you're talented. And sometimes it's a family thing, not just you. A family business. What a great thing! Then the supporting factor is a given. But of course there are times when business and family clash, and then there's no good there.
And there is another angle. The genetic angle. It could be that the creative gene is in your family. Like in my case, my family from my father's side is very creative. That's why my only profession could be art related. However, I'm the only one who actually practices in it. And being the only one who does that, I'm getting a lot requests for bags from the other members of the family. And a lot of complements. When I started getting serious, I got a request for 3 bags for 3 different women of the family, by other members of the family, as birthday presents.
But I do have a returning customer in my family. My mom. She bought and received many bags from me. That's true for today. Because when I first started my first bags, and I was obviously very excited about those crappy bags, my mom was brutally honest with me, as my whole family are, and that's hard sometimes, but thank God for that. I wasn't a kid who drew a picture and her parents told her that her drawings are amazing, and perfect, and gosh, you're the best artist ever. No, I've been treated fairly, and I see it as a good thing. So when I showed my mom my first bags, she was honest with me and did not show any excitement of them. No, she didn't like them as much as I did. Maybe to you it sounds harsh, and I thought it was too back then. But you know what, it's good. She was right. Today when I do make worthy bags, I do get her compliments. So when she tells me her opinion about something I made, I just know she's telling the truth. My father, too.
It's great to have a family around you to whom you can show your designs. Especially when they tell you the truth, and especially when it's both of your parents. I'm not even sure my friends would tell me the truth if I show them a crappy thing I made. Because if someone tells you the truth, you know you can get better, fix what's wrong. My dad sometimes would look at a bag I made and would tell me there's something that seems not right to him. I could argue and explain, but I can also trust that he tells me what he really thinks.
Every time I finish a bag, first I show it to my parents. Then to anyone else who would take a look. But it's only my family who would tell me what they really think.
So now that I made a huge progression since my first "no no's", I've been getting more compliments from my family. And I know I've gotten better, because my mom keeps buying my bags or getting them as presents, and she is proud of me, and she does love my work.
So family can be a very good thing to share your passion with. It can also come in your way, but mostly it might get you better - money wise, creative wise , career wise… you name it! It can be something that often can be missed. It can give you a different angle. Sometimes I ask my family whether I should do something in a particular way or not. You could always use another set of eyes, as many as you can. Either way, your family is connected to what you're doing. With bags, it can be very helpful. If your family is not like mine, you can try finding help in yours. They are the people who you can usually trust in this. So, yeah, family has to do with bags, believe it or not. They're part of it just as much as you.
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