Hidden Gems: Meet Michelle Morton of Butterflies and Banjos

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Morton.

Hi Michelle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started Butterflies and Banjos at the beginning of 2020 but really I think all the jobs and little things I’ve done along that way have been preparing me for this. At the beginning of 2020, I was transitioning to be home with our daughter Hazel from working as the administrative assistant at our church. I’ve always had a passion for making things so I knew God was leading me to do something while being at home. A great friend from our church introduced me to a local woodworker and amazing businessman. He spent each week showing me different options for trades from screen printing to embroidery but my love and passion always came back to jewelry making. So we started combining woodworking with jewelry making and I would come out with a new design each month. I would go two days a week with our daughter in the front carrier and work on developing a product line. It is amazing to see how I literally started with nothing to now almost selling in 30 stores across the country. I’ve had incredible support from family and I’ve been blessed with incredible mentorship. Right now, we are currently running everything out of our laundry room. We have a beautiful three year old daughter named Hazel and a one year old son named Henry. We spend our mornings chasing toddlers and going on adventures. In our home, you’ll hear banjo music play regularly and lots of laughter. My husband and family are the ones that have helped make this a success. It is fun to see dreams and things you thought impossible unfold. We are excited and ready for wherever this Butterflies and Banjos adventure takes us!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I think that it has been the hardest but also most fun season of my life. Raising two little ones while figuring out business has been a hard but also such an incredible adventure. It is an interesting hybrid of stay at home mom and entrepreneur. I also am learning that each hurdle or roadblock is actually an opportunity. At each challenge, I am learning to fail forward. I think too you learn to have more grace for yourself because each new challenge, you realized that you’ve never faced this before and you are plowing new ground. So if you don’t do it perfectly it is totally okay, you showed up and gave your best and you can refine everything as you go. That is freeing to see things that way. So no, it has not been a smooth road but God has been faithful through every step and challenge.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Butterflies and Banjos was a nickname given to me while working at our church. At the beginning of 2020, I transitioned from the church to staying at home with our daughter Hazel and began working with a mentor. What happens when you put a creative in quarantine?? Well, they have lots of ideas and inspiration! Each month I would come up with a new design and troubleshoot how to make our products better. We constantly get compliments on how lightweight our earrings and people love that they are hypoallergenic. Each design has a special meaning and story and my desire is to bring each of our customer’s joy when they wear them! So here we are, growing every day and so excited to bring you beautiful gifts and treasures!

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Well, I think so far, it has been a great adventure with many unexpected twists. Fashion moves so fast and trends change but I think that as long as you stay authentic to your brand and what you set out to do people will see that in your products and your business. I’ve spent many years of my life trying to please people and this business and brand is an opportunity to create beautiful things that are authentic to what I see as beautiful. So far many other people agree yay! My main hope was that products compliment our customer’s natural beauty and story.

Pricing:

• Stud earrings $10-14
• Boho, Tapestry, Fan $26
• Leather Feathers $18
• Wood Earrings $22
• Wallets $30

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.butterfliesandbanjos.com/
• Instagram: @butterfliesandbanjos
• Facebook: @butterfliesandbanjos