Meet the Maker: Shayna Gabor from Coconut Cuties Tie Dye.

Hi, Friends. Happy Friday. How are you this week? Have you found any fun makers, crafts or DIYs? Please email me or share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you and what you have found. If you would like to be interviewed for our Meet The Maker or you would like to contribute to our new Top Five series each week, please contact me. Also coming July 1 we will be starting our annual Christmas in July Craft Challenge.

This week, I have the special privilege of introducing you to Shayna Gabor from Coconut Cuties Tie Dye. Her tie-dye shirts are adorable.

Shayna where are you from and where do you live now? I Grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, but have lived in Fort Lauderdale, FL since 1993.

How long have you been crafting?
I have been crafting as long as I can remember. When I was a kid people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say an artist. I used to have a pottery wheel for kids, I did all kinds of painting, crafting, I even made and sold earrings in junior high school. Arts and crafts have always been an important part of my life. That is great that you have known for so long what you are passionate about.

Shayna, what drew you to tie dying? I first started doing tie-dye when my 20-year-old daughter was just a baby. My best friend and I noticed another baby wearing a cute tie-dye onesie and we asked the mom where she got it. She told us that her cousin sent it to her from California. We looked all over and couldn't find any locally. So that's when the lightbulb went off for both of us and we started coconut cuties tie-dye.What a fun way to get started.

What is your favorite thing about this type of craft? I love that every item is a surprise. I rubber band it and then I put the dye on it and wrap it up overnight and the next morning when I unwrap it to rinse it and wash it you just never know how the dye is going to travel in the clothing. So even though I may try to make two of the same thing at the same time, they will never ever come out exactly identically.That is really cool.

Do you have a job other than making? I have had a bunch of jobs over the years, but since having my son almost 5 years ago I have mainly been a stay at home mom, just doing the odd jobs here and there to bring in some extra cash. But currently, I am a contract card writer for chewy.com. That job I get to do from home, writing thank you cards to each and every one of their customers.That is an interesting job. That is such a blessing you get to stay home with your kids.

When did you start selling on-line and what drew you to sell on-line? I believe that I started selling tie-dye on Etsy about two years ago but I have had my shop since 2010 when I had started it selling wine cork keychains. Selling online is a great way to have a larger reach than just selling to your local market.That is fun you started out in selling wine cork keychains. It is so true that you are able to reach a larger market.

What hopes do you have for your business in the future? I would love to be able to help support my family with my tie-dye business, I just find it difficult because there is so much competition. But if I could eek out a little niche then that would be great. I hope that will become a reality for you in the near future.

What is your most favorite piece that you have made? I have made a lot of fun pieces over the course of time, but my most favorite is one that I just made this weekend and it is a tank top that was a custom order for a woman and she chose a red heart with a blue and red background, and it just came out so beautifully I love how the colors fanned out from the heart in the center it just came out really nicely. This sounds very nice.

What is one thing you would love to share with others who are considering going into the handmade business? It's really complicated topic because you may have a passion for something that you may be very good at, but it may not be a big seller. So I guess you would just have to be prepared for that. You can either try to do something where you know you will make money if that's your objective, or you can just do something that comes from your heart but you may not be able to make a living from it. So I guess just think about those things before you actually get started.Thank you for sharing your thoughts. This is great advice.

You can find Shayna online at the following web addresses:

FaceBook: Www.facebook.com/coconutcutiestiedye
Instagram: instagram.com/coconutcutiestiedye

Meet the Maker: Jess Fagot from The Coffee is Brewing

Hello, again friends! It's that time of week again where we have the special privilege to interview a maker and introduce them to you. This week, we are introducing you to Jess Fagot from The Coffee is Brewing. Enjoy her story and her really cute wreaths. If you would like a blog feature in our Meet the Maker series either, email us or join in on our Follow Friday feature giveaways. Have a great week.

Without further ado let's Meet the Maker, Jess Fagot!

Where are you from?
I grew up from birth until college in a beautiful town in Colorado. The mountains became a huge part of my creative inspiration and I spent hours out in the wilderness. There is nothing quite like a cup of coffee and campfire in the middle of nowhere.That sounds lovely. I love nature too. We live on the side of a mountain.

