ABOUT MY BUSINESS:
In 2005 I started selling my hand made felt craft items on Etsy. For my friends and family I would make cute, unique items as gifts. After being told that I should try to make a profit from my crafts, I started selling online and at craft fairs. Over the years I've made many different items. Some of them include custom dolls, finger puppets, coasters, plushies, hair accessories, pouches and even wedding flowers. All of these items were made out of felt and hand sewn by me. In the future I would like to create a more cohesive line of products, while still keeping the uniqueness of my items. Custom felt dolls and finger puppets are my overall favorite things to create and I'd like to do more of those. Over time, I plan to grow my company so that I can branch into several different areas of gift items.

WHAT MAKES MY BUSINESS STAND OUT?
I use my imagination to create whimsical and quirky felt items. Only at my company, Felt Lunchbox, can you find gnome and ninja finger puppets paired together. These sorts of items elicit a chuckle out of everyone, from children to grown adults. I love seeing adults pick up my finger puppets and start playing with them as if they were little again. The responses I have gotten from my plushies have also been heart warming. Recently, at an outside market, a little girl bought one of my plushies. She embraced it and while making the cutest face said, "I love him soo much." Interactions with customers like that make me remember why I started crafting items in the first place. Also, it encourages me to continue working hard to make customers happy.

WHAT'S THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I'VE RECEIVED?
The best business advice I've received is that you should make what you love. Sometimes it is tempting to make items that seem more marketable but are not entirely unique. In the long run it is best to stay with your vision and create items that you love. I believe a part of my imagination goes into every product I make and I can be proud of the results.