We are so excited to host our next Baum-kuchen Inspiration Lab with Amy of Amy Tangerine! I wanted to share little bit about her and her creative process here on our blog so I asked Eunice if she could interview her. Creative mind meets another creative mind:) If you would like to get to know Amy more, you can check out her YouTube channel as well as her colorful Instagram feed!
And if you are local in Los Angeles, I hope you join us on July 31st to get inspired by her and her creative process in person. You can find out more about the Inspiration Lab here!
1. Amy "Tangerine" is such a fun name. What is the story behind your brand/name?
My name is actually Amy Tan, which is the same as the author of the Joy Luck Club and other books. When I first started my little company doing styling and producing photoshoots in Atlanta, GA I wanted it to be called Tangerine Productions, but I wasn't sure of trademark and copyright. So when I looked up that Amy Tangerine wasn't taken, I just went with that. And it stuck. Plus it makes for a fun logo.
2. Why is creative documentation important to you?
Life moves so fast and I honestly don't have the best memory at all. It's important for me to be in the moment, enjoy life and then be able to re-live the memories by documenting them and sharing them with friend and family. It's such a great creative outlet too!
3. Your style is very distinct; colorful, vibrant, and fun. Where does your source of inspiration come from?
I'm inspired by the world around me. Something I realized about myself recently is that the most random things will catch my attention. I am like that dog from the movie Up. I point out every squirrel or interesting thing I see! Also, I think that life should be lived to the fullest and happiest. I try to infuse that into every aspect of my life, including work.
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What does your Traveler's Notebook mean to you? Does it serve a specific purpose? 
It's just a little slice of the good life. I love that it can hold precious memories that may be forgotten or lost. It's like a frozen moment of time that you can take with you and share with others. It's compact and a great reminder of how wonderful and special life is. Plus you can do it any way you'd like - there are no rules. The smaller format is also more accessible for those who don't necessarily have time to create an entire scrapbook with large 12x12 pages.
5. You share your life on your Instagram and it shows that you juggle multiple projects at one time in addition to being a mother. How do you find balance to make each project meaningful?
That's a good question - the juggle is definitely something I have to be intentional about. I really try to be mindful about all the different responsibilities I have as a mom, partner, business owner, friend. It's something I really struggled with as a new mom because I felt so much guilt all the time. I have learned to give myself grace and try my best to realize that prioritizing what matters most in life is really important. And sometimes just having time for yourself is something you absolutely need even if it's just 15 minutes of quiet time to journal or play in your traveler's notebook. If I didn't have certain creative outlets and time to spend on my hobbies, other areas of my life would suffer too. It's all about striving for balance, but also trying to juggle what's most important.
6. If you could give a word of advice or encouragement to those who want to start the creative documentation process but do not know how to begin, what would you tell them?
I would say to just start. And maybe watch a few of my YouTube videos ;)
Honestly though, I think it's important to just take the first step in a creative project. Overthinking can lead to inaction, and creativity is only stifled when you don't let it out. Sharing your gifts and trying new things is the first step in evolving and expanding your horizons. Doing what fuels you can be therapeutic and fun. I like to keep my projects pretty light hearted and I've given myself grace to make happy accidents during the creative process. Makes things way more fun.