Where do you live now?
My husband is currently in graduate school at the University of Florida. He just finished his first year and has two more to go before he finishes! We love it here (although it’s super different from Colorado!) and there is a huge appreciation for the arts in this community. We are falling in love with the people here. That's great.

How long have you been crafting? I have been crafting off and on for about five years but really jumped into it earlier this spring during my maternity leave after giving birth to my son. That's neat.

What drew you to your particular craft or what inspired you?
I began to take a good hard look at the people around me and I realized I did not want to be where my coworkers were in five years. I wanted something more. I didn’t want to settle with just paying bills and dying. So, I quit my full-time job (which is a big deal because we are a one income family) and gave my homemade wreath shop everything I had. I believe in the power of home and the importance of creating a place where people feel safe and loved. A wreath is a statement piece that invites someone in and it was so special to me to craft something that said that. How exciting that you want to help build a place where people feel safe and loved through your wreaths. I am sure that passion shines through in what you make.

When did you start selling on-line?
I started selling online in February!Oh Wow so super new to it all.

And What drew you to sell on-line?
I did a little craft fair here in town and realized how much better it would be to promote online because of the vast target market. I had to do a lot of research for how to ship, how to market, etc but it has been super worth it. That's great.

What hopes do you have for your business in the future?
I am continuing to grow this little shop and I am excited mostly for all the people I will meet. I take pride and care to hand wrap every single wreath that goes out and it is such a special moment for me. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this. I am sure it's a special moment for your customers too.

What is your most favorite piece that you have made?
Gosh - that is hard. I think my favorite wreath was a wildflower wreath…. It had flowers peeping out of all the grapevine and it made me think of Colorado. Sounds lovely.
What is one thing you would love to share with others who are considering going into the handmade business?
Today is the perfect day to start! We can make lists and analyze them to the point that they lose their magic. Take one small step at a time and move forward slowly. Slow is good. Dreaming is good. You only have one precious life — how do you want to use it? So True.

You can find Jess on the web at the following links:
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thecoffeeisbrewing/
ETSY:https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecoffeeisbrewing
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thecoffeeisbrewing/

Don't forget to come and join us here on our blog and in our Facebook group for our 2nd Annual Christmas in July Craft Challenge starting July 1.

Meet the Maker: Sydni Wright from Sydni Design

Happy Memorial Day! I can't believe that "summer" has begun! We are looking forward to warmer weather, trips to the pool, summer staff conference for my husbands work and lots of fun summer camps. What plans do you have for the summer? I would love to hear about them. 

I am excited to introduce you to another maker. If you would like to be featured in our Meet the Maker series you can take one of two actions. One pop over to our Instagram feed and join in on our #followfriday to enter for a chance to win a feature. Or email me at mtnittanycreations@gmail.com. Meet Sydni Wright from Sydni Design. She grew up in Southern Missouri and Southern Utah and currently lives in Orem, Utah.

How long have you been crafting and tell us about your love of embroidery? 
I have been crafting as long as I can remember, but the first time I ever embroidered, I was 10 years old. I love so many different craft mediums, but embroidery has a calming effect on me. I love the concept of creating a picture with a swatch of fabric and thread. What a blessing to find something that calms you and that you love to do.

When did you start selling online and why?
I started selling online this year actually. My Etsy store says I've been open since 2014, but I only started selling my embroidery and weavings in March! I wanted to sell online because I wanted to make my product available to everyone instead of limiting it to local markets, although I do those as well. Thanks for opening your product to those online. It is so pretty I am glad we get to see it too.

What do you hope for the future of your business?
I have lots of hopes for my business in the future, expanding being obvious, but I would also like to start embroidering on clothing and selling one of a kind wearable art. I love the idea of wearable art. I can't wait to see what you create.

