Who is Jellibun?
Jellibun started out as a cute extended nickname for this shop's owner, Jelli! Since it's practically a "jelly" name, close friends associated the name with anything jelly related: jellyfish, jello, jelly bean, jelly bun, etc. Jellibun stuck with me the most and I've been using the name since 2011, long before I ever thought I would use it to create a small business under.
There were many names I tried to use to create art under, when I finally decided to start selling my art. I tried to keep "jellibun" personal. Nothing ever stuck, so in 2020, I decided to stay with Jellibun.
Jelli, as a person? I'm just an artist from California (now living in Arizona) that makes merch I wanna see in the world that makes me happy, and I hope it makes other people happy too!
By supporting Jellibun, you're supporting a woman-owned, AAPI-owned, and LGBTQ-owned small business trying to make a name for herself in Arizona !!
How did Jellibun (as a business) start?
I graduated college in 2019 with a degree in Studio Art and I wanted to put my degree to good use, or at least do SOMETHING with art. I knew this since I was a child. I was always interested in going to conventions and seeing the artist/vendor setups in artist alleys. That's what I wanted to do -- sell my art for people to enjoy.
Jellibun started out on Etsy very selling stickers in 2020. It was peak covid time and I just moved to a new state, so I was unemployed. I don't consider this very inactive time as THE START of my business, however.
Fast forward to late 2021, I'm working for a local small business that does sublimation prints many different products. I see how a small business functions first hand and my boss ends up being my mentor.
Fast forward again to 2022 and I befriend the organizers of a local Kpop cupsleeve event with a bunch of vendors selling their art and they suggest I start vending too, so I finally take the leap and start vending !! THIS is when I fully consider the start of what is now the business, Jellibun.
Many totes and many stickers later, I've become quite a known name in the small Kpop vendor community in my Arizona! I'm growing and creating everyday and I can honestly say that, even though I have bad, stressful, and/or overwhelming days, I'm living the artist life I've wanted since I was a child!
Contact Info:
info@jellibun.com
instagram @jellibun