Meet the Maker: Lanta Carroll from Letters By Lanta

Happy Monday! Did you have a nice weekend? We had a lot of fun with some friends over this weekend to play games. Our Follow Friday had record numbers of makers sharing about themselves. If you would be interested in a blog feature, come and join us on Instagram for our Follow Friday feature giveaway. We are excited to share with you another wonderful maker who won a feature through our Follow Friday giveaway.

Meet Lanta Carroll from Georgia. She has lived all over Georgia but calls the small town of Carrollton, GA home. Currently, she has lived in Atlanta for 8 years and she loves it. Lanta commented, "This small town girl found the city and decided to stick around."

Lanta, how long have you been crafting?
All my life. Literally. My mother is a very creative person and I grew up doing all sorts of crafts with her. She had a different creative project for us to do every day after school! I used to watch her doodle on scratch paper as a little girl, and she painted and lettered signs for our bedrooms. Lettering later became a fun creative outlet for me as I decorated my notes in school, created cheerleading locker signs, sorority banners, and personalized notes for friends! That sounds like a lot of fun what your mom did growing up.

What drew you to your particular craft or what inspired you?
Lettering is an expression of myself. I loved adding depth to letters and words. Making pretty letters helped me stay focused when I was studying for class (sounds different, doesn't it?), and it helped me feel calm and relaxed when I was just doodling for fun. I now call it my praying in color. When I letter, I am given the space to be in the presence of God. To listen, to reflect, to breathe new life into my work. Taking time for lettering is as much a gift to me as it is the people I have the opportunity to work with! What a blessing God has given you.

When did you start selling on-line?
I actually started Letters by Lanta on accident, if I'm honest! My church's artist market was seeking additional artists as we were raising funds for community support projects, so I agreed to get a booth and design some prints and wood signs. I was blown away by everyone's response to my work and how much I loved the process of creating that it quickly grew into something more! All of my pieces are individually hand lettered, so each piece is a labor of love and has a unique story behind it. I love that! The online shop came about 6 months into my business. This is a really fun story. Thanks for sharing.

What drew you to sell on-line?
I decided to go online in order to have my own storefront that could help me create a better system for the business. Since then, it has been beneficial as I share my work and passion with a larger audience. It has its seasonal ebbs and flows, but overall it keeps me organized and allows me to connect with more people who connect with my work. That is great that you are able to connect with more people online.

Lanta what hopes do you have for your business in the future?
I love being a part of capturing special moments and celebrating people's stories. I am also a minister and licensed counselor, so my lettering business is another expression of my passion for inspiring authenticity and celebrating stories. I hope to further integrate these three passions and parts of myself and my identity more consistently moving forward. For example, using my lettering to create new ministry resources for churches, empowering self-care and advocating for mental health through lettering meaningful quotes, and helping others celebrate their stories with other professional services I can provide for weddings alongside my hand lettering, like officiating ceremonies and providing premarital counseling services for couples. It's different, I know! But it integrates the places of intersectionality between my professional backgrounds and creative passions, so it fits me perfectly! Wow, that is really neat how you will be able to incorporate all of your passions together.

Can you share with us what is your most favorite piece that you have made?
I love lettering on wood signs. But my favorite wood sign project has been a hand lettered quote by Maya Angelou, "There is no greater agony than to bear an untold story inside you." I made this for my friend, Nikki, who inspires me to never deny my story. She shows so much courage as she tells her story, she's even writing a book about it! So lettering this piece for her was very special to me. The person's story I was celebrating mixed with the power of Maya's words make it my favorite piece to date! This is really special, thanks for sharing.

Can you think of one thing you would love to share with others who are considering going into the handmade business?
Don't be afraid to get started and pursue your dream! I started my business with $30 and a love for lettering, and I believe it has grown out of my love and passion for what I do. We have permission to do what we love in the world and whether you pursue something as a side hobby or have plans to go full time in pursuit of your creative business, get started now! I feel freer and more true to myself as I gave myself permission to do something I love!

Thank you for sharing such great encouragement. And thank you for sharing about yourself. All the best with your business. Check out some of Lanta's work below!


Social media:
Website: lettersbylanta.com
IG: instagram.com/lettersbylanta
FB: facebook.com/lettersbylanta