If you’re a fan of colorful, collectible enamel pins, then you may have encountered Austin’s delightful LuxCups Creative.
In just a few short years, Libby Napier and her husband, John, have partnered to establish a growing kitchen-table business popular with young people and anyone who loves bright, zippy, wearable art.
Hoping to share her story, we sent Libby some questions about her work and creative life.
(By way of disclosures, note that we’ve got a special connection to Libby. She’s a cousin of Pamela Price, the founder/publisher of this digital magazine.)
On Her Training
“I attended the University of Houston for fine art photography. Before LuxCups I was a trainer for a national photography chain. This included designing lots of training materials which really helps with what I do now. Although I’m not a ‘photographer’ in my daily life, I use those skills on a daily basis when creating listings for products online, applying to juried art markets and even posting on Instagram. I worked full time at The Container Store until we moved to Austin about 2 years ago. It was at that time, we decided to launch LuxCups into a full-time commitment. I still work part time for The Container Store which gives me a dose of human interaction and a great discount on supplies for the business!”
How Her Business Began
“LuxCups started as a part-time baking business. I mostly made cupcakes and enjoyed the decorating portion most of all. After a few years, it became more obvious that the future of running a bakery wasn’t going to fulfill my creative passion. So, I started drawing, painting & making jewelry again. At that time we lived in Houston and started showing at local craft markets on the weekends. These markets were a great starting point and really helped me gain confidence in the creative world. The amount of shows I participated in required quite a bit of inventory so John, my husband, stepped in to help with some of the tedious tasks. This eventually evolved into the partnership we have today. I’m the creative half while John handles almost all of the important administrative things, like logistics and book keeping.”
On Where She Draws Creative Inspiration
“I like to take long walks through Target and roam the aisles of our local Michael’s store. No joke. This gets my creative ideas flowing when I’m in a rut. But my absolute favorite place for ideas come from our customers. We are constantly asking our friends, followers and patrons what they want to see next! These suggestions are such a wonderful way to incorporate my designs with ideas that are already a hit.”
Her “Maker” Process
“Pins have become our most popular items. We currently have about 35 designs. Most pins start as a sketch on paper that gets scanned into my computer. I use Adobe Illustrator to turn my sketch into a more refined vector file. This allows me to send it to our manufacturer without having to worry about resolution. The actual production of a pin takes about a month. This includes the mold making, enameling, plating and polishing. We receive the finished pins and then start the process of grading, packaging and photographing. All of this takes place in our spare bedroom and occasionally the living room couch. Depending on how long a design take to flush out, the entire process may take 1.5 to 4 months.”
Where to See Libby’s Work
“We sell primarily online at LuxCups.com and on Etsy but, we try to attend at least 1-2 shows a month in and around Austin, Texas. This August we can be found at the Pool Trade Show in Las Vegas, Pop Cats Convention in Austin, and the San Japan and Alamo City Conventions in San Antonio. Our products are also carried by multiple shops through out the US and include Texas shops: Space Montrose (Houston), Parts & Labour (Austin), The Burlap Bag (Austin) & Toy Joy (Austin).”
You can also find Libby’s work at LuxCups.com and on Instagram, Facebook, and Etsy.
