Do you have a story behind your company name?

TheLittleLabs was conceived as a space where big ideas could flourish in a playful and imaginative environment. The name reflects our belief that even in a small studio—or “little lab”—we can experiment, innovate, and create impactful work that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Love that! How did you get started?

Founded in 2016 by a husband-and-wife artist duo with years of experience at Disney, TheLittleLabs began as a passion project. Leveraging our backgrounds in animation and design, we started offering services in illustration, animation, and user experience design. As our client base grew, so did our team and the range of projects we took on.

What is your favorite part of your maker process?

Our favorite part is the creation and conceptual phase. This stage is an endless exploration of ideas, enhanced by collaboration with incredibly talented people. It’s where imagination knows no bounds, and we can truly innovate and experiment with different styles and mediums.

What inspires you to create?

From an early age, both Aradhana and Camilo, our founders, felt compelled to express themselves through art. They’re inspired by the challenge of distilling life experiences into simple, engaging stories for younger audiences. This passion drives our team to create work that’s not only visually appealing but also meaningful.

Tell us what a typical day is like in the studio?

Our day typically begins around 9 AM, following a good breakfast and a cup of coffee or tea. Aradhana, our lead, starts by meeting with the team to plan and prioritize upcoming tasks. The rest of the day is a blend of client meetings, collaborative sessions, and hands-on work with our illustration, animation, and design teams. The atmosphere is dynamic and collaborative.

Is there something that you love most about Burbank, especially with it being the media capital of the world?

Burbank is special to us—it’s where Aradhana and Camilo met and where TheLittleLabs had its first office on Olive Ave. The city has been the backdrop to many of our personal and professional milestones, making it an integral part of our story.

What will you be bringing to Jackalope?

We’ve always admired the Jackalope initiative and are excited to participate this year. We’ll be bringing some exclusive previews of our new side project, 'Cloudy and Friends' - a line of products aimed at kids 2-6 years old. We’re eager to connect with fellow creatives and attendees who share our passion for art and innovation.

Anything special you’d like to share?

We’re continuously evolving Cloudy and Friends, a project close to our hearts aimed at kids. Whenever we have time at the studio, we delve into developing this initiative further. We’re also proud to share that TheLittleLabs is a minority and woman-owned business, something that adds to the diverse perspectives and creativity we bring to our work.

Find The Little Labs at Jackalope Burbank at the Downtown Burbank Winter Arts Festival this December 7th & 8th:

Website: Thelittlelabs.com

Instagram: @thelittlelabs

Jennifer

Do you have a story behind your business name?

Chickens on the Moon Publishing, which is my parent company, is named after a plot line in a book series that is due out in the coming months. In general though, it's meant to represent the idea that there are no rules when it comes to imagination, especially when you are creating for children. 

Jambo Jennifer Puzzles was named for the friendly greeting you get all over Africa. It means hello but it is always said with a bright smile and a genuine warmth to make you feel welcome.  I get to experience this time and time again when I am there photographing animals for my puzzles and books.

Love the meaning behind Chickens on the Moon, and I bet that is such a great experience being able to photograph animals in Africa. Tell us how did you get start?

I come by this business honestly. First and foremost, as a mom! But I also had a 20 year career in photography and a bit of magazine writing. And always in the background I wrote poems and stories. So when it came time to put down my 40 pound backpack of camera equipment it was easy to decide what to do next - children's books and wildlife puzzles!

Very cool. What inspires you to create?

My company specializes in unplugged fun, to try to help parents and teachers combat the onslaught of screen options in our world today. I think it's really important for kids (and adults!) to be able to still enjoy themselves away from a screen.

So true. What is a typical studio day like for you?

Right now I'm doing a LOT of puzzles! Literally putting the pieces together so that I can photograph them at different stages for marketing. I'm also working very hard on my Becky Barnes book series. The first two books will be released together (hopefully this winter). I do the lettering myself and so it takes a good bit of time. So in short, I don't really have a typical day as my projects are many and varied!

What is your favorite part of being an artist?

Right now I'm completely obsessed with my alphabet puzzles and the explorer cards that come with them. I love that when you buy a Jambo Jennifer Puzzle, you also get to learn all about the animal that it features. That was very important to me as I developed the product. Even the 1000 piece puzzles come with an Explorer Card because I feel strongly even adults still love to learn.

