it's Gemma from Meli Melon
I (=brittni) recently had the pleasure of
interviewing Gemma Antelo, who is the proud mother of two children and the
owner and creator behind Meli
Melon, a handmade children’s clothing line. Gemma currently lives and works
in a beautiful Barcelona home, all the while balancing life as a mom and a
creator and artist. Hope you enjoy the tour…
In what kind of home do you
live and with whom?
I live with my hubby and my two little princesses in an old
Mediterranean style house in the mountains surrounding Barcelona. We moved here two years ago from a
small flat downtown because we needed to take a break from the city madness,
and actually we still haven't finished the renovation of our home.
How has being a mom influenced
or guided you as a small business owner and maker?
In everything! Before moving to this house, I was working as
a freelance graphic designer. I
was very stressed and didn't have the time my family deserved, so I decided to
become a stay-at-home mum. But I was a little bored, so I begin sewing my
children’s clothes and this is how I eventually ended up opening my Etsy shop.
On average, about how much
time per week are you able to put into creating for Meli Melon?
Maybe the average time is around 20 hours per week, but if
I'm very busy, I can work up to 35 hours or more. I start working at 9:30 am
and at 11:30, I take a half an hour break
and drink something on my terrace if it's sunny. Then I keep working until lunch time
and then spend the time before the children are out of school in promoting,
taking photos and other "not creating" working tasks. On Fridays, I
go to the flea market and to my favorite supplies shops, so it's my favorite
weekday.
What has been the best advice
you have received as a small business owner? And what advice can you
share/give to moms, or anyone for that matter, on getting a business started?
Once someone asked Picasso the secret of being successful,
and he answered that the inspiration always has to find you working... As a
stay-at-home mom, my daughters come first, so I decided to hang a big timetable
and clock in my sewing room wall to be the most productive I can while they are
at school. Also, my iBook is my best friend, so I make most of my promotion
efforts when I'm in bed at late night.
Being organized has been the key to having fun while working
and helps me keep calm when I'm very busy. And if the inspiration finds me cooking dinner, it will have
to wait until next morning.
If you had to name one item
in your home as a favorite, what would it be? Where did you find it and what
drew you to it initially?
I really love my almost one hundred years old sewing
machine, and it's still working!
It once belonged to my great grandmother and whenever I look
at it, I am always reminded of my childhood and my mother, who left us a few
years ago.
As you mentioned earlier,
you’ve made some changes to your home recently. What changes or additions have
you made to the house so far? What parts have you decided to keep as
original?
When we bought the house, it was really ugly, so we have
changed almost everything. We still haven't finished the terrace and the garden,
but hope will be able to do it in the
spring. The only thing we decided to keep as original was the kitchen,
that has a really country and warm look. There is an antique fuel wood cooking
kitchen that my husband restored
and we often use it on cold winters.
Antique fuel wood? What a
unique piece to have in your kitchen. Who is the cook of your family? And what
is your favorite meal to make?
I'm usually the "home maid", but my daughters
really enjoy helping me make great cakes and muffins, and on Sundays, my
husband cooks "paella" for us and sometimes a few friends. I love
guests!
There are bright paintings
and beautiful sculptures scattered throughout your home. What do you look for
when buying new art?
I studied Fine Arts, so I have lots of artist friends that
help me decorating my home. I love painting too, so I have some of my own
creations hanging on the walls. And one of my favorite pieces is a sculpture my
sister made on hard stone that is titled
After looking through all the
pictures of your home, I certainly have a favorite: the living/dining area. But
what is your favorite room of your house and why?
The playing room is where all the family spends the most
funny time of day. We decorate it
thinking about creating a comfortable place to be together while playing,
watching a movie or listening to music. I also spend a lot of time painting a
lot of flowers and butterflies on the wall, and my children love it. So, this
room is always sunny, even when it's raining outside.
And my final question:
Creating that mural in the playroom is a great way to inspire your children. As
a creative woman and mother, how are you able to encourage creativity in your
children?
I love to make big collective paintings with all the family
together! I also try to spend a lot of time making crafts and playing with the
toy kitchen with my girls. I think too that books are the best way to develop
their creativity and actually I'm currently reading to them "The Small
Prince", my favorite book.
Thanks Brittni and Gemma for this lovely interview!
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