Aloha!

It goes without saying that the Moai are a talented bunch of people. Some are so talented that they use their skills to make a living as artisans. This forms the basis of the economy of the Islands of the Fraternal Order of Moai which we call The Coconut Economy.

The holiday shopping season is upon us so we have been asking them about their work and today we are hearing from the purveyor of one of a kind crafts for you and your home, VelveteenLounge.

It all started when I'd just left the latest in a long string of "actor jobs" (jobs actors take to pay the rent while auditioning). I'd always had more temp work than I could handle between acting gigs, but the temp work had suddenly dried up in New York City after 9-11 and I found myself home all day. Being restless by nature I began looking for things to keep me busy and I'd gotten an idea for making decoupage pendants. I began experimenting, came up with some that I thought were good, and created a very basic website to sell them on.

It's gone from something I started to kill time to become a big part of who I am. That's not to say there aren't bad days (weeks, months...), but I don't make anything I don't love, and that even goes for custom work. Is it fun? Yes, it is indeed. Most of the things I make spring directly from my interests so I make things I would want to buy. My products aren't all tiki, but tiki is well-represented amongst them so they are a natural fit for the Coconut Economy.

People ask me for advice on running a business like this. A friend of mine says, "there are many paths up the mountain." While this sort of pablum makes me want to barf, he is correct. There is no one way to go about a project like this. I've deliberately chosen to grow my business (dig the use of BS corporate speak!) at a pace I can handle. Another person might go about it completely differently. It also helps to keep an open mind. I've had customers I never would have targeted in a million years, like an NYC morning radio shock jock, who was given one of my products and loved it. I never expected men to wear my pendants or carry my tote bags, but they do. You never know who will love your stuff. It's also important to keep an open mind about yourself and what you can accomplish. When I started all this I had no idea that I'd eventually be sewing clothes as well, or that I'd become a proficient web designer. Finally, it helps to have a high tolerance for large fluctuations in your, um, cash flow when owning a business like this, and it's vitally important to surround yourself with supportive people.

Overall it's nice to look back and see how much I've grown. It's easy to lose sight of that in the day-to-day.

Mahalo!

VelveteenLounge originals are available online from the Coconut Economy, just go to: www.fraternalorderofmoai.org/coconuteconomy and click on Clothing & Accessories for more information.

Keep the torches burning,

— Tagata Maori Rogorogo