Do you have a favorite product that you have created and why?

I do love Africa Dreaming - I think it's the perfect bedtime book but it also has a lot of adult fans because of the intimate wildlife photography.  

What do you like most about Arvada?

I'm a relatively new resident here so I am still learning about my hometown! I love Old Town of course, and the parks are amazing. I'm partial to the one across the street from our house - I can photograph turtles, ducks, muskrats, herons, bullfrogs... the wildlife here is so abundant, even in the city. But also, my camera and I can be above 14,000 feet with my beloved mountain goats in just a little over a hour!

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

I hope families will discover me so that they can have a few new items to share with their kids when they know they've had enough screen time for the day. I try to make sure my creations are fun for the whole family to experience together, whether they are reading one of my books aloud or learning from one of my puzzles that bighorn sheep can ram each other at 40mph! 

Anything special you’d like to share?

It's never too late to reinvent yourself. I turned 50 last year and I started my company at age 48. If you aren't happy or can no longer do what you've always done, dream big and go for it.

Find Jambo Jennifer Puzzles & Books at Jackalope Arvada this October 5th & 6th, 2024

Sandra & Edoardo

Do you have a story behind your business name?
Our company name is our family name. 

How did it all get started?

We are a family business. We are the 3rd generation.

That is incredible! What is your favorite part of the maker process?
Creating designs and paying attention to the little details.

Where do you draw inspiration to create?

Nature is our biggest inspiration.

What is your favorite product that you have created and why?

My favorite item is our alpaca socks. We are very proud of the feel and the fit of our socks.

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?
We will bring our alpaca socks, our hand embroidery accessories, and our WUAMAN Kids collection.

Anything special you’d like to share?
We are certified fair trade and sustainably grazed.

Find WUAMAN at Jackalope Arvada this October 5th & 6th, 2024
Website: www.wuaman.com

Instagram: @wuaman.official

Do you have a story behind your company name?

Yes! My dog Elvis was the stinkiest little guy, and so I used to call him stinky paws.

How cute! How did you get your start?
I learned to crochet when I was a kid and picked it up again when my dad passed in 2012. I learned that it was very therapeutic and then only crocheted occasionally.

Do you have a favorite part of the maker process?

Watching it all come together and becoming something that I created.

Must be very satisfying. What serves as inspiration for you?

My boy Elvis and my parents; I miss them all so much.

What is a typical day like in the studio for you?

Chaotic. I work two part time jobs and trying to turn my passion into something I want to do full time is insane but totally possible.

Do you have a favorite item you have made?

I think my favorite piece is the cat house I made. I used a lamp frame and made a cat like sleeve over it; creating a cat house.

What will you be bringing to the festival?

Crocheted items for fur babies, their pawrents and many other items!

We can’t wait to see you in person this May 14th & 15th for the Downtown Burbank Arts Festival!

Where to see more of Crochet for Stinky Paws:

Instagram | @Crochet_for_stinky_paws

How did you get started?

I was working as a tutor and I also happened to be making a beaded bracelet for a friend, when I thought it would be a good idea to make my student a math bracelet representing fractions.

So fun! What inspires you to create?

I love coming up with cool ways to remember things. I also enjoy being inspired by colors and different types of beads and patterns.

Do you have a favorite part of the maker process?

Getting the feedback from parents and kids about how much they love their math bracelets!

What is a typical day like in the studio for you?

My studio looks like: Beads and books everywhere! My studio is also my bedroom

Do you have a favorite item you have created?

I've designed a bracelet to teach the distributive property of multiplication.

Do you have anything special that you will be bringing to Jackalope?

I will be bringing math bracelets, bracelet-making kits, shirts, and activity books. There will also be a chance to win a free math-bracelet zoom party for 10 people.

We can’t wait to see you in person this November 20th & 21st when Jackalope returns to Central Park, Pasadena.

Where to see more of Brainy Bracelets:

Website |brainybracelets.store

Instagram | @brainy.bracelets

What is the story behind your company name?

My family and I live by the sea with our dog Moose, the inspiration behind Moose With Me™. After years of running my kids brand Woolf With Me®, our puppy inspired me to do something for dogs and that is when Moose With Me™ a dog brand was born.

