We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachel Vargo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachel below.

Rachel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Our Creative Hands signifies just this. When starting my creative journey it was just me. I came from a very creative background , my Father owned an upholstery business. His business flourished becoming a household name in the industry. My Mother, was more creative at home for her family and home furnishing. Mom made many of our clothes, was involved in the PTA, was an avid gardener and cook. Mom could paint and knit and crochet, here I learned many artistic venues with both parents.
I began with stitching for fun and then for gifts. Gifts were appreciated and shared with others hence I was asked to create for others.
Later in life I married, we started a tile and carpet business which added to my love of creating and helping others design for their homes and places of business.
I never could give up the idea of just creating for myself so I would paint signs, make fabric dolls and animals, here I was approached to sell my product in stores. This was in the 80’s where homemade was the craze. My husband realized how much I enjoyed this so he contributed to my success by cutting out the wood I would need for my creations. He helped me go to each of the stores and stock even to the point of creating some of the display cases I needed for Longs Drug stores.
Our family grew , 3 daughters who became active into my craft business helping with the production brought the dreams into reality.
The daughters are grown with children of their own but the middle daughter decided she wanted to continue creating with her fabulous talent to crochet hence Our Creative Hands..
This is a family joint effort maybe only myself , my husband and daughter producing for craft shows and the website but everyone has an influence in what is created and we do this with Pride.

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 back background and context?

My name is Rachel native Californian. I create hand made wood and fabric items. I have been in the business of creating for over 50 years with the same passion now as I did when I started. I am the one many ask for custom orders because I will work with the customer. If I come to the conclusion I am not the right person to create their vision I help them find that person who is.
I am someone that can be relied upon for a deadline and to accept suggestions or criticisms with an open mind.
My most proudest moment was to create a life-size scarecrow for a customer who found my name on the internet. This was a special gift he wanted for a dear friend. The customer saw my scarecrows that I had on my website , just a standard size nothing special he reached out asking if I would take on the challenge for this very special request order. I agreed.
Once completed I had to ship not realizing the cost of a almost life size scarecrow, called my customer explaining the cost . He had seen pictures anticipating the delivery for his friend he did not care if there was an additional cost He loved it…
The scarecrow arrived safely to his friend who called to let me know how fabulous it was and that it would sit out on their porch each and every year. This made my day.
I am a honest person, who will do my very best to create top rated items. There will never be any that are exactly alike in the painting, the wood nor the final outcome as I want each and every one to have something that fits right where they imagined it would. I take pride in what I have accomplished and the people who have crossed my path not only in sales but in the community of crafters.
I am a local small business that will ship matter of fact I have shipped in the past to London.. Made me real proud on those sales.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I have found that continuous Instagram and Facebook posts continue to bring in new customers. I not only add pictures of what new creations are available as I include my day to day journey . Who I am , what I accomplished that day or even pictures of my home décor and or garden endeavors.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The early 80’s handmade items were exactly what was wanted. I was in several different stores local and not so local. I was able to see my products be sold to ensure that the business was thriving. Then it happened , handmade items, were more expensive than products the stores could offer that they purchased overseas.
The stores no longer were needing my handmade items they could make a better profit ordering from overseas companies and I was out.
I did not give up instead I started going to flea markets, school craft shows, farmer markets letting myself be known who I was and what I could make.
This to me was the thing that could have happened it made me have more confidence in myself as now I was face to face with customers. I was talking with pride , what I made and how it was made.
Sales were made and so were new friendships.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ourcreativehands.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/our.creative.hands/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OurCreativeHands
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-v-21985029