Amber Kemp-Gerstel is the founder and creative director of Damask Love, a creative lifestyle blog all about doable DIY. Damask Love has partnered with brands like Martha Stewart, The Home Depot, The Container Store, Coca-Cola, Canon, and is the social media face of JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores.
She’s also been featured on the cover of Parents Magazine and you can find Amber on Disney+ as the host of their new, original show Disney Family Sundays. You can also find Damask Love products at Office Depot and JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores or take a dive on the creative side with her newest venture YayDay Paper Company – a digital subscription service offering delightfully designed stationery, craft projects and planner goodies that you can print from home.
Q&A with Amber Kemp-Gerstel
What interests you most about taking on DIY projects?
I love the challenge of making something that LOOKS complicated, but is actually really simple.
What creative areas do you prefer to focus on?
Papercrafting has always been a favorite for me. Paper is a familiar material and I like to think of it as the “gateway drug” of crafting! LOL!
What do you consider to be your greatest business accomplishment thus far?
The first time I appeared on television I was a nervous wreck! My palms were sweating and I was completely terrified! These days, I’m much more comfortable in front of the camera and it’s definitely a huge accomplishment. I love being able to share my passion of creativity with a larger audience through the television screen.
What has been your most difficult project that you’ve tackled?
Sometimes that hardest task is the process of simplification. I strive to make each project doable and approachable – but sometimes it’s not that easy to achieve. For example, I’ve long wanted to share resin crafting, but it’s a craft that requires lots of specialty equipment so for now…I’m trying to figure out how to make it as simple as possible!
Do you have a brand partner that you consider to be your favorite?
For years I’ve partnered closely with JOANN Stores and I’ve loved it from the very first minute. Never has there been a more authentic partnership. Long before I worked with them, I regularly shopped JOANN for all my crafting goodies. Today, my partnership with JOANN has grown beyond sponsored content. Today, you can find Damask Love paper crafting products exclusively sold at JOANN stores.
Which platform helps you to reach your audience the most, and how do you keep them engaged?
We focus on using email and Instagram to reach the Damask Love family. These two channels are by far our most active. The Damask Love Newsletter is really special! Twice a week, subscribers receive an email from me that often include exclusive announcements and behind the scenes information! By giving the newsletter family first dibs on the good information, I’m able to let them know how much I value them as part of the Damask Love community.
Based upon your personal experience, what’s one piece of advice that you’d give to blogger/influencers?
Get clear on your messaging and stick to it fiercely. This is something that I’ve obsessed over for years – and truthfully, I’m still figuring it out. With all the noise and competition of blogging, it’s easy to lose sight of your individual value and message. I found it really helpful to draft a manifesto for Damask Love that listed out the real mission and vision of what I do. Now, I refer back to it regularly to make sure each piece of content aligns with that mission.
What’s one fun fact about you that our readers would be surprised to know?
I don’t know how FUN this is – but I have a Ph.D. in child psychology and practiced as a pediatric psychology for years before quitting my job to pursue Damask Love. Oh, and I’m also fluent in pig latin!
What do you like most about HAVEN Conference?
I love Haven’s commitment to providing tangible and actionable tips for growing your business!
What do you want your audience to take away from your presentation at the Heart of HAVEN virtual conference?
My hope is that the HAVEN 2020 audience will leave feeling empowered to carve their own niche and make competition irrelevant.
Q and A with a HAVEN 2020 Speaker Series
(This section will be updated as more articles are published)
Ashley Wilson
Heather Cooke
Carmen Smith
Jessica Litman
Corey Hudson
Wendy Zock
Racheal Jackson
Jessica Russell
Cara Newhart
Jess Crow
Tracy Pendergast
Brittany Norman
Jenn McMurray
KariAnne Wood
Karen Snyder
Yuni Min
Kera Jeffers
Kate Smith
Erin Marshall
Erin Ruoff
Rachel Rosenthal
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