Interview with Tactile Baby...

By Colleen of Tactile Baby

My name is Colleen and I'm the mother behind Tactile Baby, a line of handmade toys, decor and clothing for babies and toddlers. After a decade spent in marketing and public relations I'm indulging a dream I've held since childhood to run a business of my own.

As a lifelong crafter, I am always looking to give personal, handmade holiday and birthday gifts to my friends and family, and by nature that extended into the realm of baby shower gifts once I reached that stage in my life. From quilts to baby booties, bonnets, sweaters, hats, onsies, towels and toys, over the years my baby shower gifts slowly evolved as I gained confidence and skill to original designs. These unique and personal gifts were usually the hit of the shower and I glowed with pride when giving each one.

By the time I became pregnant with my son in 2006 I had a ton of ideas; not enough time, and even less energy. Still, in those 40 weeks I managed to finish a queen sized quilt, hand embroider a crib bumper, bed skirt, drapery, many receiving blankets, burp cloths, sweaters, booties, knitted toys, wall hangings, and a wall mural. But there was still so much I wanted to do, so much inspiration and so many ideas floating around in my mind. The lightbulb I had been waiting for had turned on and I immediately went to work formulating a business plan, designing and redesigning my goods, sourcing suppliers, sewing, cutting, sawing, gluing, painting...

I discovered Etsy through an ad in "CRAFT Magazine". It was exactly what I was looking for. On Etsy I not only discovered a way to easily and economically sell my products to a world wide audience, equally importantly, I discovered a whole community of like-minded artist entrepreneurs who could help provide guidance, motivation and support. I officially opened for business on my birthday, April 3rd, 2008. In five short months I've exceeded both my goals and expectations. With nearly 40 sales on Etsy, several wholesale orders, and a craft show under my belt I feel I have finally achieved a sense of purpose and fulfilment that my corporate live never did, and never could.