Interview 1: Clare from Mylana
Today's interview is with Clare from Mylana on Etsy. Clare has generously donated a pair of gorgeous earrings and a soap sample for this week's giveaway. Yay!
1. Who are you and what do you do?My name is Clare and I make soap and candles along with jewelry and other crafty things.
2. Why do you do what you do?
I have been fascinated with wax ever since I was a kid and would melt down all my old crayons, but I keep making things today because I love the good feeling I get when I can give away or show something that I have made to someone and they like it.
3. How long have you been doing it? (Your craft, not doing IT)
I made my first real candles in kindergarten as part of a project, we made tapers the old fashioned way by dunking a long string in a vat of wax and then in a big pail of water. A few years later, I made sand candles at girl scout camp. I made them a lot at home in hight school by melting down old candles, but it wasn't until I got to college and the internet became popular that I could find a steady source for supplies. In college I ordered my first real supplies and have been making candles for over 12 years. I bought my first soap supplies in 2000 when my candle supplier started offering them and I made my first batch of cold process. About 5 years later, I learned melt and pour soap making. I just learned how to do jewelery this last summer.
4. Do you listen to music while you’re creating? If so, what kind?
Sometimes I do, and usually it is the itunes livestream radio. I also really like Tori Amos and occasionally, latin salsa or jazz. I have a BA in Spanish, so listening to music in Spanish helps me retain some of it. I also really love the Gypsy Kings.
5. What’s the crappiest job you’ve ever had?
I worked at Taco Bell for 3 years and that sucked, but I would probably have to say the Army. I was in the Army for 6 years and got disabled in Afghanistan, from a disease, not combat. I was over there after Sept. 11 and I got very sick and they airlifted me to Germany and it turns out that I had Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes. You can't be insulin dependent and be in the Army. I take 4 shots a day, so I got medically retired. There were parts of the Army I liked, such as travel, bonding with friends, and the work we did over there to help civilians, such as building roads, schools, and hospitals. Unfortunately, I am not really into guns and I don't find it fun or exciting and I dislike camping and tromping around in the woods playing war games, so even though I was always a good soldier and loyal, I was glad to be out of the military because it wasn't a good fit.
6. Professionally, what’s your goal?
I would love to be able to sell locally, but for soap and candles, I need product liability insurance and a better production facility than my kitchen, in order to wholesale or in a lot of stores. So, my first goal is to sell enough to be able to buy more supplies and consistently make more of the same types of soap and candles, and second is to save for product liability insurance and renting a space for production.
7. If you cut Paula Deen do you think she'd bleed butter?
I've personally never seen her show, but I do see her face on the box of Walmart bakery goodies, and I actually feel guilty just looking at them. Some of them look so unhealthy and awesome though, like this butter pecan caramel cake thingy. I don't think there is any way she can eat the things she cooks on a regular basis or she would be dead.
A huge thank you to Clare for the awesome interview. Go check out her shop and buy some pretties!
And, remember to enter the giveaway!
Aren't these stunning???
They're even prettier in person.
And this soap smells SO good. Seriously.
And they can both be yours...all yours...muahahahahaha!
To enter the giveaway, you must...
1. Follow my blog or become a fan of my FB page
It's that easy!
You can enter Tuesday through Thursday.
You can enter Tuesday through Thursday.
Now on to the interview.
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| Isn't she beautiful? |
2. Why do you do what you do?
I have been fascinated with wax ever since I was a kid and would melt down all my old crayons, but I keep making things today because I love the good feeling I get when I can give away or show something that I have made to someone and they like it.
 |
| It's a bacon-scented candle! PURE GENIUS! |
I made my first real candles in kindergarten as part of a project, we made tapers the old fashioned way by dunking a long string in a vat of wax and then in a big pail of water. A few years later, I made sand candles at girl scout camp. I made them a lot at home in hight school by melting down old candles, but it wasn't until I got to college and the internet became popular that I could find a steady source for supplies. In college I ordered my first real supplies and have been making candles for over 12 years. I bought my first soap supplies in 2000 when my candle supplier started offering them and I made my first batch of cold process. About 5 years later, I learned melt and pour soap making. I just learned how to do jewelery this last summer.
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| Cucumber Melon Glycerin Soap |
4. Do you listen to music while you’re creating? If so, what kind?
Sometimes I do, and usually it is the itunes livestream radio. I also really like Tori Amos and occasionally, latin salsa or jazz. I have a BA in Spanish, so listening to music in Spanish helps me retain some of it. I also really love the Gypsy Kings.
5. What’s the crappiest job you’ve ever had?
I worked at Taco Bell for 3 years and that sucked, but I would probably have to say the Army. I was in the Army for 6 years and got disabled in Afghanistan, from a disease, not combat. I was over there after Sept. 11 and I got very sick and they airlifted me to Germany and it turns out that I had Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes. You can't be insulin dependent and be in the Army. I take 4 shots a day, so I got medically retired. There were parts of the Army I liked, such as travel, bonding with friends, and the work we did over there to help civilians, such as building roads, schools, and hospitals. Unfortunately, I am not really into guns and I don't find it fun or exciting and I dislike camping and tromping around in the woods playing war games, so even though I was always a good soldier and loyal, I was glad to be out of the military because it wasn't a good fit.
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| Copper and Green Glass Necklace |
6. Professionally, what’s your goal?
I would love to be able to sell locally, but for soap and candles, I need product liability insurance and a better production facility than my kitchen, in order to wholesale or in a lot of stores. So, my first goal is to sell enough to be able to buy more supplies and consistently make more of the same types of soap and candles, and second is to save for product liability insurance and renting a space for production.
7. If you cut Paula Deen do you think she'd bleed butter?
I've personally never seen her show, but I do see her face on the box of Walmart bakery goodies, and I actually feel guilty just looking at them. Some of them look so unhealthy and awesome though, like this butter pecan caramel cake thingy. I don't think there is any way she can eat the things she cooks on a regular basis or she would be dead.
A huge thank you to Clare for the awesome interview. Go check out her shop and buy some pretties!
And, remember to enter the giveaway!
Be happy,
Rachel
These look great!
ReplyDeleteLiked Mylana's Facebook page!
Those look wonderful! I love my sea dragon candle and the lovely earrings I have from Mylana, they're so nice!
ReplyDeleteI follow, and I'm a fan of both FB pages!
Great interview. Please don't enter me in the contest because I live with you and that might be a little unfair to those who do not live here. They are great earrings though and the soap is awesomesauce!
ReplyDeleteI love finding out more about great crafters/artisans! This was a really good interview. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI now follow you, like your page and like Mylana's page!
Wow, Great giveaway. I fanned both pages.
ReplyDeleteMylana's things look great. Loved your interview and the blog post. Fanned both pages, found your etsy shops and followed your blog, too. Nice job to both of you!
ReplyDelete