Meet Janae from ClaireandJanae

I am happy to introduce you to a fellow team etsyBABY member today… Janae of ClaireandJanae. She makes some fabulous things and I hope you enjoy meeting the artist behind the craft!

Tell me a little bit about your background in arts and crafts.When did you first start creating things?
I have always liked to make things but I didn’t start making baby things until I was pregnant with my daughter Danielle. I got a job at a quilt shop and my mom really helped me pretend I knew what I was doing. I studied art for a few years in College.

What were the first things you created? and how did your creativity progress from there?
In college I got really in to photography and sculpture. I was on a study abroad and discovered I loved it. Then later I had a job at a quilt shop and the first week they asked me to make an example blanket. I had never made a quilt before. My mom and my 17 year old brother helped me (he already knew how to quilt.) I dove in head first to sewing and two and a half years later I still love it.

How did you come up with your shop name?
I wanted something like fuzzy wuzzy or cuddle elephant or silly made up words that didn’t make much sense. I also wanted it to say baby. Then I decided to use Claire because it is my daughter’s middle name and my sister’s name. My name is ALWAYS spelled wrong so it is in my shop name but not my official brand name. My sister is an attorney and she loves talking about different ideas and what I need to do legally. Baby Claire and I spend all day making things and she has her own sewing machine (one of those kid ones) and a pile of fabric she shows me all the time. Since we are in it together I used our names together- it was last minute.

Is this your only business or do you do other things as well?
I actually just recently opened claireandmedesigns.etsy.com which is a design shop. It has lots of rude and nice cards and photos I’ve taken.

Do you still dream about making other things? If so, what?
I have a really simple screenprinting kit and I want to start doing that. And how to really use Adobe illustrator because I’m not very good at it. I have always wanted to learn how to blow glass and make vases. Someday….

How did you hear about Etsy?
I heard about it from another sister, who sells hair pins. She had a few ideas about things we could buy her for Christmas and showed me the site. We started talking and I started my shop.

Any words of advice to others?
My only advice is to keep really good records. If you don’t know how get a computer program to help you. And to remember that if you aren’t having fun, don’t torture yourself. Make your shop pay for itself or your husband will wonder where the heck all your money is going.

How will the new law by CPSIA affect you and your shop?
Since most of my items are a few of a kind, I will have to either switch to making just one of each item or not carry lots of things. The onesies will really take a hit. I will probably have to raise prices since it will take so much more time to get each item ready if they are one of a kind. I am really glad they put off some of the CPSIA things and I am waiting to see if they will change it so I can keep making things.

If you take a look at Janae’s shop announcement you will see that etsy has become a family thing!
claireandmedesigns.etsy.com– my other site with Cards and Photography
shelleanne.etsy.com – my sister Rachelle’s site with great hair things.
magnoliapottery.etsy.com– Pottery from my sister in law Brooke.

Thanks for stopping by my blog to read about another fabulous fellow etsian!