Make it Crafty
When Passion & Community creates a Brand
Growing a global e-commerce craft brand · 2010 - 2020
“A moment in time that helped shape the person I am today”
Capabilities
- Strategic & operational mindset
- Through years of building a brand, I had to learn how to plan a release months ahead, bring people together to deliver it, and think of new ways to build my audience.
- Product design & manufacturing
- Physical and digital ranges, from stamp collections to laser-cut chipboard projects.
- Creative direction
- Commissioned international illustrators and coordinated themed product releases.
- Team & community leadership
- Recruited a worldwide design team and grew a community of more than 5,000 members.
- Content & education
- Colouring e-books, tutorials, magazine articles and workshops in the United States.
- Marketing & e-commerce
- Campaigns, newsletters, collaborations and customer-focused store improvements.
Software
- CS-Cart
- Self-hosted storefront, product catalogue and custom integrations.
- WordPress
- Content, blogs and community challenges.
- Illustrator
- Vector design and product artwork.
- Photoshop
- Image editing and marketing graphics.
The business
I built the foundations...
The products, the website, the branding, the systems. Make it Crafty started as a passion project and grew into an international business selling physical and digital products to a loyal community of artists and crafters.
I was everything; designer, product developer, manufacturer, photographer, copywriter, web manager, community builder, and educator.
But the truth is, it was the design team and the Facebook community who made it what it became. I shared things with them as I went and made what they asked for. People applied to be on the team because they believed in it. They created content, shared their skills, promoted releases, and showed up month after month because they wanted to be part of something.
Being small meant I could move quickly. I did a lot of the manufacturing myself and commissioned illustrators when I needed to, so I could follow what was on trend or try a new idea without waiting on anyone. There were long term plans running the whole time, but sometimes I would be experimenting with something and within a week it would be on the store.
My role was to build a space worth showing up to, and then keep showing up myself.
E-commerce & customer experience
The online store ran on self-hosted CS-Cart, with WordPress powering the content and blogs. Over time I hired developers to modify and extend the system to fit my needs; adding custom features that no off-the-shelf solution offered.
One was a loyalty points system. Customers earned points with every purchase that they could put toward future orders at any time, with no minimum. Many regulars liked to save up their points and use them to grab a free digi stamp; it kept people coming back and rewarded loyalty without discounting.
The other was an inspiration gallery. Customers could upload photos of cards and projects they'd made using products from my store. Each upload went into a holding bin where I could tag the products used, and those images would then automatically appear on the relevant product pages. It was user-generated content that built community, acted as social proof, and made every product page richer over time. Customers loved seeing their work featured, and new buyers could see exactly what was possible with each product.
I worked with developers to bring my ideas to life; I knew what I wanted the site to do, I just needed someone who could build it. The store carried thousands of products over its lifetime, all managed by me; product listings, inventory, photography, customer service, shipping, and fulfilment.
A closer look
Inside the store
CS-Cart custom ecommerce store
Product design & manufacturing
I designed and manufactured a range of physical products including rubber stamps, chipboard embellishments, and 3D chipboard projects cut from beer board. Digital products included exclusive illustration collections and Copic colouring e-books with step-by-step tutorials. For the stamp sets and digital image collections, I commissioned and art-directed illustrators across multiple countries; planning releases months in advance, coordinating themes, and colouring many of the images myself. Those coloured pieces fed directly into the e-books, video tutorials, and marketing content; every product supported the next.
A closer look
The products
Digital art & rubber stamps
Laser-cut chipboard embellishments
Laser-cut 3D kits
Design team & community
I recruited and managed a worldwide volunteer design team through a formal application process. Getting accepted onto the Make it Crafty DT was genuinely sought after in the crafting community. The team helped produce content, showcase products, and build excitement around new releases. I also ran a monthly colouring competition blog that served two purposes; it pushed my own design team to develop new skills (and we had a lot of fun doing it), and it gave the wider community a reason to try new techniques and engage with the brand.
The Facebook group grew to more than 5,000 members, with over 7,000 followers on the Facebook page.
A closer look
Made with Make it Crafty
Blog posts & design team badges
Community card gallery
Content & education
Content was central to everything. I wrote blogs, produced video tutorials, designed colouring e-books, and sent monthly newsletters. The communication style was always personal, story-driven, and educational; I wanted people to learn something, not just buy something.
That approach extended beyond the screen. I was invited as a guest instructor to colouring retreats in the United States on multiple occasions, teaching alongside other artists in the community. It was a chance to connect face-to-face with the audience I'd been building online, and it reinforced what I already knew; this community was something special.
I was also personally active on other design teams; most notably Magnolia Stamps, where I wrote colouring articles and tutorials for their printed magazine.
A closer look
Colouring, step by step
E-book colouring tutorials
Magazine articles & international guest instructor
Video colouring tutorials
Collaborations & marketing
I organised cross-brand collaborations with other artists. I would organise themed releases with other artists; we'd each design to a shared concept, release together, and cross-promote across our audiences. I also created a collection of blog badges that crafters could embed on their own blogs. Each badge linked back to my website, and the campaign generated thousands of backlinks organically; a smart SEO strategy built entirely on community enthusiasm.
A closer look