Get to know the ACE Team: An interview with Merriwood

We've had shop interviews with most of our members already, but we wanted to pay a special tribute to a very hard-working member of our team, Meredith of Merriwood Designs.

Meredith has earned this distinction by her recent achievements of being awarded her BA degree while being a wife, new mother, and artist! Congratulations Meredith!

Here she is, on the right, celebrating with some ACE team members.

I had the pleasure of interviewing her with a focus more on her personal achievements rather than her art and here is what she had to say...

I earned a 4 year Bachelor of Arts in Human Services with concentrations in Criminal Justice & Psychology in 3.5 years. I felt a little rushed but I can even imagine being in school this semester so I'm glad I'm done now!

Since my degree is not at all related to art I plan on finding work in the human services field, probably in mental health, substance abuse, or foster care. I hope to work full time & still have enough energy for etsy.. well see how that goes! On that note, my shop is taking a new direction because of new regulations with regards to lead testing items made for children. I am in the process of changing things a bit to focus more on child keepsakes such as photojournals.

How did Etsy come into your life?

It was really by random chance. I was talking to someone about where they got their adorable garters and cake topper for their wedding and she told me about etsy. I was in the process of planning my own wedding so I ordered some things & instantly fell in love.

Some of Meredith's newest creations in her shop

I have always been into painting and drawing and sewing. I haven't done any drawing since high school so I have really lost my eye for it but I've been able to keep up with sewing through mending jeans and such. I also picked up a love for digital art which I'm hoping to incorporate more into my new board book projects.
The most challenging part of coping with the demands of school, motherhood, and running a business is time! There is never enough! What is odd is that now that I'm done and have less school involvement I feel like I don't have any at all for etsy because I have to do more work around the house, take care of my son, and look for a job.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?
Never. I get a lot out of every minute of my life. People my age think I'm crazy to be married and have a kid, but we do things a little differently from most people and go for what we want. We always have a good time doing it in the end.

What advice would you offer someone facing the same challenges you faced?
Don't let other people push their negativity in your head. It is hard to stay positive. We're probably facing more challenges now than ever before.. but just smiling and putting some effort into having fun makes my whole day better. I would also suggest to do what you enjoy doing, despite what others may say about it. If it makes you happy, that's all that matters.