Etsy Around the World: celizabethdesigns

Etsy Around the World takes us a few hours to the south this time to visit with a artist who loves color.







Who are you?
My name is Claire Lucier and my shop is c elizabeth designs!

Where are you located?
Atlanta, Georgia, on the banks of the Chattahoochee River

What do you create?
My lovable letters are my shop’s bestsellers! They are super cute and can be custom ordered to match just about everything. I love the look of painted letters- but can’t keep a steady paintbrush to save my life. After failing to create a good painted letter for my niece’s first birthday, I tried to decoupage one with scrapbook paper. It turned out adorable and on a whim I took pictures and posted it on Etsy. Now I take orders for baby showers, office decorations, wedding centerpieces, children’s rooms, etc. In addition to my letters I also make jewelry, clothing and other odds and ends. If I can create it- I do!

Have you ever visited North Carolina?
I LOVE North Carolina. One year my family rented a cabin for the week of Thanksgiving. We went hiking, to the Biltmore Estate and sifting to find gemstones!


What is your favorite place to visit in your hometown?
While I now live in Atlanta, the majority of my life was spent in Cincinnati, Ohio. There is a gorgeous park in Newport, Kentucky that overlooks the Ohio River and the city of Cincinnati. It is very peaceful with park benches and gazebos. A great place to take pictures too!

What inspires you?
Color!! I love just sifting through stacks of scrapbook paper looking for new patterns that jump out at me. I love all things bright and cheery, my wedding colors were even hot pink, lime green and bright orange. I also get inspired while shopping- sometimes I’ll see a display of clothing and like the way the colors look together and start a new project!

What is the most time consuming part of your art?
Organizing what the client wants and shopping for the perfect patterns to fit their demands. My letters are custom order and while I try to keep an up-to-date list of patterns I have in stock, sometimes customers want to match a child’s bedding, or have a specific idea in mind. Often I will go to two or three different stores trying to find a pattern to match.

What online activities have brought you the most noticeable success?
I joined Team NorGa. It seems a lot like your team, but for North Georgia! While it doesn’t directly bring me sales, I’ve learned a lot about the best ways to market, where to find supplies in my area and gotten great support from other wonderful artists!

Do you have any advice to share on how you have made your business grow?
Be patient! This is a tough one for me- I’m not patient at all. I started getting frustrated in the beginning because it took a while to get my first sale. JOIN TWITTER!! That helped spread the word about my shop a lot. Put yourself out there and the sales will come, you just have to be patient at the get go!

What do you do when you are not creating?
Well- right now I keep busy, but I am looking for a full time job. On top of my crafting, I am starting a local synchronized swimming team for young girls and taking care of my husband and our two cats. We love going out to watch Gator football games and exploring our new city!