We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarina Kinnunen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sarina, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Although I am a creative person, there were times I didn’t feel inspired. Although those feelings can be hard to work through, I found that a couple activities have helped me to overcome and move forward. These include planning a fun event for family or friends or creating a DIY gift for a loved one. As an event & balloon stylist, I get the opportunity to bring joy and help others celebrate their special events. When I am not feeling overly creative, I try to keep using my creative skills and continue to show up. If I consistently use my gifts and creativity, it’s easier to keep that creative spark alive!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’ve always dreamed of owning an event business! However, I didn’t quite start out the way that I would have expected! As a busy mom, I wanted a creative outlet to share my ideas with others. I started party blog www.joyinthecommonplace.com in 2016 to share my creativity and inspire others! When I first started out, I shared a lot of my kids’ birthday party ideas. As time went on, I shared more ideas like holidays parties, gifts ideas, easy recipes & DIYS. Since I’ve started my blog and social media channels, I’ve connected with other bloggers & brands. I’ve partnered with a few brands like Cricut, Anagram Balloon, Dove & more in the form of blog or social media promotions. My work has been featured in Woman’s World Magazine, KXLG Radio, a local radio station (https://www.mykxlg.com/), www.karaspartyideas.com & other party websites. Although I didn’t start out by pursuing an event business right away, I wouldn’t change my experiences for the world.
As time went on, I became interested in designing balloon garlands and other balloon decorations. To learn more, I watched videos online and followed other event planners and balloon artists on social media. In 2021, I started my own event and balloon styling business, specializing in organic balloon garlands and backdrops! Since I started my business, I have gained many opportunities to set up special events for clients and corporate businesses. A few of my corporate clients have included Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Scooter’s Coffee, Les Schwab Tires & Boys and Girls Club of America. As a designer, my goal is to elevate events and bring joy to others. My business name “Joy in the Commonplace” is really quite fitting. I get to bring joy others and encourage them to celebrate and find joy in even the commonplace moments of life.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
A few important qualities that I’ve developed as a designer include punctuality, consistency, & hospitality. Punctuality is very important because people appreciate when I show up on time. I plan ahead to make sure I have enough time to set up my balloon garlands and backdrops before the guests start arriving. Consistency is another important skill that I’ve learned over time. When I am working with clients, I consistently show up on time and my designs are consistent. I always try to follow through on my designs and give the clients what they asked for. Lastly, hospitality is super important! As an event decorator, I try to keep a positive attitude and do my work joyfully. I try to create an inviting and warm atmosphere when I show up to set up an event. If you’re starting a new business, I would say to just keep showing up and taking the next step. If you’d like work on the qualities I’ve mentioned, it’s important to work on your character as a person, do what is right and think about what benefits other people. If you make a mistake, learn from it and keep going! It takes time to grow as an event or balloon stylist and it’s ok to go at your own pace.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
In the past, there were times when I felt really burnt out and overwhelmed. Presently, I am working at finding more peace in all areas of my life and reducing anxiety. I feel that I’ve made quite a bit of progress in these areas. I’ve grown in confidence and I’m learning to show up as the best version of myself. A few actions that I take to improve my life include prayer time, reading the Bible, self care, working on my health and learning to balance work and home life. Although learning new business skills is important to me, I’m striving to grow as a person so I can show up better in all areas of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joyinthecommonplace.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyinthecommonplace/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyinthecommonplace
- Twitter: https://x.com/home
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joyinthecommonplace
Image Credits
Photo credit: Joy in the Commonplace (with exception of the photo of my husband and I)
Organic balloon garlands: two set ups were for clients & one set up was for my kids for Valentine’s Day
Woodland animals birthday & Halloween party ideas: Featured on my blog in partnership with Anagram Balloons (www.anagramballoons.com)
Harvest Party: Featured on my blog in partnership with My Mind’s Eye (www.mymindseye.com)
Magazine feature: Woman’s World Magazine
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