Sydni what is your most favorite piece that you have made?
My favorite piece as of late is my St. George temple piece. I actually just sold that one this week, but it was one of the first temples I ever embroidered and I was so proud of how it turned out. Capturing perspective is difficult with pen and paper, but add in thread and needle and it's 10X harder. I can only imagine how difficult it is to create perspective with a thread and needle. You do it so beautifully.

What is one thing you would like to share with other artists looking to go into business?
One thing I like to share with other artists and makers is even though there is a niche and a market for certain things out there, don't forget to make things you love and have a passion for. People love buying things that others are passionate about. This is so true. 

Thank you so much for featuring me!!
You are very welcome. Thanks for sharing, it has been fun to get to know you better.

If you would like to see more of Sydni's work or follow her, you can find her online at these locations.
https://www.facebook.com/sydnidesign
https://www.instagram.com/sydnidesign/

Christmas In July Craft Challenge more info coming soon.

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

Meet the Maker: Karey Bitney from Karried Astray

Karey Bitney

Hello, Friends. Happy Friday! How has your week been? Ours has been fairly busy. One of the fun things we did this week was a field day for my three oldest children. We had some great sunny weather with a breeze to help keep us cool.

If you are a small shop and you would like to be featured in our series Meet the Maker, please email me to inquire.

I look forward to Friday's and our Follow Friday activity on my Instagram feed. Karey was a winner of one of our free feature giveaways.  I am so excited that she won. Not only does she have an awesome small shop but she is one of my dear maker friends whom I have met online. I have been truly blessed by her friendship in the maker community.

Karey is from San Pedro, California and currently lives in Reno, Nevada. She has been crafting on and off for years. She has done all kinds of things from paper mache to painting murals on walls.

Karey what drew you to your particular craft or inspired you to start crafting?
"Sewing is one of my passions along with other crafts and one year my youngest daughter who was 6 yrs old at the time, designed a dress on drawing paper and I made her dream come true for Christmas that year by sewing her designed dress. The first bag I made was crocheted with yarn and lined with fabric. Sometime in 2014, I found a Facebook group called Swoon pattern group and sewed my first cross body bag. I really loved cutting, ironing, sewing, and birthing the bags and watching them come to life. "

Karey started selling online in September of 2015.  What drew you to start selling online? 
"You can't buy unique, colorful pattern fabric purses, stores mostly just have solid color bags. I had sold bags to friends and family and thought the public would love to have one-of-a-kind handbags for themselves."

What hopes do you have for your business in the future? 
"I am hoping to offer different designs of handbags and bag sewing kits." That sounds really cool. I would love to try one of those kits when you start selling them.

What is your favorite piece that you have made?
"They are all my favorite but currently there is a bag I design named Nikki, and it's a cross body bag. I have a new item coming soon, which is a wine bag :)( I don't have a name yet) which will be my new favorite."

What is one thing you would love to share with others who are considering going into the handmade business?
"Don't quit, work hard and learn everything about SEO and advertising."

So very true. Thanks for sharing Karey. I wish you all the best with your adorable bags.

You can find Karey's adorable bags online at these locations:
Instagram: @karriedastray
Facebook: Karried Astray
Etsy: Karried Astray
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHUbE3jmJMg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pBro4yMX2g

Meet the Maker: Crystal Huesman from The Roosters Relics

Hello, friends. I hope that this finds you well and that you had a nice weekend. This weekend, we were in a local craft show and celebrated Mother's day with my folks. What did you do over the weekend? If you are a small shop and would like to be featured in the Meet The Maker blog series please email me for more information.

I really enjoy getting to know other small handmade shops. Our Follow Friday activity has to be one of my favorite weekly events for our Instagram feed. I love meeting these new shops and then giving them the opportunity to be featured on our Instagram feed and here in our blog. Recently during one of our Follow Friday feature contests, the winner was Tom and Crystal Huesman from The Roosters Relics. I hope you enjoy getting to know a little bit about them and their handmade shop.

Tom and Crystal are from Baltimore County, Maryland.  They moved to Red Lion, PA about 2 years ago. Crystal shared with me that Red Lion "is a smallish town about 30 minutes from Lancaster, PA."

