We’re excited to welcome the tulle-twirling skills of designer and tutu tailor Amy Hero Jones to the shop. Her spin on this classic costume avoids the pitfall of being too precious, but with a range that will please the preschool punk princess while still thrilling the traditional prima ballerina. From her home base in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we appreciate Amy taking time out of her busy schedule to share a little of her life and loves.
1. Were you interested in arts and crafts as a kid?  What’s the first thing you remember creating?
Absolutely! I grew up in a family of artists (my mother is a tapestry weaver, my sister is a poet, my uncle and aunt are potters, my grandfather was a jewelry maker…), so arts and crafts were something I always did as a child. I clearly remember my mother teaching me to sew dollhouse accessories and clothing when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I also remember having a small version of my mother’s loom that I would weave potholders on as a child.
2. Tell us about your home life.
I live in Minneapolis in a bungalow-style house near the chain of lakes. It is a great area with lots of parks, little restaurants and coffee shops. I live with my husband and two children, Aidan, my 4 year old son, and Finley, my 2 year old daughter (and tutu model!). We have a fun, crazy life here!
My husband and I have always loved the outdoors, and we are really trying to make sure our kids get to experience all kinds of adventures, from hiking and snowshoeing to canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters. My parents live in northern Minnesota on the shore of Lake Superior, so we spend a lot of time up there exploring and learning about nature.
3. When and where do you craft/create/design? Â Do you have any other jobs in addition to your small business, and if so, what?
Two years ago, we remodeled our house to add a master suite on the top floor. I was blessed to be able to design a small space in that area for my crafts. It is filled with natural light and has plenty of space to store all my supplies. I try to work on my crafts when my children are either asleep or gone, which can be a bit tricky! If they are home and want to work on craft projects, I pull their craft table up next to mine and we work together–I love doing that!
In addition to Hero Jones Designs, I am the Executive Director of a small theater in Minneapolis. Running a theater can be a real challenge, especially when funding is tight, as we are a non-profit organization. But I deeply believe in the mission and know we are making a difference in our community, which makes it a wonderfully rewarding job. Another plus, of course, is that I work three days a week and make my own schedule, something that is invaluable when you have small children!
4. Did you collect anything as a kid? Â Do you collect anything now as an adult?
I was a child of the eighties, so I had a fabulous sticker collection when I was a kid. I remember sitting around with my friends going through our albums and trading stickers. It was great.
As for now, I really don’t collect much. The one thing I really love is depression era glass, particularly orange pieces. I only have 4 pieces, but they are beautiful! The first piece I got was my great-grandmother’s orange bowl. It is this amazing, low, flat bowl in a deep reddish-orange. It is one of my favorite things.
5. What were your favorite toy and your favorite book when you were a kid?
My favorite toy as a child, hands down, was a doll my mother made me that looked just like me. She embroidered her face and hand tied yarn for hair. I played with her pretty much all of my childhood. I just went and pulled her out of a box to show my kids–Finley won’t let go of her now!
I think my favorite series of books when I was a child were the frog and toad books. Frog and Toad were such good friends and had all kinds of adventures. When I read them to my kids now, I remember the stories so clearly. It is fun to hear them laugh at the same things I thought were funny when I was their age.
6. Who encourages you in your artistic pursuits? Â Who or what inspires you to continue creating?
I am blessed to have an amazing family, both mine and my husband’s, that support me completely. They are my cheerleaders, my marketing team, and my biggest supporters. My husband helps with shows, my parents and my in-laws spread the word about what I am doing, my sister cheers my on, my kids help me come up with new ideas…really, I would be lost without them all!
My kids are the biggest inspirations to help me continue creating. I love making things for them, which propels what I am doing at Hero Jones Designs. But also, on a personal level, the fact that my mom was always working on art projects with me and my sister stuck with me. I want that for my kids, so I try to come up with new and fun projects to do with them. I want art to be integrated into their lives so that as they grow up, they can appreciate art and what it takes to create it.
