Daily Inspiration: Meet Agnieszka Spieszny

Today we’d like to introduce you to Agnieszka Spieszny

Hi Agnieszka, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I began volunteering as an English tutor to newly arrived refugees through Miry’s List in 2017 (I heard about them on KCRW) and got paired up with Arezo, a refugee from Afghanistan. After some time, she expressed the need to work, but had very limited options since she couldn’t speak English, had a toddler to care for, and couldn’t drive.

I used to make traditional Polish ornaments with my grandpa as a child. I wondered whether anyone would buy them if we made them. So we gave it a shot! I taught her how to make them and we sold many more ornaments than I ever thought possible (my grandpa also couldn’t believe it was possible). We sell direct online and have wholesale accounts in California, Michigan, and New York.

People really love the story behind the brand and want to support what we’re doing. All profits go to Arezo and she’s been able to support her family in Afghanistan on her earnings.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not! I’m not a naturally business-minded person and I didn’t have many business mentors, so I’ve had to figure everything out as I go—a website, photography, marketing, social media, material sourcing, accounting, and profitability. I also have a full time job so I’m not able to devote as much time to this business as I’d like. Through it all I’ve learned a lot about running a small craft business, and I look at holiday craft markets completely differently now—it’s a hustle!

For example, the first time I set up wholesaling on Faire, I thought it would take a couple of weeks or months to get a sale. Instead I got a sale within my first week . . . for products I didn’t have ready yet (given the handmade nature of the product). On top of it, I found out that the paper source for this particular ornament was no longer available from the supplier. Rookie mistake! I had to approach the buyer with many apologies and an explanation, and I ended up using a slightly different paper, and gave him some stock for free. I’ve gotten better about that now by setting up preorders on Faire. Wholesale buyers tell me how much of each pattern they want and I tell them up front it’ll take 1–2 months to make, which also helps streamline production for us.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We’re a team of two, myself and Arezo. We make traditional Polish folk ornaments by hand from tissue paper. They’re called “jeżyki,” which means “little hedgehogs” in Polish because of their spiky appearance. My grandpa learned how to make them as a child in 1930s Poland. I taught Arezo to create them as a home-based job for her, and she has turned out to be a highly skilled artisan!

The ornaments have a wonderful history and because it’s a folk craft, there are many variations to them depending on the maker, like different paper types (some people make them out of wrapping paper), size, how pointy and long the tips are, etc. My grandpa, an engineer, tinkered with this design over the years and that’s why ours are the size and shape that they are. We use his original patterns and tools.

I loved sharing this craft in the original way it was meant to be shared—with friends and family sitting around a table chatting and having a great time working with their hands. I’ve hosted jeżyki-making nights with friends and have even hosted two community workshops making them with 60+ people each time at the Craft Contemporary museum in Los Angeles.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We’ve had incredible support up until now and I’m always open to more. (It really takes a village!) From our first direct-sale customers (exclusively friends); to my mom who sold them to her clients, helped me find new wholesale accounts, and always spread the word whenever she had a chance; to my husband, a designer, who helped design the website, the logo and packaging, and any other odd thing I needed designed on a whim.

Anyone reading this of course can spread the word or purchase an ornament for themselves or a friend. If there are retailers looking to carry meaningful, unique ornaments, please get in touch!

I’d also love to collaborate with other artists on new color patterns or photographs for them. Just want to get in touch and talk crafts? I’m happy to do it!

Pricing:

• Any 1 ornament – $25
• Any 3 ornaments – $65

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jezykishop.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jezyki_hedgehogs/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Jezyki

Image Credits
Headshot: Matt Arnold
All other photos: Emily Berger