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| Jessika modelling her "Life" accessories. |
Let's start simple – what is your name, and what do you do for a living?
Jessika Whitehouse, and I work in retail, but one of the things that gives me the most joy is making accessories from board games.
That's really cool! How did you get into something like that? Did you need any special training, or did you have a background in fashion?
I have always been creative, but got inspired by a drag queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race, as she is very creative and we had a lot of the same taste. Her name Is Pandora Boxx and she wore a dress with a racetrack and matchbox cars on it. I was so in love with this dress that I wanted to make something like it. So I started thinking of what materials to use. I ended up coming across a Monopoly board and tried it out. My two friends Stormy and Rachel helped me make bracelets and earrings, while I designed and made my dress and purses. I fell in love with it and kept making stuff. It was not until I met Thom Filicia (from Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) at Rain Lounge in Syracuse, that he asked me if I was a fashion designer and urged me to continue making things. That is when I opened my Etsy shop.
What do you like about it?
I like that I have control over what I do. It’s all my decision. It helps me problem solve, trying to figure out how to make a piece fit or move a certain way.
What are the downsides, if any, to your line of work?
Cost of supplies and getting my name out there. I have had little to no traffic on my shop, but have had some luck with people I know wanting something from me.
How do you combat that?
I’ve created a twitter, Instagram, Etsy shop, and a Facebook page for the stuff I make in hopes to get my name more out there and increase online traffic.
What is your work day like on a typical day?
Nothing about this is typical. It all depends on what I am working on, if anything. My being able to make these things is dependent upon my income and how much free time I have.
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| Jessika, Thom Filicia, and Jessika's girlfriend Natalie. |
Is this your only job?
I do work for a retail store and I am also a student.
What resources would you recommend to a new person getting into this line of work (books, websites, classes, etc)?
Attend a social media workshop, go to local events that have independent vendors and ask them how they started out, and what steps they took to get to where they are now.
Do you have a website, book, or portfolio you'd like to share with Alt Cash?
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