Featured Mom - Clarissa of The Posh Parent

Today's featured mom, Clarissa from The Posh Parent, has an unique outlook on turning a creative passion into a business venture. I really should interview her for the other blog too so we can get into the nitty gritty of running a home business with her. There are some tidbits here that wander down that vein but mostly, we will hear about her creative side...it's where it all began!

H: How long have you been doing what you do?

C: Since I was 5 years old! Haha I have always been a crafty person. I used to sneak away with my Grandma’s doilies and yarn and cloth napkins and fiddle with her sewing machine and make dresses and such for my Barbie dolls. I remember being about 7 or 8 and using my Grandpa’s Crown Royale purple bag that I added inside pockets to as a “diaper bag” for my baby dolls (how bad did I make my Grandpa look?!?)

H: What do you like to create?

C: I like to be alone…in my studio that is attached to my house. I just kind of go with what I feel at the time…if I feel like making a blanket, I do that…if I feel like playing around with an existing pattern to make changes, I do that. I am really all about how something makes me FEEL…I like to create things that make me feel girly & fabulous!

H: How did you get started? Are you finding success?

C: I started my actual online business after a church project we had that involved making something with a small amount of money and finding ways to multiply that money to donate to charity. Not only was the motivation there for the charity cause, but also this was my chance to “try it out” and see what the response would be without taking a loss. Needless to say, the project went very very well! I had customers before I could even launch the site! I have found great success in this business and I think it comes from honouring the starting motivation…doing it to help others! Tres Couture regularly donates to charities in Orange County as well as my new home of New York!

H: Were you creative before you had children?

C: Yes, I was always the friend who MADE you your present and card! And they always knew it wasn’t because I was cheap, it was because I cared enough to make something special for them!

H: Have your methods changed?

C:Yes, I used to use a needle and thread or that fabric glue stuff which I quickly noticed did not last nearly as long! I made a lot of prom and homecoming purses for friends so those didn’t necessarily need to last more than a night but, as I became more serious about starting a business, I went out and bought my 1^st sewing machine!

H: How do you find time to stay creative?

C: I can not stay still for a very long time. I always find ways to be creative! Being a stay at home mom, you learn quickly how to use your imagination to entertain your kids and that is most of the time where my inspiration for new items/colors/designs comes from.

H: Do your kids show any creative spirit?

C: My 6 year old daughter is a dancing machine! She also loves to go to the fabric store with me and pick out fabrics for her doll clothes and doll blankets. She shows a lot of interest in learning to sew but, we haven’t got that far yet.

H: What have you learned after having your kids (in relation to your art)

C: I have learned that clothing, blankets, accessories for kids really need to be affordable and last a long time. As I had mentioned, you really do need to use a sewing machine and not fabric glue! As a mom to 2 children, I have also learned that using more neutral colors and better fabrics can mean that a blanket can last from child to child and still look amazing.

I would also like to add that as a one time “Newbie” to the WAHM world I have learned how overwhelming it can be to start your own boutique. I have created The Posh Parent & Co. (which includes Tres Couture) to be a platform for WAHM and Women small business owners. We are offering Celebrity Gifting Opportunities at very reasonable rates for participation. We also have advertising for low rates.

Clarissa can be found at her retail site Tres Couture,

Her blog, and her own social network - The Posh Parent

Go visit her -I mean just LOOK at that sweet little bootie up there!!

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