Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Nguyen.
Hi Nancy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Like almost everyone during the pandemic, I started to branch out and find a hobby to do. I came across a couple of ribbon rose pictures on my Instagram feed, and it caught my attention. After doing some research online and looking at tutorials, I attempted to make my first ribbon rose bouquet. It didn’t come out looking like a rose at first, but after many tries, and many empty ribbon rolls, hot glue gun messes, and the occasional giving up, I finally perfected the ribbon rose. Each ribbon rose comes out a different size, because like real roses, they alter in shape and size. It started as a hobby to me. I would gift ribbon rose bouquets for my friends, my Disney coworkers, and my family. I never thought anybody would want to buy them until I started posting them on my Instagram and my Facebook page. After that, I got messages of people wanting to buy my creation. Each order is customized to the individual, so I started to make different bouquets of all the colors on the color spectrum. I post each order I make, so people can know that if they have an idea or color shade they would like, I can bring it to life. I opened up my Etsy shop in the summer of 2020, and my ribbon roses have been shipped from as far as London to Hawaii and all over the U.S. I am always trying to experiment what products I can make out of ribbon roses as well.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I haven’t exactly “broke even” yet with all the sales I made, that includes materials, time, production, etc… Some bouquets I give away for free, some are orders/commissions, so it’s half and half that satisfies my need of making people happy, but also keeping my investment and money stable. It hasn’t always been a smooth road. There were times where I felt like giving up on my hobby that turned into a business. If it weren’t for people’s reactions, reviews, and praises, then I wouldn’t continue doing what I do. I only make them in hopes of bringing a smile to someone’s face and that wherever they put the roses, it’ll be an everlasting smile.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before the pandemic happened, I worked at Disneyland. I worked at the attraction, Big Thunder Mountain, which to my opinion, is the best ride ever or the “wildest ride in the wilderness.” I was recently one of the laid of among the 27,000 Disney employees. It’s sad to believe I wouldn’t be able to go back to the place that I loved the most; a place where I called my second home. Hopefully when Disneyland does reopen, I’m able to be recalled back into work. I loved working at Disneyland. Everyday was a new adventure for me. It was meeting new people, smiling at kids and making their day, laughing with older adults, conversating with passholders about Disney things, goofing around with my coworkers that brought out the best side of me. I won Rookie of the Year the first few months I worked at Big Thunder Mountain. I guess my coworkers and management saw how hard I worked, how dedicated I was, how enjoyable I was to be around. My coworkers are the best people I’ve ever known. Big Thunder Mountain cast members are a family, they are more than a family. They’re friends that have your back, they are supporters in whatever you do, they are helpers when you need help, they are miners that hold the mountain together. And for that, I am truly grateful to have met them when I did and to be a part of the Big Thunder Mountain crew.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I guess my favorite childhood memory would be riding in my dad’s Toyota truck every Sunday to my grandma’s house for a big family dinner. On the way, we would listen to a mixtape my dad made. I don’t remember the songs in particular, but one of them was “Hotel California” by the Eagles. My dad, my sister and I would sing on top of our lungs to that song. We drove there every Sunday, listened to the same mixtape every time for the most of my childhood.
Pricing:
- Single Ribbon Roses: $4
- 9 Ribbon Roses in a Box: $30
- A Dozen (12) Ribbon Rose in a Hand bouquet: $50
- 19 Ribbon Roses in a Box: $60
- 32 Ribbon Roses in a Box: $80
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: etsy.com/shop/thebaebouquet
- Instagram: instagram.com/thebaebouquet
