Today we’d like to introduce you to Bailey Padgett.
Hi Bailey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Hi, I’m Bailey! I have always considered myself an artistic person. I love to bake, craft, and draw.
In my high school senior year art class, one of the projects my teacher had us do was upcycled paper bowls. We folded magazine pages into strips and coiled those strips on top of each other and upward for walls in order to make a bowl shape. I still make them today (out of books, magazines, and comic books) and I sell them on Etsy. I have only sold them in person once for now.
And a few years ago, I learned how to do henna. My love of henna began in high school. There was a woman who did it at our local county fair for a couple years during my time in high school. I have been getting it done on myself since, through fairs, festivals, and vacation trips. The last time I got it done before learning how to do it myself was at an amusement park during October 2021. My mom was like “you’re so creative and artistic that you could probably learn it yourself”. So, I found the shop and the woman who runs it that I still get my henna from. I started out with pre-made henna cones, but then began to mix and fill my own. I started in November 2021 and looked for places to do it at, once I got good enough. My first event was May 2022 and my second in May 2023.
Third was Dec 2023 and those first three were at fan conventions. Then I didn’t do anymore until the next three I did just last year when I found out about some festivals put on by a certain event coordinator. I have already done one by her this year so far and will do more in the future.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, not at all.
For my vessels (that’s what I call the bowls I make), I didn’t start selling them on Etsy until 2019 (I graduated high school in 2017). It’s been very slow, I haven’t sold as many as I would’ve like to. When I do sell one, I try to get it shipped ASAP. I’ve only missed the mark once, but the customer was very gracious and still gave me a good rating.
As far as henna goes, practice makes perfect. My first three events probably weren’t the most ideal places to start or very cost-effective for me (very high vendor fees). And after that, I didn’t do any events until just last year, when I found some very cost-effective and well-attended events. I also just didn’t have a good sign or banner until July last year, That was my first fully outdoors events and that banner was one of the best decisions I made for my henna business. I was pretty busy that day until it rained unfortunately, and the event was then canceled for the remainder of the time. The one after that, just last September, was far busier, seeing that it didn’t rain or anything.
Plus in general, henna isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Vessels By Bailey:
I make and sell one-of-a-kind handmade bowls, upcycled from books, comic books, and magazines.
I make different shapes like ovals, triangles, squares, stars, and other multi-sided bowls, not just circles (which I started out with). My favorite shape to make is the star/pentagon.
I sell all my bowls on my Etsy shop, VesselsByBailey.
Henna By Bailey:
I have been a henna artist since November 2021. I enjoy it because I like getting it done on me personally.
I also use cosmetic grade body glitter on wet henna paste to give it a little extra sparkle (it also helps customers remember it’s there and to not smudge it. I like that henna makes people happy and excited about their new “tattoo”. I also have an Instagram account for my business and my handle is @hennabybailey99. I try to post recent works and upcoming events there.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I use alarm apps to help me to get to work on time. I use GPS to get to events I’m a vendor at and other places for fun, like theaters, friends’ houses, and vacation spots. I use Spotify to listen to my favorite artists and songs plus Welcome to Night Vale, my favorite podcast.
Music is a HUGE motivator for me. I listen to a LOT of music pretty much everywhere I go.
And of course Etsy (for my bowls) and Instagram (for my henna).
(Sorry if any of these statements above are too obvious)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @hennabybailey99
- Other: https://vesselsbybailey.etsy.com
