Welcome to the Muggles Market Spotlight for 2018! Today, we are delighted to announce the addition of new artisan BumbleFly~N~ButterBees to our third annual Muggles Market at this year’s Geek Gala. Sarah Dodson took a few minutes to answer some questions about her business and general geekery.
- What kinds of items will you be selling at this year’s Muggles Market?
All of my items are created with the thought “what small change can I make here to help out the Earth a bit?” Little personal changes can make for large global changes! For my sewn items, I currently have reusable snack bags and sandwich wraps for lunches, UNPapertowels, microwave bowl cozies, flax seed eye pillows/boo boo bags, baby teethers/rattles, key fobs, and currently in the works, are reusable mesh produce bags! All my sewn items are made in small batches, so if you see a print you like, it is always best to grab it then. I like to change up my prints all the time.I also make roll on perfumes and Vegan Lip balms. The lip balms are formulated by me with no premade kit. I also have a large assortment of wooden Montessori/Waldorf inspired toys, but due to space those will most likely be kept at home or only a few select pieces will be brought. I mean, who can really turn down a yoyo or cup and ball?!
- How did you first get started making these things?
I have always been a very environmentally conscious person, but finally having my first kid start kindergarten 7 years ago kicked it into over drive. Wrapping sandwiches everyday for school knowing that all that tin foil/plastic wrap would be thrown away killed me. I assumed there had to be a better way. I searched around online, got ideas, and came up with the wraps. I take a lot of inspiration from my customers. I will receive messages from them saying “Hey! Can you make me this?” and then I do. I always love working with people to create what they want.The lip balms and perfumes, those just came out of me being cheap. I was on Etsy buying $4 lip balms and paying for shipping. I thought “Huh…I can do that.” So I got supplies, spent tons of time mixing different combos of wax and oils, and figured out my formula! My batch yields about 12 tubes, and I didn’t need 12 of the same scent, so that’s how those came about.
- What has been one of your favorite projects to work on?
I can’t say I honestly have a favorite project. I love everything I do. I always choose fun prints, so I fall in love with all my pieces.The most rewarding moment I had was 2 years ago at Matthews Alive. I had a lady come in with her son and she told me that he has a severe peanut allergy which makes lunch time at school very difficult. Just touching the oils could set him off. If you have ever seen kids cleaning the tables at school, it isn’t the most thorough. She now comes and buys wraps/snack bags/and my UNPaper towel half sheets from me every year so he has a totally “safe” area. I absolutely LOVE that my products can make a impact on someones life like that. I look forward to seeing them every year.
- What else can you tell us about yourself?
I met my husband, Eric, almost 17yrs ago at a concert (Thrill Kill Kult) at Tremont Music Hall. We have been married for going on 14yrs now and have 3 kiddos (Aidan, Nate, V). We also have 4 furry kids: 2 cats (Storm Trooper-Trooper for short, and Luma-means Sunset) and 2 dogs (Ziggy and Stardust) I wear a million different hats. I own my craft business, I am also a Girl Scout leader, and currently a competition dance mom. I run around like mad 90% off the time, but deep down I enjoy the chaos. I thrive on being busy and always have about 10 different projects going on at one time. - So this year’s Geek Gala theme is “Gears and Ghouls”, and focuses on steampunk and day of the dead cosplay. If you could have one body part cybernetically enhanced or replaced, what would you choose, how would you want it changed, and why?
So, this is incredibly stupid, but if I could have something replaced it would be my feet. I am totally obsessed with Fluevogs , but I have huge feet and nothing ever comes in a size 11. If they do, they look like clown shoes. Same with Irregular Choice shoes! I just want smaller size 8 feet where you can walk into a store and buy any pair you want.
- Check out their website at: BumbleFly~N~ButterBees
And make plans to come visit them on Saturday, November 3 at this year’s Geek Gala