Name of your website?Hearthside Collection
Your name?
Jacki
Your Location (city, etc)
Argos
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Hearthside Collection is a great place to find handmade primitive country decor item for your home! Some of our products include primitive stitcheries, stick family samplers, baskets, painted slate shingles, slate snowman ornaments, pip berry garlands and wreaths. I love to create! I have been making and selling things since I was in elementary school. It all started with macrame bracelets. My Dad saw the bracelets and necklaces I was making and suggested that we try to sell them through a little boutique in a nearby town. It worked!! That was just the beginning. Since them I have sold my items through several different avenues--consignment, wholesale, and craft shows. One of my favorite ways to display and sell my crafts has been in our 1890 home. When the Christmas season arrives, we open our home, and with 20-30 other crafters, fill the entire first floor with a wide variety of gifts and crafts for the community to enjoy.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
I think it was my sister who suggested that I try to sell my things online. I started selling on eBay and had sales as far away as Australia. The next step was to consider my own website, but I had no idea what that really meant!
When did you launch your first website?
I purchased my domain name and then began building a website with the Dreamweaver program. After about a year I was not satisfied with my site, especially since I wanted to have a shopping cart available for my customers. I started researching what that would take and, after much trial and error, ran into DIYstores. There is a link to them from each page in our store. They have a great website building program! I signed up with them in January of 2008, built my store and here I am!
How did you decide on a name for your website?
My grandparents and my parents always had a fireplace, and I have many memories of cozy times by the family fireplace. The word "Hearthside" reminded me of the warmth of those times. My Hearthside Collection really is a reflection of the treasure of my family-a heritage painted with extended family, helping hands of neighbors in our rural small town setting, of hard work and modest means, tied together with faith. When you browse my site, I hope you sense a bit of that, and I want my products to extend some of that warmth to your home.
What is your favorite product or service you offer and why?
One goal I have is to help those who have a vision for something in their home, but can't create it themselves. Quite a few of my items can be customized and I've enjoyed special orders. I like providing something unique for my customers. An example of this is with our Stick Family Samplers. A customer contacted me an idea and wanted to know if I could make something for her. It was not something I was familiar with, but I loved the idea. With the help of a pencil and paper, a digital camera and back and forth emails we were able to provide what she wanted, and add a very personal, one-of-a-kind product to our Collection.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
My head is so full of future plans I'm about ready to explode!! I have several product ideas I want to develop. I also will continue to improve and market my online store with a goal of making it very user friendly.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
This had become an adventure that the whole family has a part in. I love teaching my daughters to work with their hands, and so they help me out with the little jobs like painting frames and cutting baskets spokes. (Of course, they enjoy the little extra cash!) My son helped remove all the slate shingles for the top of a two-story house. My husband like to do manly things like lifting heavy objects and using power tools. Her is very supportive of my business venture. With their help, I have been able to expand my business. I am very grateful that God has given me such a wonderful family. We enjoy life in our small, one stoplight town, northern Indiana town. It has been a great place to raise our four children. We spend lots of time at basketball and soccer games, music programs and plays, church events and with extended family.
What is your website address?
Hearthside Collection