Crystal shared that she has been crafting for her whole life in some way.  Here is a fun story that she shared with me. "I have always loved walking around old towns with my grandparents admiring the architect and watching my father build in his basement workshop on the weekends.  I remember watching him build me a dollhouse with a doorbell and electricity, while he worked and went to college. I guess he has been my inspiration all these years.  Working hard and staying humble is his mojo."

Crystal what drew you into this particular craft?  "I grew up wanting to be an art teacher or join the Military to be a pilot, but ended up taking a more 'practical' career path of auditing and quality control.  When I was about 23 I started to have severe migraines and I used painting and decorating as stress therapy. This was also when Shabby Chic became popular and I loved it, but being a young mom I had to be creative with decorating on a budget.  Of course, my friends were not so keen on my style back then, they thought it was for "old people" lol.   Thanks to HGTV they have changed their tune:). Then in 2008 about the time I met my husband, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. So some days I can make and others I just design." Thank you for sharing all of the ups and downs of your path to this point. I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis of MS. I too struggle with a chronic illness. It can be hard some days and easier on others. Thank you for persevering and crafting through the good and bad days.

What brought you to sell online?  "I use to give away my painted furniture to Veterans and homeless shelters only, until about a year ago after several friends begged me to start a business page. From then my hobby blossomed into selling items, staging stores and decorating homes for those on a budget. Everyone says I sell my stuff too cheap, but my philosophy is to price things that are budget friendly.  If I know of someone else that can make the item better, I will refer my client to them. Not that they will return the favor....but hey that's good karma right :)" Thank you for being so generous.  What a blessing you are to those around you.

Crystal continues to sell by keeping this in mind. "I always keep in mind the thankfulness and tears of joy I witnessed when decorating for folks moving from homeless shelters to their own homes."

Something that helps keep Crystal keep going is this, "Over the past few months we have grown to a group of 7 makers, all friends here in PA and MD.  We all work full-time jobs as well in various public service positions.  They each have amazing design skills varying from painting, decorating and building.   I am beyond happy to be able to showcase their work.   We like to have fun and get our business from referrals.  We do not post professional pictures or pay for marketing. I utilize my friends Amy, Dana, and Melanie to bounce ideas off of when designing.  They are hilarious, supportive and honest."

Crystal what is one of your favorite pieces?  "I do not think I can pick one favorite piece. I guess if I had to it would be the first Barn door my husband made for our home. He is so talented and has gone several days with minimal sleep to build items for families when I can not."

What is one thing you would share with others interested in going into business? "One thing I would like to share with others in the business is to trust your instincts and do not let people take advantage of your kindness.  Just because you can or love what you are doing, make sure those you work with are sincere."

Crystal what hopes do you have for the future for your business?  "My hopes for the future of our business is continuing to help others. I spend hours each day just answering client questions because I love to help.  When a client is excited it fuels my creativity, which happens to be late at night lol. Yay for coffee to get me through the day.  Oh and of course have fun! All of my friends are begging me to get a go pro so they can witness some of the funny things that happen or I do." Thank you for sharing about yourself and your small business. I wish you all the best in your endeavors.

You can find The Rooster Relics Online at these web addresses:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroostersrelics/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRoostersRelics/
email: theroostersrelics@comcast.net

Meet the Maker: Peggy from Peg and Mo

How was your weekend? Did you do any fun crafting or yard work? It was pretty yucky weather here so we weren't outside much. Today, I have the special privilege of introducing you to another maker. Her name is Peggy and she is the founder and maker of the small shop Peg and Mo.

Peg and her husband Mo.

Peggy was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She continues to live in Ontario and her family goes back several generations. How cool is that?

Peggy has been crafting all of her life or as she puts it "it feels like it." Peggy told us "I have always been a person who colored as a child. I learned how to crochet and knit from my mom." What a blessing to learn these skills from your mom.
When Peggy was 15, she started to learn how to sew clothes. After learning how to sew clothes she learned how to sew quilts and home decor items. Peggy shares this with us about sewing " I love sewing and creating things. I especially like smaller projects as they are easier to carry with you. I also have a huge love for fabric and working with wool felt." How fun is this?