How did you get started?

In college I double majored in commercial advertising and portraiture. This passion of mine for aesthetics translates into everything I love to do, whether that is creating designs and patterns for fabric, working on our website and brand, photographing product, and even doing crafts with my kids.

I’m a Mother, Animal Lover, Photographer, and Entrepreneur. I founded Woolf With Me®, a kids' brand in 2014, and Moose With Me™, a dog brand in 2021. I also have a blog called Woolf Talk™ which is a space for community, creativity & all things rad.

What is your primary source of inspiration when creating?

I am inspired by my family. Growing up, I spent a very large percentage of my childhood in my grandmothers sewing room working with her on costumes and custom outfits. I didn’t realize what a big effect this had on me until I had kids of my own and I had the desire to start creating again.

Love that! Do you have a favorite part of the maker process?

My favorite part in my maker process is connecting with people (and animals) and seeing our products live and being used. When I receive images of happy customers or see people at shows or on the street- it truly fuels me to keep creating. A close second is the initial process of having an idea, and acting on it.

What is the hardest part of the creation process?

There are so many complicated parts of life that can be considered challenging, but the creative process for me, is not one of them. Creating is where I thrive. I stay up late at night after the family is asleep dreaming up new designs and colorways and patterns. If I had to choose the most difficult part though, it would be the physical labor of getting the product out into the world. Making the first few products is fun, but doing production can be physically exhausting.

What is a typical day like in the studio for you?

A typical day in the studio (once the kids are dropped off at school) starts out taking a drive down to the ocean. It’s a great way for me to clear my head and day dream. Once I’m at the studio I get to work on the computer, organize shipment, order materials, create mood boards, sew, experiment, photograph product, and then at the end of the day load up the postal truck with orders from the day.

One woman show! What is a favorite item you have created?

Our dog bandanas and truckers hats for adult & kids are all new with interchangeable velcro embroidered patches!! We’re excited to bring our initial letter velcro patches to Jackalope to personalize your dog bandanas and trucker hats. They make rad gifts for the holidays! 

We can’t wait to see all of the happy dogs rocking your bandana's! What do you love most about living in California?

I love a lot of states for many different reasons. I was born and raised in Texas, and I’ve lived in New York as well. I often times day dream about snowy winters on the east coast or tropical days on Oahu… but California is a great place to live. It’s been home for me since 2003. Los Angeles in particular because of the cultural diversity, and resources. The city is full of dreamers and doers and the entrepreneurial spirit is alive. It fuels my motivation and creativity.

How do you define success as an artist?

Success as an artist can be defined as not having to compromise your vision. Being able to have complete creative control from start to finish and having the ability to get your piece of work to a place that makes you proud. The only one that needs to 100% understand your work is YOU.

Do you have anything special that you will be bringing to Jackalope?

I’ll be bringing our Moose With Me rad dog bandanas, charms for dog collars, and kids+adult trucker hats!

We can’t wait! Anything special you would like to add?

Moose With Me™ is a woman owned, small business committed to embracing diversity and inclusion no matter your race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, education, national origin, as well as marital and socioeconomic status.

We value and welcome these differences to create a safe and open space for belonging, respect, and acceptance across our global brand.

Catch Moose with Me at Jackalope Pasadena on November 18th & 19th!

Where to see more of Moose with Me:

Website | MOOSEWITHME.COM

Instagram | @MOOSEWITHME

Do you have a story behind your company name?

 Zelba and Mary were the names of my paternal grandmother and mother respectively. My grandma Zelba was a talkative, piano playing, larger than life figure who taught me to knit and crochet when I was young. My mother, Mary was a phenomenal seamstress who sewed endlessly as a passion and out of necessity. She made everything from under garments to wedding dresses and everything in between.

That is awesome! Tell us more about how you got started? 

I wanted to make my granddaughter a special handmade gift for her 2nd birthday, and she was in love with baby dolls and puppies so I made her a puppy she could dress and care for and always know it was made by me. Soon I was getting requests and before you know it, I’m designing and planning a business. 

What a great gift! What inspires you to create?

I’m an Interior Designer by education and career; one of the first things I learned was to always look at your surroundings, be curious, notice everything. I am inspired by the classics; a black and white farmhouse’s simple form, the sophistication of European toys such as Steiff, fun, colorful fashions of Francis Valentine, or the floral headpieces of artist Frida Kahlo. 

