Excited to be hosting an interview series where you will get to opportunity to meet some of the brands, cosplayers, vendors and more that we work with!
First up, meet Andre Ujcich!
General Bio About You:
Born and raised in Dallas Tx. Went to High School in Richardson where I was head the the costume department for the theater and a member of the drill team. Attended Texas A&M University in College Station for business management and graduated in 2021. I lived in Port Aransas Texas for 4 years off and on where a managed a music venue and bar and loved every minute of it. I moved back to Dallas in 2021 where I started The Blushing Rose. I work full time for a freighting logistics company coordinating shipping all across the country. I also have a very fluffy and sassy cat named Coco and she is my fur baby.
What are your passions? Hobbies? (Please tell us about this, if you are a cosplayer, author, or vendor feel free to brag and drop whatever information you would like here!)
I always tell people The Blushing Rose started as a very expensive hobby turned business. Now I participate in several markets a month (check out my schedule below), work with brides, and am a vendor for multiple event a year. I like to keep busy and have always been a very crafty person who constantly has some kind of project in the works. But more than resin work, I love to scrapbook, see live music (particularly small artists), try new restaurants, read, watch movies and TV shows, shop for a good deal and travel. Traveling is my biggest love if I could do anything the rest of my life and money not being a factor I would travel. I am always down for an adventure!
How did you get involved in the books or events community?
My dearest friend and former Roomate Rachel start RMK Events straight out of college during the crazy world of COVID and was hosting an Open House. At the time she know I was dabbling in Resin work and wanted to work more with it so she asked me if I would be interested in participating in the open house. So, I created my company in the following weeks and haven’t looked back since. Over the last 2 years I have expanded beyond jewelry to flower preservation, decor, signage and more. She also convinced me to jump back into the world of reading after hearing about ACOTAR from her for months. For my birthday she gifted me her personal copy of ACOTAR and after I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. It reintroduced me to a way to escape reality and live through stories. From there I continued reading and after a year me and Rachel has a similar idea of bringing our 2 love together and start planning immersive experiences. This has also inspired me to start offering book/fantasy inspired items through my company.
What is your favorite quote (whether book related or not)?
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” J.K. Rowling
What is your “Why?” (interpret this however you would like)?
My “why” in life is to take advantage of everything the world has to offer. It’s so easy to say “no” but the world is full of possibilities so you should take the chance and say “yes”. So something fails; you learn from it and take that into the next opportunity that presents its self to you. I want my life to be full of stories not “what if’s”.
If you had an anthem (song about who you are) what would it be?
I am a big music person so my anthem changed constantly based of whatever obstacles I am currently facing in life. As of right now it is I’m Good by Natalie Jane however it will probably be different next week. Lol
What is your favorite book and why?
I am currently torn on this but my all time favorite is Divergent. It was the first book that I even read that I truly enjoyed and made an impact on me; I could read it 100 times over. I wish I could read it for the first time over again and relive that experience. I remember locking myself in my bathroom all day so nobody would disturb me while I read. I have a habit of falling for and wanting to live in the world of whatever I am reading it often influences by fashion choice and motivation. At the moment I am obsessing over Forth Wing and Crescent City.
On the flip side, what is a book that you really just do not recommend?
I am probably going to make some people upset with my unpopular opinion but anything non-fiction. I live in reality unfortunately; I don’t want to read about even thought I understand why people do. I read to escape reality and pretend the impossible is possible.
Is there a particular book or character that you have carried with you, or severely impacted you?
Many female leading characters have impacted me including Feyre, Violet, Rose, Clary, Tris, Aelin and Bryce. All these women fight for what they believed in even when the odds were not in their favor and the world was against them. They continued to push themselves past their breaking point and use it as motivation to be stronger. They remind me what a person is truly capable of even in the darkest of times. I remember them on a daily bases and remind myself if they can face their battles so can I.
Are you a fan of the “Playlists” feature that many new books are having, why or why not?
Absolutely!!! Before it became common for books to have playlists I would search for ones people made on Spotify. I love music and think it’s such a great way to bring a book to life and live in that world it create. I wish every book had one. I have found so many amazing new artists this way that I now listen to on a daily bases.
What has been the biggest blessing in being a part of this community or in the world of social media for you?
The people I have meet and the connections I have built are amazing and I’m only just starting. I have interacted with so many outstanding and supportive people and I can’t wait to meet so many more and continue building strong connections. The social media side of it helps bring these characters to life and creat a whole new dimension to these worlds they create and I so excited to see what people creat next.
What is your favorite book trope and your least favorite?
There are so many swoon worthy tropes out there, but I think my go to has to be enemies to lovers and if he’s morally grey it’s even better. However, I do love forced proximity and forbidden love as well. I’m just a hopeless romantic so any romance it good to me. Honestly, I haven’t read a trope I dislike yet but I have so much on my TBR I’ll let you know when I find one.
What is your story with RMK Events by Rachel (whether a particular event, specific story, experience, convo, etc - again interpret however you want)?
RMK Events has been a part of my life since it started and I couldn’t be more honored to be apart of even the smallest part of it. Working with RMK is one of the best opportunities I have had whether it be just providing an extra set of hands for a wedding, being a model for a shoot, providing items for a function or helping coordinate an event. I hope to continue to experience and learn all RMK has to offer and grow along side it.
What are you most looking forward to reading and experiencing in 2024?
OMG I have so many books on my TBR is crazy! At the beginning of 2024 I was looking forward to Fourth Wing since I had not had a chance to read it yet and couldn’t recommend it enough. Anything new Sarah J Maas is always on my top list to look forward to. I am currently reading House of Flame and Shadow and am very excited to see where it goes. But the big event I can’t wait for this year is the Beyond the Book Ball. I am so grateful to be apart of it and can’t wait to see the outcome.
Anything else that you want to add, feel free, to put in here - let our followers and readers get to know you!
Be sure to follow me in Instagram @the_blushingrose I post all the markets I will be at with all the information as I am considering adding more. Feel free to DM me with any questions and just to chat. I love meeting new people!
Upcoming Markets
3/30-3/31 The Dallas Arboretum
4/20-4/21 The Dallas Arboretum
4/28 The Rustic Dallas
5/19 Lakewood Brewing Company
6/2 The Rustic Dallas
10/20 The Rustic
More dates coming soon!
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