Meet Francesca Sweat | Photographer & Owner of Frankie’s Gift Ideas

We had the good fortune of connecting with Francesca Sweat and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Francesca, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was always the slow and steady wins the race person in my family. I would dedicate years to a corporation that was lacking creativity but it supported me financially to raise my family and meet my needs. Many years people I worked with would plant seeds of encouragement that I should tap into my creative side to start something outside of my current position. Opportunity came and I jumped into it, after working for a corporation for over 30+ years. That opportunity allowed me to search my creative side and here I am. My husband supports how much I do or how little I do in my photography and my 3 in 1 creations but the freedom is wonderful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Having children I believe is how I really embraced photography…I love “Capturing the Moment”. When my children started going to school, I would get involved with the PTA and we would brainstorm of how to do certain events and raise money while having fun! So I would offer my artistic ability to create backdrops and take the photos at picnics and dances and such, needless to say with 4 children, 5 years apart or further, I was very busy at every level. Later I started doing other photography for my friends at work once the digital side of the world came to play out to be more crucial for social media. So for years while working a 9 to 5 I dabbled in the photography field and now I am full-time. It is hard leaving a job and starting your own business especially when the career you chose to move into is saturated with fabulous competition. Challenging as it may be it makes you kick into your creativity even more if you are the competitive type. Captured Moments by Francesca has catered to those who are not comfortable in front of the camera to produce images that they adore and love to share. Frankie’s Gift Ideas started because of my children as well and trying to raise money while paying for college. I would create different Valentine’s baskets and Holiday items but now that I have much time on my hands I have immersed myself into making these unique gifts called 3 in 1’s. Versatile enough that they can be used as Napkin Rings and then during the same event transferred onto a glass as a Drink Marker and as the “Thank You for coming” taken home as a Party Favor from your host. Many different themes like Birthdays, Weddings, Showers but even more personalized such as favorite hobbies, colors, etc. This venture started off due to my own frustration of using water goblets at home functions and not being able to identify one glass from another so I created stretchy name bracelets for each of my guests. Later a friend of mine loves using cloth napkins and I thought what a wonderful gift if I could find some napkin rings and adjust it to a theme that she adores (Gnomes) but I could not find a reasonable priced set of Napkin Rings that I felt comfortable to waste if it did not turn out the way I wanted. So then I got the bright idea to create my own Napkin Ring. She loved them so and later told me that she and her guests used the very napkin ring as a drink marker…I was intrigued and I asked her to send me a photo as we were states away from one another. So from that idea grew my 3 in 1’s.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Mable House is a concert venue hall in Mableton, Ga. They have numerous talent that come in month after month and I could see taking my out of town visitors to an event of their choosing. We also live 15 minutes from Six Flags over GA so that is a must for those thrill seekers.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, my encourager, my personal cheerleader…Kenneth Sweat, I couldn’t do this without your pep talks and your support. For those who believe in me in times when I doubt myself and for the Lord who is my forever provider in every way! THANK YOU!

Website: http://capturedmomentsbyf.wixsite.com/website

Other: Frankie’s Gift Ideas email is frankiesgiftideas@yahoo.com website is https://frankiesgiftideas.wixsite.com/website?fbclid=IwAR04yoqkJB959DiMXOmjiRjIISDaXF68ECSj9_FgIB3obxDV9QPSY-6MLK8 Captured Moments by Francesca email is capturedmomentsbyfrancesca@gmail.com

Image Credits
Darryl Oliver took my Headshot Dance photos are an example of my work with Captured Moments by Francesca Pictures of my 3 in 1’s are not attached