Friend Feature - Blossom Vintage

"Friends are the family we choose." I believe that whole heartedly. Today's friend feature is of my friend Jamie Lee, but I like to call her mom. Remember I told y'all about Angel and how we were orientation staff leaders together? Well in that orientation known as SPOP, we had small groups of "families" and Jamie was the mother of the group I was in. That's when our friendship solidified and I always admired her genuinely good soul. She was always artistic and stylish. Getting a compliment from her made your day because you know it was a stamped approval by her raw talented eye.

She told me a few years ago about her idea for Blossom. She had such a clear vision and to see how she's manifested it into reality blows my mind and at the same time it doesn't because I knew she could do it. I knew she was going to do it. She always had it in her. She's launched a little over a year ago and now they're looking to travel the USA. I hope that you can help her get to a city near you.

"Curating vintage from around the globe, Blossom nests in a 1970 Safari Airstream and travels to wherever vintage is loved and a sense of community is desired."

Who are you and where are you from?

Hello! My name is Jamie Lee and I am originally from Torrance, CA, but call Long Beach, CA my current home.

How did you think of the name "Blossom Vintage"?

It's funny, before Blossom Vintage was even born I always dreamt of running my own floral shop which would have been called.. Blossom. As my dreams evolved, the name, Blossom, was always fitting to any creativity outlet I indulged myself in. Hence, when I started my shop, naturally, Blossom was the first name that came to mind.

Are you doing this full-time?

I wish! However, I've coined Blossom as a creative resort for myself and as long as I am able to make enough to sustain the joy and fun I have with Blossom the happy I will be.

How long did it take for 'Blossom' to turn from dream to reality?

I remember when I aimlessly started toying with the idea of actually finding my dream trailer, an Airstream, to turn into my shop. I would spend a few hours a day checking Craigslist daydreaming about finding the perfect and more importantly, affordable one. When that day magically appeared in Nov 2013, the momentum of searching to checking out the trailer to buying it (!!!) all quickly fell into place and I haven't stop moving since. All in all it took about 5 months to turn my dream into a tangible reality.

Were there any bumps on the road?

Oh yes. I strongly believe that there will always be bumps in the road when you work hard for something you are passionate about. Nothing comes easy. Money issues aside, trusting the people who were willing to help me was a huge bump, since I was new to owning a business let alone restoring an AIrstream trailer! When I got over my bumps, it was the most gratifying, assuring feeling that this is what I want to be doing.

What keeps you going?

The support I have from those around me. If it weren't for Blossom's followers and our dear friends, we would not have gotten this far. Also, my faith that God will always provide as long as I trust in whatever path He may lead me on.

What inspires you?

Everything. That may sound cliche', but everyday I find new inspirations especially from the people I meet at events. I am energized & blessed by each individual who visits Blossom and who feels compelled to share their dreams, which in turn inspires me to keep going.

What's your vision and goal for Blossom?

I feel that my vision and goal for Blossom was to simply be present and in community wherever I am. It was always more than just selling vintage clothing. As for future goals, Blossom has become greater than I had ever imagined and as long as I continue to be open to new experiences and feed my adventurous spirit, I can only imagine meeting more communities and amazing people along the way.

Tell us more about your Kickstarter project.

Speaking of goals for Blossom, a USA country road trip was always the overarching goal to embark when the timing felt right. Its been a little over a year since we have participated in community events, pop-ups, flea markets and craft fairs and we hope to continue our journey as we take Blossom across the country for the FIRST TIME!

Blossom will be embarking on a road trip of discovery, seeking creativity, collaboration, and community across the USA.

After a road safety check at MEL's trailers in Orange, CA, it was recommended that Blossom undergo approximately $5000 worth of repairs. These repairs entail working trailer lights, brakes, an equalizer bar, and a working lock and key. To be forward, its a big chunk of change. Yet, all of these repairs are strictly for safety and do not change any aesthetic appeal of Blossom. Every penny from Kickstart will be going towards the safety of our road trip.

How can we support you?

So far, we have reached $1800 of our $5000 goal to be successfully funded for our Kickstarter. This means that if we do not reach our goal of $5000 by June 8th, we will not be given any of the pledges made. Every little bit helps us reach this goal to take Blossom on the road this summer to continue making this dream into a greater reality.

Here is the link to our Kickstarter: http://kck.st/1sPJIXR

We have some awesome, fun incentives for donating and we hope that you can be a part of the journey.

Where can they find you? (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc)

http://blossomvintageshop.com

http://facebook.com/blossomvintage

Instagram: blossomvintage