Q&A with NAMOO

1). You design monkeys, farm animals, whales and so much more! I LOVE them all! Your playful illustrations and quilted creations are so sweet, fun and colorful. Is NAMOO your full-time job? 

Thank you! My print inspiration comes mostly from my preschooler. We play, doodle and craft a lot together at home and some of them get printed on baby bodysuits and totes that I make. For the amount work that I put into my business —considering I work all night during the busy craft season— I could say that NAMOO is my full-time job, but currently it is a part-time job. My daughter attends preschool part-time and I work on my business when she is away from home for preschool or at night after she goes to bed and when my husband takes time off work. One day it will be a full-time.

2). I read on your etsy site that NAMOO is a sister team—you (insung) live in Maryland and your sister lives in Seoul, Korea. Wow! That must be challenging. Would you mind telling us how your creative process works since you guys are far away from each other? 

We exchange our opinions on business direction of NAMOO, design inspirations, craft show exhibit ideas, etc., through e-mails, phone and Skype. She finds craft materials from the fabric district (it is an amazing place where you can find high-quality fabric and craft items from Korea and Japan) and introduces them to me from time to time. As she works as a graphic designer in the city, she handles most of our marketing materials including logos, tags, business cards and banners. We hope to run NAMOO together once again in the US. My husband helps a quite bit with marketing and description verbiage, as well, whenever I ask him. It is a family adventure.

3). What do you like best about exhibiting at craft shows? 
Getting the booth set-up in the morning before the show is cumbersome but I love the process of creating a space with items that I made. Every show I try a bit of a different approach but try to maintain the same look and feel while making the 10' x10' or less space more inviting. I recently had a customer who came to my booth standing right in the middle and said, “I wish I could stay in your booth all day. It is a little heaven for me!” I enjoy meeting people who appreciates craftsmanship, fresh modern fabrics and craft ideas from overseas, i.e. Japan, that I often incorporate into my design.

4). What three words would you use to describe your craft? 
Circles. Warm. Boundless,    

5). Where can we find your craft outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market? 
I sell on Etsy. You can find my items in ArtSpring in Silver Spring, Maryland. I attend craft shows in Maryland, DC and Virginia. From time to time, I venture out to further cities. My show schedule gets updated in my blog. Please feel free to check it out!

Random Bonus Question: Who would win in a fight--a yeti or a ninja panda? 
Oh! I love this question. Ninja panda! Hi-yah!

NAMOO and their baby-chic designs will be at the next Ballston A&C Market on Saturday, July 9th!