Welcome to our second installment of the Meet the Creative series. We hope
these short question/answer posts help you get to know each of are talented contributors
on a more personal level.
Tell us about your creative background.
I have always loved
crafting and creating. I'd say it runs in my blood. My Mom always made
special things for my sister and me when we were younger. The puffy paint
shirts were her thing, birthday parties were unique, and she always made our
Halloween costumes! The best trick I learned from my mother was that you
can transform anything with a little creativity, a glue gun, a sewing machine,
or some paint! I hope I carry that over to my children.
How did you end up doing what you do now?
I started Tater Tots-
Unique & Fun Baby Items about four and half years ago. I bought my son a
covered baby wipe case off of Etsy and I wasn't really impressed with the
design or finish of it. After I tried my hand at it my mom encouraged me to
start selling them. I started selling to friends and family and moved to
selling at a small consignment boutique, The Little Things In Life, in my
hometown. Soon after that I started making taggie blankets. After
trying my hand a bibs and paci clips I slowly moved onto girl's hair
accessories. I sold my products on Etsy and also through other
consignment stores. Partnering with some of the best photographers to
showcase my work has been so beneficial! But, when I got presented with
the opportunity to be a part of Pastiche at Main I had no idea how my business
would grow!
What is your favorite thing you have every created?
My favorite thing to
create is a custom piece. , I am the happiest with the outcome when customers bring their ideas to me and then
let me go with my creativity. My
Party Hats and Matching Embellished Bibs, for boys and girls, are a lot of fun
to make. Most moms order these for first birthdays, which are such a
special time. Since each birthday is different I end up using different
fabrics and designs every time I make a set. Seeing the pictures with
a happy little fella or sweet gal on their special day, in my products, is
pretty awesome!
Are you working on any new projects or learning any new techniques?
Since I take custom
orders I always find myself learning new ways to do things. My customers
vary in their styles and I am thankful for that! Pintrest is my best
friend and the glue gun is my love and my enemy! I still feel that there
are many things I need to master on the sewing machine, and I WILL sew a
zipper in one day!!
Where if your favorite place to create?
In the sunlight!
The sunlight is my other best friend. The fabrics and supplies that
I work with are so bright and seeing them come together in their true colors is
best. My mom tells me, to this day, that she just can't crochet or sew
without the sunlight. I agree with her totally!
What inspires you most?
I keep saying it but, my
customers! They bring me their ideas and let me run wild. Customers
bring me their vision and send me down a path that I am able to freely create
from. Some of my best sellers have been custom orders that other people
fall in love with. I am also inspired by other creatives. I see
their work and I see something totally different in that product that I could
do. Color trends for the season are also a great way to gage what
parents will want for their children.
What is your creative soundtrack?
Oh, my music range is
wide! My music choices depend on how I am feeling emotionally.
Mumford and Sons and The Civil Wars stations on Pandora are my favorites.
But, I will also listen to Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Kate
Havenevik and Massive Attack!
What do you love most about what you do?
I love that I am able to supplement some income
into my family. For a long time I felt as though, in many business ventures,
this wasn’t true, I was putting more financially into the business than I
was receiving. I am now seeing a payoff. It's really nice to see
how my business has grown and I am so excited to see what lies ahead!
Where to Find Lora
