Daily Inspiration: Meet Jess Valles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Valles.

Hi Jess, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I’m originally from the country’s Sunshine State – Florida. And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to my favorite college football team -GO NOLES! While the beach lifestyle has my heart, I would never be able to live without the change of seasons. I’m not a big fan of the cold but I do enjoy the crisp clean air of the spring and fall seasons. The Carolinas provide the perfect climate for me.

I am a wife, a Mom of two beautiful and spirited children and a fur Mom of many. I enjoy art in many forms, traveling with my family and gardening.

I got my start in floral design early on, creating wreaths and garlands, and updating my Grandma’s silk arrangements. My Mom and Grandma have always been my biggest fans pushing me along to create anything to do with flowers. I’m pretty sure they saw my talent before I knew I had any.

My first big job was in 2007 working for a design group that specialized in exterior holiday home decorating. I was part of a team that built giant wreaths and garlands for private homes. This gave me a good foundation on outdoor holiday decor. From there, I went on to designing for a Christmas shop, working seasonally for a local florist, doing contract work for a creative group and now to owning my own business.  While I gained a lot of experience from all of these, working with a local florist is where I learned the most.

The name JACH Homestead comes from the first letter of every family member (J)ess (A)rcher my son, (C)hris my husband and (H)allie my daughter. We were fortunate to buy a property in SC that gave us the opportunity to set up our homestead almost 3 years ago.

I’m not quite sure what led me to the use of dried florals. I love that they are eco-friendly and that their aesthetic is so unique. The longevity of dried florals is intriguing to me.  The fact that a dried flower can last a long time, in my opinion, is the perfect vessel to keep a special memory alive. I love to dry my own flowers and to recycle used flowers from events to create new and lasting pieces. As my business evolves, I want to have a large greenhouse that will enable me to grow and use all types of flowers that can be found in a variety of climates.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t exactly call it a smooth road. My biggest obstacle has been a mental one. I am very blessed to have so many ideas, some I act on and some I let pass by but the FEAR of putting my ideas out there is my biggest challenge. Over the last year, I have had a tremendous amount of support from family and friends and sometimes even complete strangers. And for this I am truly grateful. It’s the support that has me believing in myself and has helped to build my confidence more and more every day.

I know that if I keep moving forward pursuing MY dreams I will eventually get to a place that I always wanted. And who knows, it may lead to places I never knew I wanted.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love to create. I love crafts, drawing and building. While I love to do all of these things I specialize in dried floral decor! I like to use all dried flowers in my designs for markets and online sales. But when I do special events such as weddings, I will mix in fresh flowers as well. I think the things that set me apart are my own designs. I’m passionate about floral design and I hope it shows in my work.

I create floral pieces that just come to mind. I use apps such as Instagram and Pinterest as inspirational tools but I just love unplanned designs. I’m a really messy creator. As I’m building products for markets, I let go of the control to have everything neat and in place. I walk around my work place grabbing a piece here and a piece there till it all comes together. It can be madness but the outcome is so worth it.

I’m proud to say I am staying consistent, that I’m putting myself out there and doing what I love.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is any Christmas as a child. My parents (mainly my mom) would go above and beyond to create a magical experience every year. It wasn’t about the presents, well at least I know that now, haha, but it was about the memories my mom created for my sister and I. Christmas is still and will probably always be my most favorite holiday. And I hope to pass that along to my own children.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @jachhomestead
• Facebook: /jachhomestead
• Other: www.etsy.com/shop/jachhomestead

Image Credits
@loraleahmariephotography
@lindseytphoto
@erinmaynardphotography