We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Claire Eschmann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Claire thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Creations by Claire XOXO began back in my childhood. I have always had a love for creating usable, practical items- hats, boxes, purses, clothing, scarves, bookcases…you name it I probably tried to make it, build it, or fix it!
As an adult and during my time as a Nurse I’ve learned that the thing most people long for, and need, is comfort.
Entering the world, babies and children crave warmth and reassurance. During sickness people desire a gentle comforting touch. In adulthood and beyond we search for contentment and peace. Each part of life has a need for comfort. This need is what gave me the foundations for the products I make.
Now as a stay-at-home Mom of three kids, I am back to my passion of creation! Creation of comfort items for every stage from newborn to adulthood, and everything in between.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
Once I started staying home with my family, I had more time to keep up with a hobby. I really do miss the day to day work of my postpartum nursing job- caring and educating my patients. I think my love for that job is what gave me direction in my blanket business. One thing I do within my business that I really love is the donations. During the month of October I raised funds and donated blankets to give to families that had been through the loss of a child (during pregnancy, stillborn, sids). I’ve known many women who’ve suffered this heartbreak, silently and openly. Knowing that there are people around you that have been through the same trial is a comfort. A baby blanket is just one way to cherish their memory. I expected some people I knew to get involved, but when complete strangers donated to others it warmed my heart. There were two women in particular who said that the loss of their baby and child were bearable when they had received a physical token to hold, and they wanted other mothers to feel that they were not alone. Needless to say it was too great of a donation to end at the end of the month— I am continuing “Baby Blankets for Loss Support” as long as my business continues to run. I plan to offer various donation options throughout the year – My winter collection is now up and running to serve Saint Louis’s homeless and transitional housing needs. Fleece blankets, water, and food will be donated with sale profits from the winter months and with donations from customers.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I’m sure you’ve heard those commercials on the radio for the receipt scanning apps, and cash back at certain stores. That’s how I saved up to get my first skeins of yarn! As cliche as it sounds, every little bit counts!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Facebook! When I first started sharing my creations it was solely on Instagram. I’d never run a Facebook page so I had a lot to learn (and still do!). I like that on Facebook I have the ability to share each item individually, since each is entirely selected by the customer. Every blanket and seasonal item’s layout, color and size are custom so it is neat to see the wide variety of preferences. I started on Facebook at the end of August this year, and as of today I have 3,000 followers – I love the ability to reach so many people in one accessible spot.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: CreationsbyClaireXOXO
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreationsByClaireHandmade
Image Credits
GigiWagner Photography