Stay-at-home mother thought she was being scammed when her small business was asked to make global pop star merchandise

A Staffordshire mother who has built an Etsy business selling hair scrunchies and handbag pouches thought she was being scammed when she received an invitation to design bespoke merchandise for pop star PinkPantheress, but was astonished to discover the truth.

Judy Tsui, 34, launched her Etsy shop TheJUHandmade in 2016, while she was living in her home country of Hong Kong. A decade later, her small business – which she runs alongside caring for her nine-year-old son – has become her full-time job and given her the opportunity to collaborate with one of the biggest pop stars of the moment.

Ahead of a UK tour which will see her play shows in Glasgow, Manchester and London – and make a festival appearance at London’s All Points East in August, Victoria Beverley Walker, known professionally as PinkPantheress, is partnering with Etsy for its The Festival Shop – collaborating with small business owners to create bespoke merchandise.

Judy was selected from thousands of talented designers and makers to design and produce a PinkPantheress scrunchie – in the artist’s signature red tartan – and was so surprised by the offer that she initially thought it was a hoax.

“To be honest, the first time they tried to reach me, I thought it was a scam. Totally,” Judy told PA Real Life.

“Because there’s lots of many talented creators on Etsy, and I think I’m not the special one or outstanding one in all of them…

“But when I realised it was real, I was so excited, of course, and surprised – that it was PinkPantheress at first, and second that they’d chosen me as the one creator.”

In her 20s, Judy worked as a lingerie designer in Hong Kong, but decided to leave her job when she became pregnant and become a full-time mother.

When her son was born in 2016, however, Judy realised that “at the same time, I wanted to still create stuff”, so she launched TheJUHandmade in 2016.

“I love creating stuff, because becoming a designer was always a dream of mine growing up,” Judy said.

“I’m happy to be a full-time mum and be someone’s wife, I really enjoy that, but I understand myself. I can do more.”

At first, Judy struggled to balance parenting her young child with running a small business, so she pressed pause on her Etsy shop until 2021, when she moved to the UK with her family. Then, the shop became her full-time job: She does everything herself, from designing and manufacturing to photography, photo editing, listing and marketing.

After dropping her child to school, she starts work at around 10am, then works until her child returns from school and “I go back to my mum and wife role”, Judy said – adding that balancing parenting and running a business can be a challenge at times.

Judy predominantly makes stylish scrunchies for her shop, drawing on influences from street style and designer brands, mixing trending patterns like polka dots with special details from materials and textures, but recently also began making organiser pouches for keeping handbags tidy.

In the decade she has been running her Etsy shop, Judy has made more than 2,000 sales and has a five star review rating from happy customers. But despite her success, she was astonished to receive an invitation to take part in Etsy’s The Festival Edit and design merchandise for PinkPantheress last month.

She jumped at the chance, but began to doubt herself when she began planning designs for the 25-year-old British singer-songwriter and record producer.

“In the beginning, when I saw PinkPantheress’s mood board and design inspiration, I thought: ‘Can I really do that? Am I too old to do this kind of stuff?’,” she said.

“I’m 30-something, I am a mum – am I too old to do this thing?”

Nevertheless, Judy got to work on a punk-inspired design featuring red tartan – a nod to a pattern the pop star frequently wears on stage – complete with a chain of charms for added glitz.

However, mid-way through production Judy was admitted into hospital after a period of low blood pressure required a blood transfusion.

With her deadline looming and her excitement for the project at a high, she was so desperate to finish her work that she tried to get her husband to bring her sewing machine onto the ward.

“But, of course, my husband refused that, he said you need to get some rest,” Judy laughed.

“So, after a week in hospital, I went straight back to my workshop.”

Thankfully, her ill health proved to be no setback for Judy, who completed her limited edition batch of PinkPantheress scrunchies which are now available for purchase on her Etsy page, and have even been modelled by the pop star herself.

As for what is next, Judy said she will continue to shoot for the stars – quite literally.

“I think this is a really, really good opportunity for me to collaborate with a celebrity – (one) that I never imagined. So, I think after this collaboration, I have to work even more hard,” she said.

“People might think: ‘Oh, she worked with PinkPantheress, she must be great, she must be talented’. So I have to keep working hard.”

Judy also hopes that her success will prove inspirational for mothers who want to unleash their creative side and start a crafting business of their own.

“I would like to say, as a mum, you can also do what you like to do – and if you work hard, people can see it,” she said.

“So for example, I kept working hard on my work, and I’m glad that the Etsy team and PinkPantheress chose me to do this collaboration.

“Even as a mum, not young anymore, you can still do something you like and you dream about. Even if you’re a mum for so many years, you can still chase your dreams. Don’t give up.”