Meet Jen Juliano | Handmade Toy Maker & Early Childhood Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jen Juliano and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My handmade business actually started out as a hobby. I enjoyed watching DIY craft tutorials on YouTube and decided to try designing a stuffed toy. I loved the process of it and how it turned out. At that time, I was working as an infant teacher. It was fun playing with infants and seeing their excitement and interest in textures. I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great to make something unique and handmade that babies and kids would enjoy? Not only for kids, but for anyone that likes cute things. In 2018, I decided to bring those ideas to life by creating an Etsy shop, Little Lazy Friends. I started it for fun, but knowing that something I’ve made with my own hands is out there in the world was amazing. The first products made were stuffed giraffe toys with ribbon tags and panda baby lovey blankets. Since then, I’ve branched out into making plushies and felt pins.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I pull a lot of my inspiration from my experiences working with children and my professional background as an Early Childhood Specialist. I believe that play plays a big part in children and their development. They learn by using all their senses and exploring the world around them. I love the idea that I’ve created toys that children will be able to play with and enjoy as they develop new skills.

Running a handmade business hasn’t been easy, partly because managing a business is new to me and something I’ve been running part-time. I do enjoy the challenges and learning the process that comes along with it. There will always be ups and downs and things that may be out of my control, but I’ve learned to give myself some grace and take each moment day by day.

I take pride in the designs and products I’ve made. I’ve created characters, like Gerald the Giraffe, Phoebe the Panda, and Bo the Bear. What’s fun about the character names is they’re all inspired by 90s cartoon and movie characters I grew up watching as a kid. As a small handmade business owner, I juggle many roles like other handmade businesses–owner, designer, maker, photographer, social media content creator, etc. Though each one is different, I appreciate the efforts that go into it and the new skills I’ve learned along the way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
That’s a fun but hard question to answer because it really depends on what they’re interested in doing while they’re in town. As someone who was born and raised in San Diego, there are tons of things to do!

For hiking, a light morning hike at Torrey Pines State Reserve and ending at the beach. For the more intermediate hiker, Potato Chip Rock.

If you’re looking for a nice picnic with a view of the ocean, there’s Cuvier Park in La Jolla. Have yourself a picnic or enjoy a pop-up picnic. If you’re looking for a quieter picnic spot with a view of Downtown San Diego’s skyline, there’s Bay View Park in Coronado.

For outdoor activities on the water, kayaking in La Jolla or stand-up paddle boarding in Mission Bay.

I love food and trying out new places, so it’s hard to pick. Pizza and carbonara at Officine Buona Forchetta. Carne asada fries at Don Pedro Taco Shop. Tacos at Puesto. Bagels at BCB Cafe. Fried chicken from Cross Street Chicken. Yakitori at Yakitori Taisho. Tasty food with a menu that changes at Juniper and Ivy. For dessert, pies at Pop Pie Co. Cakes at Extraordinary desserts. Frozen yogurt at Rockie’s Frozen Yogurt. Soufflé pancakes at Cake de Partie That’s just to name a few, but the list can go on!

If you’re looking for places to grab drinks, Raised by Wolves is a fun, hidden bar inside the mall. Although there’s a little bit of driving involved, I would say to visit Temecula for the wineries. There are so many in that area, and you can spend the day winery hopping.

I think it’s exciting to try out new places and be a tourist in my own city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would have to thank my family, my brother, and my Mom for their support. To my friends and like-minded creatives for the constant encouragement. Shoutout to my husband for always being there to support my ideas and efforts from the beginning. And of course, a big shoutout goes to my customers! Thank you so much, and I appreciate you all!

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/littlelazyfriends

Instagram: https://instagram.com/littlelazyfriends

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlelazyfriends/