Interviews with Indies - Featuring...Whimsical Nail Polish by Pam
- Monday, July 09, 2012
- 17 Comments
Welcome to the 1st Installment of a new feature on Gnarly Gnails, which obviously by the huge title graphic up there, is called Interviews with Indies.
I have reached out to Indie brand polish and nail companies to get the scoop on what they are all about - think of it as a 20/20 for Nails! (I hope I'm not dating myself saying that, is 20/20 even still on?)
Without further ado, I bring you our first Interview - with Pam from Whimsical Nail Polish by Pam.
What is the name of your brand?
whimsical nail polish by pam
whimsical nail polish by pam
What is your name/names of everyone involved in your brand?
just me...and the cat. i do, however, run ideas past my family.
What got you started in the polish making market?
it was a very happy accident. i have a little niece who loves all things girly and fairy-ish. i had an idea of a fairy nail polish that i wanted to give to her, but couldn't find what i was looking for in stores. i have knowledge of mixing paint colours, so i thought that mixing nail polish couldn't be that different. (it is). after mixing that one, i started mixing others, and that was it. at the time, i had never read a nail blog, had no idea that there were nail polish collectors, a nail polish "community", or even people who made their own nail polish.
Do you have a background that was condusive to getting started in this field?
(example: were you a chemistry major, work in a lab, have an art degree, etc...)
i have always been creative and artistic and had a tiny business making gifts, which involved mixing paints, etc. i had one year as an art major in college, and have always loved science.
What is your thought process when naming colors?
the names are probably the most personal part of the whole process for me...i agonize over them! all of my colours are named after people and things that i love. my sister is also a great help with names. some of the names are so "inside" that only the people closest to me really get them.
Where do you derive your inspiration for your creations?
my family, friends, and things that just make me happy. i'm inspired by cartoony things, humour, my childhood, and, um...whimsy.
Where do you create?
on my balcony....in the heat. (i'm in miami). i am very much looking forward to the end of summer.
Do you make polish full time?
yup! the mixing, though, is a very small part of it. i make everything myself, including my labels, business cards, etc. there is also a lot of administrative work...invoicing, record keeping, packing, shipping, and keeping my customers aprised of their order status. i do not use etsy, so i do all of the work myself. in addition, i do quite a lot of research, and i'm always trying to create new colours.
What is your favorite polish that you did NOT make?
simple....deborah lippmann "glitter in the air" or "ruby red slippers".
What is your favorite polish brand?
deborah lippmann...her formulas are flawless! and believe it or not, i love her non-glitters the best.
What is your favorite polish from your own line?
probably "i believe in fairies". i love the colours, the stars...it is probably the one that is the most "me".
What is the best part about making polish?
i enjoy the entire process. i love being able to make a living working out of my home, creating pretty things.
What is the worst?
tying the teeny-tiny little bows. ;)
How many polish shades have you made to date?
15 that are now available, but i am in the process of creating more as we speak, and a couple of them have been retired until the holidays.
How many polishes do you have in your own personal stash?
my entire stash fits in a shoe box. i was not really a big nail polish person when i began creating them, and now that i'm making them, i can't even remember the last time i was able to wear nail polish.
What is your one favorite ingredient?
why, sparkles, of course!
Do you make non-polish products? If so, tell us about them!
i have loved photography forever, so i do a bit of that. i also make children's gifts (picture frames, door plaques, etc) using predominantly wood, paint, and fimo. i also enjoy graphic art. since i've gotten into polish making, though, those activities are less frequent for me.
Tell us where your polishes are available to purchase?
on my facebook page.
Do you have a website/facebook/blog? Give us any links you want.
What does the future hold for your brand?
your guess is as good as mine. i am still relatively new to this, so at this point, i am just putting one foot in front of the other and trying to keep quality and constency in my product while establishing a relationship with my customers. as important as the product is, i also want to continue to build on the personal touch that i think is so important to me. i absolutely love what i'm doing, so i hope that my customers and i continue to enjoy it.
Do you have anything else you'd like my readers to know about you or your brand?
no...i think i've talked about myself for long enough.
Check out some of Pam's awesome creations:
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| Photo Credit: Jen Carter |
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| Photo Credit: Jen Carter |
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| Photo Credit: Whimsical Nail Polish by Pam |
You can also view some of my swatches of Pam's polishes by checking the keywords section on the right under Brand: Whimsical Ideas by Pam
Don't forget to enter the Gnarly Gnails 400 Follower Giveaway!
Ends 7.31.2012 and is open Internationally!
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Ends 9.01.2012 and is open Internationally!
17 comments
Awesome. Love her stuff. How often are you going to do this? I don't want to miss any. :)
ReplyDeletei am going to try and run these once a week. it will just depend on how quickly i get them back.
DeleteI love her even more thanks for this amazing interview, now I have to try to talk myself out of buying all her polishes all at once lol
ReplyDeletedon't talk yourself out of them, they are amazing!
DeleteAwesome interview!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great topic!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview!! I just love her!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThat was so cute and fun! It's nice to see an indie brand talking about her work and passion with both humbleness and personality! I can't wait to see more installments.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I really enjoy reading these!
DeleteYay! I am excited for you to do interviews with indie makers! And I love love love Whimsical Ideas by Pam. I have two of her polishes (I Believe in Fairies and Peanut Butter and Jelly) I hadnt used paypal before and she talked me through the whole process! She is amazing! I always recommend her polishes.
ReplyDeleteShe's awesome for sure. I've been doing business with her since February and she really is a standout business woman.
DeleteHow fun...keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteI love this feature. Great interview! Pam's polishes are beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteawesome way to start xxx looking forward to the rest of the series :)
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone - Im so glad this new feature was so well received!
ReplyDeleteI love this interview!
ReplyDeleteFun! I'm going to really enjoy reading these:)
ReplyDeleteI love reading your comments, please feel free to leave one! I can't always respond due to time constraints or pure forgetfulness, but if you have a specific question about something, ask here or email me!