Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Preisendorfer.
Hi Jackie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Stampin Stitchin started as a way for me to have an activity for myself as a mother of four. Something I could do to be creative and have my own space. It quickly turned into a way to encourage, uplift, inspire, motivate and empower others through the use of words. I make hand-stamped jewelry and accessories. Each letters is stamped one at a time by hand. No machine is used. A hammer, stamp, and steel block are the tools I use. Each piece can be customized due to the process I use. The first year in business in 2017, I tried a few vendor shows. Etsy is where I started investing quite a bit of time. I ended up with a large order within the first month of being on Etsy which allowed me to invest quickly back into my business. The following year, I did over 30 vendor events traveling Ohio with my mom. My mom is my rock and the person who has been beside me at all times through the growth of my business. The spring of 2018 saw even more growth with the addition of teacher bookmarks which can be personalized with the names of both student and teacher along with the school year. In 2018, I also joined my first local store called Blended Ohio. Over the next few years, I would add more product choices, join more stores and grow on Etsy to become a top 600 shop in the United States. Today, Stampin Stitchin is part of 7 local stores, 4 of which are still part of the original Blended Ohio stores located throughout Ohio along with 3 others-Extending Grace, Ohio Artisan Collective, and Lancaster Greenhouse. During the spring season for teacher gifts, I hand stamp around 5000 bookmarks in April and May each year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve had to fight to keep my business throughout personal difficulties I’ve encountered. I didn’t always have the support of the people around me. Persevering through knowing I could do this was extremely uplifting and gave me more motivation. I’ve had to fight to keep a balance between my business, as it took off exponentially, and my family life. During an extremely difficult time in 2021 full of personal issues, I almost lost it all. It has taken a year of rebuilding and the business has finally recovered. The fight was worth it. It showed me that I am able to make it, that I have an amazing support system, and at the end of the day the things that are important to use are worth fighting for. At the start of Covid, it was looking like we may not make it through with so many unknowns… The customers were and are amazing and 2020 was one of our best years all due to the support of so many.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make hand-stamped jewelry and accessories. Unlike engraving, which uses a machine to put words and designs on a piece, I hand stamp every letter, flower, leave, or design one at a time. Because of the unique process, I’m able to customize every aspect of the piece. I use a hammer, steel block, and a metal stamp to make the impression. I offer cuff bracelets, necklaces, mothers’ jewelry, bookmarks, and keychains. Our cuff bracelets are the most popular year-round gift, but the teacher bookmarks set us apart. We customize them with the teacher name, student name, and school year along with a quote. Being able to customize so many aspects during the design process makes hand stamping a unique gift idea. I’m so proud that I overcame the obstacles of fear, discouragement, and thinking I wasn’t good enough to make a difference to keep going. The amount of customers that have shared their stories and what the piece has meant to them is my why. Creating the keepsake piece knowing that the customer absolutely treasures it is worth every struggle and every hour of work. I love being able to work directly with the customer to customize the piece and bring their vision to life.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is being rich in every area of your life. Success is having a family to come home to that supports you and wants to see you thrive in your passion. Success is overcoming the obstacles you face, whether it be your own thoughts that hold you down or discouragement from others. Success is having a balance throughout life. Success is knowing you’ve made a difference in just one other person’s life and that you’ve been able to life them up and encourage them to be their best self. Success is not merely found in income alone, but the measure of how richly you’ve lived life and the impact you’ve had on others around you.
Pricing:
- Cuff Bracelets $14-$20
- Bookmarks $20-$24
- Necklaces $16-$30
- Keychains $10-$14
Contact Info:
- Email: info@stampinstitchin.com
- Website: www.stampinstitchin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stampin_stitchin/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqSs0yO7l9s
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StampinStitchin
Image Credits
Liz Egbert Photography
