Highlands North resident LeAnn Weigel
This post is part of an ongoing series “How it’s done” by guest blogger Lyn Pollard, talking with neighborhood working moms about how they juggle demanding careers while raising a family.
LeAnn Weigel knows how to make it work — and how to make it look easy. The Highlands North resident and mother of two is a part-time freelance production assistant at a local company that shoots videos year-round for retail clients. It’s pretty much a dream job for a creative type like Weigel. She helps source, create, sew and somehow finagle a crazy mix of costumes, props and anything else needed for shoots, involving funky finds like an elf and Santa suit in the middle of July, a microscope and beakers for a CSI-inspired set, and the perfect resort wear in the dead of winter. Weigel does all this while raising two energetic boys, serving on the Bowie Elementary PTA, and running her own small embroidery business (when she feels like it), putting together extravagant baby gift baskets for friends and clients, including the offspring of a Dallas Cowboys player. And, if you see a kiddo with a cutely embroidered backpack walking through the Highlands North neighborhood, there’s a good chance that Weigel did the embroidery (and an even better chance that she bartered with you for it).
Here’s how this creative, working mom gets it all done:
When people ask what you do, how do you respond? Depends on what I do inside or outside the house I guess. I like doing stuff around the house, like fixing things … and doing handy stuff. And then outside, at work, I’m a production assistant for Giddings Productions. This dropped in my lap. It kind of happened like, “Would you sew this for me? Sure. Would you embroider this for me? Sure.”
What makes your work unique? I get to be creative with it – that’s what I love about it. So much of my stuff, though, I do at night for a shoot that I don’t necessarily go to. I get paid for my time … driving to get costumes, making props … Some of it is stylist-type stuff, some of it’s wardrobe. I do a lot of online shopping. I would be up a creek without the internet. I mean, finding some of these weird things! Where do you find white linen pants in December? [Her boss Ben Giddings] is filming a specific set, and it can be in any season that he’s filming it. It’s just coming up with where would I find that? And where can I get it quickly? You can’t just go to a store. It’s kind of the hunt that I really enjoy.
What are your top goals for your family and marriage? For my family, I want to produce happy, well-adjusted kids. I think providing experiences for them produces that. I know that also from [teaching] school, kids score better on tests, have a better vocabulary when they’ve been given a lot of experiences. And, also being well-adjusted and exposed to a lot of things. My kids have been able to go on the set sometimes when I work. Luke (Weigel’s 8-year-old son) has been in a couple of videos. So that’s kind of a different thing for them. A lot of kids don’t get that experience without being a professional actor which my kids are not going to be!
What is the greatest obstacle or challenge you face in reaching these goals? Balancing your time. Sadly it is. And, I’m thankful that Craig [Weigel's husband] is supportive of me working for Ben, because a lot of times it comes with short notice. A lot of times I have to drop stuff we’re doing … So that’s kind of tough. Craig is a huge help because he does have to take up the slack when I’m working on these projects.
What resources (books, websites, people) inspire you? I, of course, love creative blogs. And, Pinterest. [a virtual collection of ideas and inspiration from the web]. There are so many awesome ideas on so many different subjects. Now I’m more like the DIY kids projects and the home décor, etc. I don’t have a single thing pinned under style!
What advice would you give to another working mom if they asked you for it? I think it’s to do something you enjoy. I think you also have to figure it out like with my sewing. Before I had kids, I sewed (and did embroidery) for people a lot … but then it got to be too hard. I just realized this isn’t fun anymore. I’m the type of person that would like to have 10 different jobs – and I kind of already do … And, I never get bored of any of them.
Like LeAnn Wegiel’s style? Follow her on Pinterest.
