Hi! My name is Leilani and I’m a Creative Overthinker

Someone told me that it could be a good idea to start a little blog, talk about my business, the things I care about and let you all know my thoughts and the jumbling’s going around in my head on any given day. So, I think this blog will be somewhat like a journal or diary for me. I’m going to do my best to keep it as real and raw as possible, while being sensitive to the people in my life who may not want their business on blast. LOL So let’s get to it-

Well, first things first, I’m a momma. I had my daughter when I was a 19 year old youngin’ not knowing what the next move was for my life. I worked at a department store, organizing, stocking and hiding my favorite shoes in my size so I could buy them when they went on sale. My mom would call me Imelda Marcos because I had so many shoes by the time I left that job. I met my best friend during my time there, we got close working together and had so many crazy adventures.

When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared sh**less. I was young, and I definitely wasn’t ready to be a mom. I didn’t even know who I was yet, or what I wanted out of life, but I couldn’t fathom any option other than keeping her and doing my best to raise her. (This was coming from a SA girl who never thought she was going to have kids.)

These past years haven’t been easy but now she’s 15, prepping for her Quince and is the funniest, smartest, most beautiful girl I could ever ask for. As a parent you tend to feel guilty for so many things, because you just want them to have better and be better than yourself. Mom guilt is so real! But as my daughter has gotten older I’ve become more and more focused on my own life and what I want to do with it. Trying to give her a good example of following your dreams and always doing what’s best for you and taking care of your own. This is where Gypsy Caravan comes in. I started this brand in 2019 making polymer clay jewelry. For a while I was making things that I thought customers would like. As the years have gone by I realized that didn’t fulfill me. I needed to start making pieces that really spoke to me, that was unique and original. Jewelry that made me happy to make, to wear and to give. I’m currently stocking my jewelry in a store called Dreamland. When I first saw that they were opening and it was near to me, I jumped on it and was pumped that my items would be in store. It’s been almost a year since it opened and I’m learning along the way.

It’s hard because you never know what is going to sell, or why one thing is selling and something else isn’t. I try to price my items fairly, but I think many people are used to prices of mass marketed goods from Amazon, or Target/ Walmart. Even though I don’t sell as much as many of the other shops in this community, I’m selling a lot more than I thought I would, and I get so much love from my customers. It’s so special to me because it means so much that I created something that someone else enjoys wearing.

I’m learning and growing as I continue in my business and I’m reaching for many bright things in the future of Gypsy Caravan. I’ve always been a creative person and liked making things. When adults would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d always respond “Fashion Designer!” The goal is to turn Gypsy Caravan into a upcycled home decor and all around fashion brand. I love sourcing textiles and materials and figuring out what type of clothing or product it could be made into. So far I’ve made a purse- from a vintage towel, old corduroy pants and vintage sheet, a mushroom garland- from those corduroy pants and vintage sheet, and a pillow- from old denim and scrap fabrics from when I was in college. It’s a slow process, lol but it’s happening even if it’s taking time. Take time to grow, nature doesn’t rush and neither should you.

I’ve sketched outfits and pieces that I’d love to wear with hopes that they will speak to other people. It’s just about honing in and fine tuning my sewing skills, and creating clothing that I’d feel comfortable dressing someone in.

This weekend my friends and I are starting, and hopefully completing, my studio area so I have a nice place to work at. (Something that is a bit better than the dining room table with bad lighting.)

I love the idea of upcycling. Turning something old and discarded into something vibrant and new. I love finding vintage textiles and patterns that speak to me. Most of the time I’m drawn to color, so many of my treasures tend to match together and seeing all the patterns next to each other gets me excited. I have doilies that look like they could make the cutest top, fabrics that would be an amazingly vibrant patchwork quilt, and so much fabric from over the years that I need to start working now! lol

Another reason why I love upcycling is because fast fashion is quickly hurting and killing our earth. The amazing love I have for textiles is like a double-edged sword. Textile factories are one of the most toxic things polluting our environment. There’s so much waste and excess, plus the dying and printing techniques leak chemicals into our water supply. The fact that consumption has become a way of life weighs heavy on my soul. As I’ve gotten older, I realize how harmful these companies are to our planet, and I’d like my business to help do something about that, even if it’s a small blip. There are so many items that are discarded that are still able to be useful. People will toss a shirt or pants just because there’s a hole or button missing. Instead of mending, it will be tossed. Companies purposefully make clothing that is low quality so that consumers will need to purchase again and again to replace the crap they bought. It’s twisted and money-hungry, with no respect for the customers or the planet.

I prefer quality things made from natural materials. Personally, I’d happily pay for something I love, that feels good on my skin, that won’t break in a week, that fits me well, and that I can use for years to come. Something like that is WORTH my hard-earned dollars. Not this cheap crap from Shein or Forever21, made from toxic polyester that makes me sweat, fits like poo and rips the first time I wear it.

Sorry for hoping on that soapbox right quick lol, I’m hoping off now.

The thing about me is, I have SO MANY ideas that I get overwhelmed. I try to write or draw all my ideas down so I can remember them, but there’s so many and I have no idea where to start. I’m hoping to figure out a way to organize my thoughts in order to make my dreams come true. If only I was more than one person, but alas, I am just a single little Leilani on a floating marble in a universe so vast it’s impossible to comprehend.

If you got this far, thanks for reading a little bit about my soul. As my yoga instructor says, “The light in me sees and acknowledges the light in you”

Until next time!

Love, Leilani