June 26: back to basics

Joanie Barriault created Twenty-six June at a time when her creative side was neglected. Immersing herself in her new life as a young adult, she had chosen to invest more time and energy in her work, rather than in her passion. However, she quickly realized her fundamental need to create and her wonder for the small daily pleasures. And that's how Twenty-six June was born.

Discover the entrepreneur behind the beautiful, handcrafted polymer clay jewelry and minimalist wall hangings.

Create and share your passion

A little over three years ago, Joanie discovered the Etsy universe through several testimonials from inspiring women who, like her, dreamed of creating and sharing their passion. The latter made a living from their art and it was then that Joanie realized that it was also possible for her to share her own creations.

One thing leading to another, she discovered polymer clay and all the possibilities offered by this medium. The idea of ​​selling her illustrations was added following the enthusiasm and the positive comments she received on social networks. After researching and testing her products, she opened her online store through the Etsy platform in the fall of 2019.

Joanie is very grateful for the luck she has, having previously had more cerebral work from Monday to Friday. Her business had to come second, as she had little time and energy to devote to it, but that is now a thing of the past.

What makes Joanie tick with her business is the freedom of expression and the time she can devote to it. She now devotes herself to it full time, which allows her the freedom to create without pressure. She is the sole owner of Vingt-six juin, but she often consults her husband to get his ideas or to get his point of view, since he has been her ally since the beginning!

Sharing simplicity and promoting well-being

What inspires her to create are mainly flowers and plants, but she admits to having a weakness for shapes and bright colors. She is very influenced by contemporary art, design and architecture. Manon Lavoie's book, Creating the Best of Yourself, also inspired her when it came time to translate her ideas into reality in order to create her online store.

Minimalism is also something that brings her back to basics. For her, the minimalist lifestyle is one without excess, removing distractions from the things she enjoys. It is important for Joanie to create intuitively, while having a desire to share simplicity and promote well-being. What stimulates her on a daily basis is to take her brushes and paint, then to model the polymer clay to make small jewels and then to share her creations, and this, in small quantities in order to perhaps make it an essential for someone!

Joanie has many future projects, but in the short term, she plans to improve her

shop by selling digital illustrations. She also decided to enroll in a course in computer graphics design to acquire more technical knowledge in graphic design in order to be able to offer the service of designing brand images.

And why Twenty-six June? Simply because it's his birthday. Joanie was afraid of getting tired of her business name and didn't have a crush. She therefore opted for a safe bet: a date that will always follow her.

Discover its simple and beautiful products on the Signé Local online store and consult its listing on the directory to learn more.

Reviewed by MF Editorial