Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Ward.
Hi Laura, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Before Craft Takeover became a home goods business, it started as a blog. I took photos and wrote up tutorials of the projects I was working in our first house. The craft projects were “taking over” and that is where the name comes from. This is when I began sewing more, made my very first quilt, and started selling a few things that I was making. I enjoy baking and cooking, and made a few oven mitts for myself and posted photos. A few friends asked to buy some, and then I began listing them on Etsy. Sales slowly increased and now I’ve made hundreds, along with pot holders, and a line of small fabric goods made with the scraps.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I often struggle with the balance of wanting to do creative work, but also running every aspect of the business side of things by myself. I’m making every financial decision, doing everything from product photography, marketing, and social media, shipping, customer service, and actually making the products, too. It’s tricky to stay on top of everything and maintain a balance, but staying organized help. Now that I’ve got several years of experience, I have systems in place that help me get things done.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love that the oven mitts and pot holders I make are meant to be used every day. I’m proud that they are a quality product that people continue buying for themselves and often as gifts for loved ones. I put a lot of care into the construction so that they will hold up to daily use, and the fabrics are really high quality. I’m known for the Rifle Paper Co fabrics that I use, and there are so many great ones. It’s hard to pick which is my favorite print!
Along with sewing home goods, I’m known for my quilting work as well. My quilt designs usually consist of curved needle turn appliqué shapes and lots of hand quilting. I enjoy making them to enter in shows and working on them in my free time. So I get to sew for work, and sew for fun too.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
I think Covid-19 has shown me that I can change and have flexibility, and give myself a break when I need to. My daughters were home with me at the beginning, and I had to change the way my workday looked. I learned just how much I could multi-task when it turned out to be my busiest year yet. A lot of people started cooking at home, and needed new oven mitts for their kitchens!
Things have calmed down now, but I’m dealing with increased supply prices and delayed shipping times on important materials. It’s a challenging time to be a small business.
Pricing:
- Oven Mitt – $26
- Pot Holder – $15
- Fabric Stickers – $6
- Key Fobs – $8-10
- Set of Lavender Sachets – $12
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crafttakeover.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/crafttakeover
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/crafttakeover