What’s a typical day like for you in the studio? 

As a one woman show it varies every day from cutting, sewing and stuffing, to planning, ordering, and organizing. I tend to get in a groove and end up doing one thing a day, so if I am sewing, I’m sewing all day. I will often hand sew or knit at night while spending time with my family. No 9-5 here.

Do you have a favorite part of your maker process?

I’m a big visionary type so I love to design new collections and products and when it all comes together as planned it’s just so rewarding.

Do you have a favorite doll that you have created?

Really loving the new smaller 10” friends that were just designed and are in production for the fall/winter shows coming up. They fit just right in an adult hand and so easy for little people to carry around.

We can’t wait to see them in person. What will you be bringing to Jackalope? 

I will be bringing handmade textile animal friends made from European linen and dressed in sweet fashions in a standard 15” and a smaller 10”, not including ears of course. I will also be bringing some of my new raw linen pillows and patchwork pouches that are made from fabric remnants from the animal friends. The fabric I use is expensive and I try to use every bit of it.

Now that events are picking back up again, is there a part that you missed most?

I started my business during the pandemic, so I missed being a spectator, I missed being part of the action. Mingling in crowds at art and maker shows, going to concerts to hear live music, and browsing small shops. 

What do you love most about Minnesota? Top Ten Minnesota things...

• Fall is my favorite season

• The Mia (Minneapolis Institute of Art) is my favorite museum

• University of Minnesota campus (I’m an alum) is beautiful

• The Children’s Theater has fantastic shows

• The Nook’s juicy lucy

• Dairy Queen in the summer

• MOA for shopping

• Stillwater and Duluth are my favorite day trips

• Minnesota State Fair is hands down my favorite event

• Oh, and did I mention hockey?

Anything special you’d like to share?  

Zelba + Mary is a new adventure providing simple, well-constructed soft friends for young and not so young and I’m excited to share my handmade items with everyone.

We can’t wait to see you in person this October 2nd & 3rd when Jackalope makes our debut in the Twin Cities!

Where to see more of Zelba & Marry

Website | ZelbaMary.com

Instagram | @zelbamarystudio

1. How did you get your start in the handmade community? 

I got started in the handmade community in 2011. I had just had my first baby (Hill) and was back at work in my social services job 6 weeks after he was born. I decided to open an Etsy store to sell baby blankets with a goal of being able to stay home 1 day a week with him. I met that goal within just a few months and was able to quit my full time job the following year, just 18 months after I opened my store.

2. What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?

I have always enjoyed the process of curating the fabrics I use in my store to pick fun and unique designs that would be hard to find anywhere else. I also very recently have started to design my own fabrics and am currently making the transition to just using my own designs. I have them printed on various base fabrics through Spoonflower, which is an amazing digital fabric printer located in North Carolina. I love that I can keep most of my supplies made in the USA. You won't find too many in my online shop as I am making that transition because I am stocking up for the Jackalope show while selling off my current inventory!

3. What or Who Inspires you?

My biggest inspiration are my two boys, Hill and Fox. I would have never had the guts to quit my job and make my living as a creative if not for my extreme desire to be home with them. They also get to test my new products and help me decide what is the best kid approved stuff for my shop. 

4. What is your creative process like?

My creative process starts with sketching my ideas/motifs for a design and then taking them in to adobe illustrator to digitize them and set them in to a repeat. Once I am happy with the colors and scale I upload them to Spoonflower who then ships me my awesome new fabrics!  All of the cutting and sewing is done in my home studio, where you can find me sewing while watching Supernatural, Dr. Who, The Office or any British mystery show. Netflix is my best sewing friend!

5. What is the coolest artistic tip you have ever received?

The best tip I have ever received was in an art business class, and it is something that you hear all the time. It was just to be yourself. Nobody else sees the world as you do or is going to draw (or whatever creative thing you do) the same way you do. You don't have to try to appeal to everyone because if you are true to yourself you will find your people :)

6. What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

I am bringing blankets for babies and big kids, clothing, bibs, burp cloths and bags.

7. Where can we learn more about you?

You can follow along on our instagram @foxhillbaby and shop our online store foxhillbaby.com or find us on Etsy