This week in our ongoing Meet the Maker series, we’re excited to introduce you to Anna and Kate of Annapavlovna.

 

 

LBC: When did you start your business and what inspired you to take the leap as an entrepreneur? 
Anna + Kate:  Kate and I have loved teddy bears since childhood. Growing up, our mother and grandmother would make clothes, dolls, and stuffed animals for the kids in our family. We inherited our love of needlework and artistic skills from them. Though Kate studied economics and I studied fashion design, we work together to design and construct our collection. We started making bears about eight years ago.

 

LBC: How would you describe what you create?
Anna + Kate: Handmade teddy bears and animals that are one of a kind and made with love, care and patience. Each of our creations are made by hand from natural materials, like mohair, alpaca, suede and wool felt. We also like natural colors, such as white, beige, brown and black.

 

LBC: Where can we find your products?
Anna + Kate: They can be found at annapavlovna.etsy.com.

 

 

LBC: What inspires you? 
Anna + Kate: As creative artists, we look for various signs and sounds in nature as our primary source of inspiration. We love our little balcony garden and flowers which are there, because it is so exciting to watch things grow. We really love walking through the forest anytime of a year. But, probably, fall is our favorite – perfect conditions for taking photographs, and splendid colors. We take the most beautiful photos of toys in the forest. You could find our photos on our Facebook page.

 

LBC: Tell us about a few of the best business decisions you’ve made.
Anna + Kate: Being part of the Etsy community inspires us to grow and improve.

 

 

LBC: Suppose we had a time machine. If we blasted ourselves forward a few years, where would we see your company?
Anna + Kate: We are not parents, but hope someday we will make some things for our own children. We also want to make the best decisions for our business and make sure it’s going in the right direction.

 

LBC: Please share one of your favorite resources: a book, a website, an app, a gadget, an event… anything that’s helped save time, money or sanity!
Anna + Kate: We love Evernote!

 

 

LBC: Tell us about a pearl of wisdom someone has shared with you. Who said it and how did it help propel you forward?
Anna + Kate: “Believe in yourself, your family and your friends” by our grandmother and mother. We really appreciate our relationships.

 

LBC: What is your favorite food?
Anna + Kate: Ice cream

 

 

LBC: Are you a night owl or early bird?
Anna + Kate: Early bird.

 

Where would your dream vacation take you?
Anna + Kate: To the U.S.

 

Connect with Anna, Kate + Annapavlovna all around the web:

Company Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

 

 

Thank you, Anna and Kate, for sharing your fabulous heirloom toys with us. We look forward to keeping up with you and many more handmade treasure from Annapavlovna.

 

Want to see your brand featured in our continuing “Meet the Maker Monday” series? Drop us a line: hello@luckybreakconsulting.com. Please use “MEET THE MAKER” as the subject line and be certain to include your web address. We look forward to hearing from you!