Member Feature: Chica and Jo

Submitted to What's New

Today we're getting to know the creative team of @ChicaAndJo! ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿผ


Why did you join Creator's Studio?

We first joined Creator's Studio to participate in the Trash to Treasure contest and were pleasantly surprised to find such an engaging community of fellow creators.

What's your favorite part of the Creator's Studio community?

The activities and challenges presented are our favorite part, because they constantly inspire us to brainstorm and create fun new projects.

How would you describe yourself/occupation to a complete stranger?

We are creators at our very core.  Whether it's in the workshop, kitchen, or craft room, we love to create something special and unique from ordinary materials.  As best friends, we started a blog years ago as a hobby, and poured our hearts and souls into it.  We are fortunate enough to have turned it into a business of content creation (blog and social media) and retail sales (Amazon and Etsy).

What creative areas do you like to focus on?

We try not to limit ourselves to specific areas, but instead strive to stretch our imagination to create new and unique things.  If we had to pick our favorite areas, though, it would have to be furniture flipping for Jo and DIY for Chica.

What is your favorite Rust-Oleum product? How has it helped with your DIY projects?

Hands down, our favorite product is Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Cover spray paint, because it's so versatile and works on so many surfaces.  We love to keep many colors on hand so that when we are inspired, we can jump right into a project and add just the right pop of color.

What interests you most about DIY projects?

Our favorite thing about DIY projects is being able to transform something with seemingly little value into something special and impressive.  We love it when someone sees a finished piece and can't believe we made it ourselves.

What's the best DIY project you have completed and how did you accomplish it?

Transforming Jo's builder-grade entryway coat closet into open storage with an arched frame is our best DIY project, because it was the most intensive and provided the biggest impact.  By knocking out part of the wall and installing new shelves and lots of color, we completely changed the look of the entryway in a spectacular way.  And learning how to install an arch over it gave us a huge sense of accomplishment and gave the whole project a custom design look.

What's the most difficult project you have tackled?

Completely renovating Jo's parents' kitchen was a huge project with lots of challenges.  From totally refinishing the walls and flooring to gutting the appliances and countertop, it was full of big projects, and all on a tight timeline.  We even built new banquette seating and a custom dining table from scratch.  All the work was worth it, though, because the transformation was incredible and her parents are thrilled with the new modern design.

If you could create any type of project (with no limitations), what would you design and why?

We have always loved the idea of renovating a small, run down hotel or motel into something trendy and chic.  We would love to design individual rooms with their own custom looks, and breathe new life into a business that needs a facelift.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don't know about both of you.

As creative as we are online, we are actually left-brain/right-brain people who both come from technical backgrounds.  Jo built her career in tech writing and marketing, and Chica is a systems programmer by trade.  Being able to focus our creativity on DIY projects was a welcome change in pace for us.

What's the best advice that anyone has ever given you?

Pivot!  We have learned over the many years of creating and owning our business that things will always change, and if you want to stay relevant, you need to go with the flow.  Whether it's overall business strategy or just getting creative when you run out of paint or supplies, being able to pivot can not only get you out of a tight spot, but sometimes it can lead you to a whole new brilliant solution you might not have otherwise come up with.

What book(s) are on your nightstand right now? What shows are you streaming? 

Jo loves to read, and is currently devouring the Elena Standish novels by Anne Perry.  Chica is a big fan of TV and is currently watching Survivor and The Great Pottery Throwdown.

What's your all time favorite food?

Chica's favorite is nachos, and Jo's favorite is super dark chocolate.


Thanks for spending this time with us @ChicaAndJo - we love seeing your projects in Creator's Studio!