Saturday, March 8, 2014

An Interview with Rachel from Rachel's Kids Boutique

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented. We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity. All throughout March, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet
Rachel from Rachel's Kids Boutique

Princess Tiara Headband For Baby Girl Pink Crown Rhinestone Newborn Preemie Infant Baby Shower Gift Photo Prop Flower Rose Glitter Bling
Dainty Tiara Rose Headband $9.99

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
I began selling baby gifts when a friend suggested I try to make a diaper cake. I didn't have anyone to give it to so I sold it on eBay. I started the auction at a penny and the the price went much higher than I ever dreamed possible. The rest is history. After selling on eBay for several years, I heard about Etsy and wanted to give it a try. I like Etsy better since it is more like a craft expo than a yard sale. 


 
How long have you been practicing your art/craft? 10 years.

What training have you had or are you self-taught?
Self-taught
Newborn Butterfly Wings White Baby Shower Gift Angel Photo Prop Christening Costume Outfit Spring Gown Gift Dress
Newborn Butterfly Wings $19.99

What is your favorite material to craft with? 
Baby items, tulle, ribbon, lace and gems.

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?
Getting traffic to stores.

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?
Hang in there! Design beautiful products with a "wow" factor and buyers will find you.

 





What do you enjoy doing in your off time? Coming up with new designs or learning new things (like photoshop!!). I love to read.
TUTU Matching Butterfly Wings Headband Shabby Chic $34.99
Describe a typical day in your life.
I am a busy work-at-home, homeschooling mom of 6 children (all girls by the way!). I get up at 5:30 am with my husband. I have quiet time while he works out for 30 minutes and then I exercise on an elliptical machine in our basement for 30 minutes while he has quiet time. I shower, get dressed, and get my two youngest girls dressed by 7:00 am. 

I fix eggs or green smoothies for breakfast and start homeschooling by 7:30 am. I am currently homeschooling a kindergartner, 4th grader, and 6th grader. My oldest is a college student and the next oldest is a senior in high school so they are pretty much on their own. We work for 2 hours solid and then take a break while I take my 2nd oldest to work or to a class at a local community college. We continue working until lunchtime and then I put the two youngest down for a nap. 

 I work on tutus from approximately 12:00 - 4:00 each day. My middle two girls help watch my youngest two. Several of us will go to the Y or sports practice in the late afternoon and then we usually eat dinner together as a family around 6:30 pm. We have baths, and a family devotional time before heading to bed around 9:00. 

As you can see, I wouldn't be able to manage this without very strict time management techniques and having my girls help. :-) I use the principles from Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog. I use time blocking and focus on the important things first. God first. Family second. Business third.

Pink & Brown Diaper Cake Baby Shower Centerpiece Gift Animal Print Cheetah Leopard Giraffe Newborn Tutu Matching Daisy Headband Infant Girl
Pink & Brown Animal Print Diaper Cake $85.00


Where can we find your products online? 
eBay
Etsy
Facebook
Twitter

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