Brittain Road Designs

Today is a great day for shopping! Spring is finally here and many of you are probably looking for cute items to trade for your winter wardrobe - especially if you have kids. Fortunately, you don't have to look any farther than your computer where you can find Brittain Road, the online children's clothing store owned by stay-at-home-mom Kate. Brittain Road carries a variety of appliquéd apparel from t-shirts to sweatshirts to cardigans to blankets. Regardless of whether you are shopping for a boy or girl, Brittain Road is sure to have exactly what you need, including custom designs.

Kate began designing these adorable creations for her rambunctious daughter when she was very small. "I couldn't find things in stores for babies that had much personality, mostly just frills and pastels. So, I made them myself." How ingenious! I cannot say that I would be so inclined to design and create, by hand, a shirt because I could not find exactly what I was looking for within Macy's or Saks. The end result would be...well disastrous! Not to mention the finished product would be something I would neither wear nor pay someone else to wear. Fortunately, there are creative designers like Kate.

Kate finds herself inspired by countless things. She cites her daughters books and toys, cartoons, and things read when travelling to name a few. "Sometimes I find a great piece of fabric and know right away what I want to do with it." When asked, "How long have you been creating," Kate recites a recurring theme... "all my life". She was always involved in art clubs and spent a great deal of her childhood painting, drawing, and making collages. I was surprised to discover that Kate even studied Fine Arts in college and has a degree in Interior Design. "My favorite part of my design career was always the drawing. I started making appliquéd things about a year and a half ago, and really love it. It had never occurred to me to put artwork on clothing before!"

With all of this talent I could not help but ask the proprietor of Brittain Road, if designing and selling on Etsy is a full time job or hobby? With a toddler at home, I was amazed to hear that Brittain Road "...is more of a part time job I squeeze in around taking care of my daughter. I try to figure out new designs during the day, and do the sewing while she is napping or after she's gone to bed. I hope to have it become my full time job when she's old enough for school."

Every handmade seller on Etsy has a unique story to tell. This is why I ask every shop owner I interview, "What word of advice would you give to fellow Etsyians or crafters?" To this Kate responded, "Talk to other people about what your doing. Ask questions, lots of questions from anyone whom you think might offer good advice. Try to stay as organized as possible, it will help you have more time to be creative. The most important thing, I think, is to stay positive, enjoy what your doing and don't lose your motivation when the business aspect of it isn't exactly what you dreamed."

What great advice! Thanks Kate, I look forward to your continued success!