She recently started selling online. For the last 19 years and still counting, Peggy and her husband own an online non-creative business. She is blessed to learn a lot about owning a business through this experience. 

When asked what she likes about selling online, Peggy shared this "I love the convenience of selling on-line. No line-ups, it's easy and
less expensive than a brick and mortar." This is true, thanks for sharing Peggy.

I asked Peggy about her future hopes for her business. She shared "I hope to build my business to the point where I can retire from our other business and work in this full-time. I would also like to be published in Where WomenCreate Magazine." These are great goals, Peggy. Please share with us if you do get published.

Peggy's favorite item she sells is her wool felt garland/vines. She told me that "They are fun and creative and look so pretty when they are displayed." I can attest, they truly are very pretty.

When asked what advice she would offer to others wanting to start a small business online, Peggy shared "I would say that whether it is a creative business or you sell widgets for a living. Business is Business. You need to treat it as such. Listen to the ones who have come before you and learn as much as you can. It is
not always going to be easy, but as I tell myself sometimes "what is the
alternative". Have fun, enjoy it and share your wisdom." This is sage advice, thank you, Peggy.

To find Peggy and her sweet shop online follow one of these links: https://www.instagram.com/peg_and_mo/
https://www.pinterest.com/pegandmo/pins/
https://twitter.com/PegandMo
https://www.facebook.com/pegandmo
https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/peg-mo-14851427
http://pegandmo.com/shop
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Meet the Maker: Maggie Murray from Diversified Designs NC

Hi, Friends! How are you? We have had a fun week with our Instagram giveaway. Have you entered yet? Make sure you head over to our feed and enter. The giveaway goes until Saturday night May 6 at 10 pm EST.

We have had the privilege to interview another great small shop maker, Maggie Murray from Diversified Designs NC.

Maggie is originally from the foothills near Blowing Rock, NC and currently, lives in the middle of the state near Greensboro.

When asked "How long have you been crafting?" She shared the following "Really, my whole life I'd venture to say! Always making something out of nothing or painting things on the walls or canvases. My parents instilled in me that making things was far better than buying them in a store. We always made gifts instead of buying them. Love that about my family." That is really neat Maggie that your parents did that for you.

I asked Maggie to share what drew her to her particular craft. Maggie said "When I'm out with my mother and we see something, we always say 'we can make that!' So the event that really sticks out in my mind was at a farmers market last summer, saw a few booths and I just knew I could do it too. So, I had some tools and started making things and really hit it hard on social media and bam!!! A little side business was born."

Maggie just started selling on-line in January 2017. Maggie has a technology background and is always shopping online. She finds that selling online is an easy way to get her stuff out for the world to see. Maggie uses Etsy. She told me that it has been neat to learn and she is getting better as she goes.

When asked what hopes she has for the future of her business? She shared the following "I just want to keep having fun with building things and doing custom orders for people. It makes my heart soar when I hear that clients love their creations. I want to do festivals and continue to meet awesome people as I go. It is so fun that it makes your heart soar when your customers love your creations.

I asked Maggie "What is your most favorite piece that you have made?" She commented "A piece of barn wood with two silhouettes of birds made from pallet wood with twine as their resting spot. It's just the most beautiful thing and it came from a thought and then I just made it. So neat how that happens!" That is neat how that happens Maggie. Thanks for sharing.

When asked" What is one thing you would love to share with others who are considering going into the handmade business?" Maggies shared this "Find what you love and do it. It's easy to work super hard on something after an 8-5 job when you absolutely love what you're making. That's the biggest thing. If I hated woodworking, then I wouldn't get so pumped up to get home to work another 4 hours on top of my 'real work day'. It's so rewarding and fun. Oh, yes. Always keep it fun! :)"

Thank you, Maggie, for sharing about yourself, your business and sharing some great advice. May we all be so blessed to love what we do.

You can find Maggies Shop Diversified Designs NC at the following places online.

www.diversifieddesignsnc.com
Instagram: @diversifieddesignsnc
Facebook: diversified designs NC