My name is Rachelle Luitjens and I am a Canadian (North Vancouver-born) living who has been living in the US for the past 6 years. We moved here when my husband (Nathan) took a pastoral job in Iowa. After not being able to work legally for someone else 5 years (immigration laws), I decided to start my own business doing what I love to do! I work in my "spare" time which I take in little bits because I have 3 boys ages 5, 3, and 2 who keep me very busy.
Tell me a bit about your art and your products? What inspires you?
I love bags and purses - I used to walk through stores just eyeing them, wishing I could buy more. So now, I make my own instead - which is so much more fun because I can choose whatever fabric I feel like using at the time. I tend to gravitate toward bright colours because they just make me happy. And I have a pile of fabric just waiting and calling my name in my "workshop" right now (that's what my 3 year old calls my sewing room!).
Most of the baby and child items I started making out of necessity with 3 little boys around, and found that others liked my stuff (which is always nice!). The change pad is my favourite creation because it has made my life so much easier - I hate having to take a full diaper bag everywhere I go! I made my first puppet theatre in order to channel some of the creative energy of my kids into something fun for me as well, and now I'm trying to figure out what themes I should use on the fronts of the theatres to stock my store!
I guess you could say that my kiddos are my inspiration for a lot of my items.
all-in-one baby change pad / diaper bag
How do you share your creations? Where can we find you?
I share my creations on both my blog and on facebook. My blog address is http://www.safferymoore.blogspot.com and my facebook fan page is http://www.facebook.com/safferymoore. I also have a flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/people/safferymoore.
And of course I sell them in my etsy store at http://www.safferymoore.etsy.com.
What is your most important lesson since starting your craft/business?
Patience, patience, and patience! I get really excited when I get an order, especially when I get more than one order at a time, but then I get frustrated when things slow down again. I've heard others say that it takes time to become established on etsy and to be patient with sales, so that's what I'm focusing on right now.
Some fun tidbits:
-Coffee, tea or hot chocolate?
definitely coffee - I just bought myself a Saeco Aroma Espresso Machine last month and have been making myself at least 2-3 Americanos a day! (and yes, I'm a little bit jittery :))
-Your favourite candy?
dark chocolate - I could eat it all day (while I drink my coffee)
-Your favourite colour? I've always like blue, any shade!
-Your favourite movie?
well... that would necessitate actually getting out to the movies for "grown up" shows which hasn't happened in a while! But if I were to choose an all-time favourite it would probably be Fried Green Tomatoes. I could watch that movie any day.
-If I were to catch you grooving it would be to this song….
almost any country song, but probably something by Brooks and Dunn - who I get to go see in Vancouver in May!
wonderful interview : )
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog. Keep up the good work.
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