Blessed Imbolc! After a quiet winter, I’m feeling a little more like poking my head out. I’ve never really made an intro post on here, so I thought I would today! My name is Jenna Opsahl, and this is my little world called Scarlett and Giselle. Several years ago, I became obsessed with the topic of “women’s work”: those crafts, like fashion and needlework, that traditionally are thought of as frivolous or less important because they are considered “feminine.” I began Scarlett and Giselle as a place to write about these crafts, as well as to explore what kind of work women are actually making in the world through blog posts and interviews. After teaching myself to embroider (building on childhood sewing lessons from my grandma), I began to explore ideas of femininity and power through my own “women’s work.” I started at Etsy shop in 2018, where I continue to this day to sell my reworked vintage lingerie and clothing, embroidered with tokens of magic and history. As I continually redefine my work and Scarlett and Giselle, I may drift from certain themes, expanding into different mediums and stories, but I love where my embroidery has taken me so far.
In my personal life, I’m at a bit of a crossroads. I love making things, and I’ve always dreamed of a future where I could just create, always. I’m an artist of many mediums (find my personal work here: @nibinquiel). I have an MA in Art History with a focus on medieval art, and I love both writing and researching. For work over the past few years, I have been a soldering technician for a robotics company, and am currently working on computer vision for the same company. But I’m leaving this job soon, and this is where the crossroads is. I don’t have another “day job” lined up. I want to finally have the creative future that I’ve dreamed of, but…I’m afraid too, you know? I don’t have a grand plan, except to keep making, and to sprinkle some magic on there and hope it works. Luckily I love this project so much, I’m ready to make the leap.
So that’s me! If you follow me and support my work, THAAAANK YOU! I cannot express how important your support is to me, and I can’t wait to share more of dreams with you. ✨
