Welcome to Talk to Me Tuesday!! It has been a bit since I was able to interview a talented indie maker but when I was given the opportunity to interview my next guest, I jumped at the chance. Today we are meeting the very talented Caitlin, of Caitlin's Amazing Pottery. She makes the cutest little clay figurines, decorations, and art pieces.
Welcome Caitlin! It is a great honor to meet you!
Tell us about you!
My name is Caitlin, and I like making pottery! I also enjoy cooking,
watching BBC shows (Doctor Who and Sherlock are my favorites) and I am
cocaptain of my Special Olympics swim team. The Dolphins rule the pool! I also have two cats, Oreo and Jackson, both are rescue cats.
Tell us about your shop!
My shop's name is Caitlin's Amazing Pottery. It all started when I
was in high school. I tried pottery a few times and it was really fun!
Then I found Essence of Art, a local studio and work space for people
with different intellectual disabilities. Eventually I became the head
potter there!
I no longer work at EoA, but I do now have my own studio at my home, a kiln, and a ton of mud to make into fun things.
I
made clay houses, figurines of different cute animals, jewelry trays,
dishes, ornaments, insence burners, air planters, all out of high
quality stoneware, and the list of things I make is ever growing.
What is your Favorite thing to make?
It's a tie between my little round houses and my fox figurines.
What is the hardest part or owning your own online business?
Sometimes it's hard finding your target audience, and also balancing
making new things while keeping up with the internet side of the
business.
Do you have any advice to share?
Sometimes sales are slow, but it's best to go with the flow and use it
as a time to improve your shop and do what you love, create!
I agree there, create what you love! It was so wonderful to meet you and learn more about your shop and craft. I am so glad you helped expand my craft community. Thank you so much for coming
and talking to us today. You can find and follow Caitlin at her SHOP | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
Make sure to visit her and tell her a crafty 'Hi!'
Welcome to Talk to Me Tuesday!! Today we are meeting the very talented Kristen, of Rustic Romance Crafts, who just recently was added as a sponsor to my blog. I am so excited to have her part of my krafty-kraziness. She makes beautiful wreaths, banners, wedding decor, summer decor, patriotic decor and more.
Welcome Kristen!
Tell us about you!
My name is Kristen and I am the owner of Rustic Romance Crafts. I am a
stay at home mom of two boys, 4 and 2. My husband and I have been
married for 4 years and together for 9. When I am not busy crafting, I
love to go camping with my family, go to the beach, and hang out with my
friends. I am addicted to coffee and handmade goods.
Tell us about your shop!
In January of 2013, I made a New Year's resolution to be more creative. I
headed to craft store to see if I could find some inspiration when I
found burlap. I had seen burlap banners before and loved the idea of
making one. I made a Valentine's Day banner for myself and decided that I
would make a few more with the left over material and sell them on my
local Facebook garage sale sites. They were a big hit and I started my
Facebook page, Rustic Romance Crafts. I continued making banners and
eventually branched out into other burlap decor such as wreaths and
wedding items. One year after I started my Facebook page, I made my
business "official" by opening my shop on Storenvy.
What is your Favorite thing to make?
My favorite item to make would be burlap banners. There is so much you
can do with them! I love getting custom orders and making them personal.
I feel like it is something they can keep and remember a special
occasion in their lives.
What is the hardest part or owning your own online business?
Time management! Being business owner, you wear many hats : designer,
creator, marketer, promoter, and accountant. Add mom, wife, house keeper
to that list and it can be tough to find time to do it all. I make
to-do lists daily and cross things off as I go. Lists keep me sane. LOL
Do you have any advice to share?
I would say the hardest lesson I have learned is that your success is
not necessarily the same as someone else's. Everyone's definition of
success is different and everyone has different goals. Work hard, don't
get discouraged, and network with other businesses like yours. I have
found amazing communities who have encouraged me, giving me advice and
constructive criticism which has really helped me grow.
That is great advice, Kristen! I am so glad you are part of my craft community and your darling shop inspires me all the time. Thank you so much for coming
and talking to us today! You can find and follow Kristen at her SHOP | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
Make sure to visit her and tell her a crafty 'Hi!'
♥Kelly
Welcome to Talk to Me Tuesday!! Today we are meeting the very talented Katy of Dazzling and Dapper. She is really gifted with bow ties, suspenders, skirts, and embroidered items. I love her shop because she has cute things for boys!
Welcome Katy!
Tell us about You!
My name is Katy and I am a wife, mommy and crazy mind behind Dazzling
and Dapper. My son is a crazy 2 year old redhead and as a family we
love playing outside. Besides sewing, I am a geeky gamers. My current
game love being Skylanders!
Tell us about your shop!
I
run Dazzling and Dapper and I make clothing and accessories. I started
by only making girl items, mostly bows and flower clips. Then I
realized that I couldn't find what I wanted for my son and my boy's line
was born. It has ties, bow ties, and suspenders. I recently added an
embroidery machine and can do the whole outfit!
What is your favorite thing to make?
I love making the boy items and the birthday shirts. I think that both really embody a child's personality!
What is the hardest part of owning your own online shop?
Time management, some days I seem to spend all day on the computer and the next I just want to sew all day.
Do you have any advice to share?
Set realistic goals and keep at it! It takes time but hard work will pay off!
I
completely agree, Katy! Goal setting is very important but to keep them where they are attainable. It takes time to grow. Thank you so much for coming
and talking to us today! I learned more about you and am so thankful
you are part of my crafting, indie shop community. You can find and follow Katy at her SHOP | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
Make sure to visit her and tell her a crafty 'Hi!'
♥Kelly
Welcome to Talk to Me Tuesday!! Today we are meeting the very talented Zeide of Pelhuaz by Red. She is greatly gifted with jewelry making. She is currently running a Mother's Day SALE, make sure to take advantage of those savings!
Welcome Zeide!
Tell us about You!
My name is Zeide Rojas, but most of the time I go by Zei. I'm a happy,
curly, sarcastic Momma, Wife, Friend, and Small Business Owner. We live
in Puerto Rico, so is practically Summer all the time. Our house is in a
country site full of trees, bamboos and space to run. We spend lot of
time outside jumping in the trampoline of just playing with the dogs.
Tell us about your shop!
Pelhuaz is dedicated to the handmade simple and chic jewelry. All our
designs are modern with a bohemian twist. I love to keep things simple,
as I think that a pice of jewelry should accentuate your outfit -not
being the main attraction.
What is your favorite thing to make?
I LOVE doing bracelets. Is the most fun thing to do. Picking colors and
matching materials to make an unique piece of jewelry. No two designs
are the same!
What is the hardest part of owning your own online shop?
To be honest, for me the hardest part is the waiting for a new order.
This is very competitive way of doing business due to the amount of
amazing shops available. You need to have patience. It takes time to
build an audience and to get customers. While waiting for the orders, I
usually spend my time promoting, and looking for better way to improve
my store front.
Do you have any advice to share?
As mention before, you need to have patience. It takes time to build an
audience and to get customers. Dedicate time to look for the correct
community and build your supporting group. That's the most important
thing. I'm bless with great friends that I met thru the Storenvy
Community that help me all the time!
I completely agree, Zeide, patience is most certainly needed when you have an online shop. It takes time to grow. Thank you so much for coming and talking to us today! I learned more about you and am so thankful you are part of my crafting, indie shop community. You can find and follow Zeide at her SHOP | BLOG | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST| TUMBLR | TWITTER
Make sure to visit her and tell her a crafty 'Hi!'
♥Kelly
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