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“I

was crafting with the intensity of a professional athlete,” says Rachel Faucett, publisher, maker and cofounder of DIY blog Handmade Charlotte. Faucett’s rise began with a fortune cookie bloomer she sold on Etsy—she says she applied the laser focus and drive she learned in competitive sports (she was a professional tennis player) to crafting. Soon after, the 42-year old started a site for families looking for the coolest rainy day projects, delicious recipes and creative inspiration. “Focus on a niche and dive deep,” advises Faucett to other makers and entrepreneurs. She says her success came after she honed in on kids’ craft projects. Early on, she caught the eye of Anthropologie, who placed a bulk order of the diaper covers she was making on Etsy. She scrambled with the help of family, friends and a commercial vintage Singer sewing machine, to fulfill the order. Although it was a great boost, it was also a turning point. She says in lieu of manufacturing the finished goods, an enormous undertaking that requires production infrastructure, she decided to produce ideas, which came fast and furious to her. She then gave them away for free via her blog and social networks like Pinterest. This is when she really hit her stride. An early adaptor to social media, Faucett was named one of the 20 most influential pinners on Pinterest by Business Insider. Some of her DIY pins have been shared over a thousand times. Thanks to her success creating compelling and crafty content, she now consults for and contributes to brands like Martha Stewart and Disney Interactive and licenses her Handmade Charlotte brand name to Joann’s, Michael’s and other crafting stores. A dream come true for the creative force, Faucett has made a career of what she loves. She says work and home life are nearly inseparable. Living on a 500-acre horse farm with her husband and five children, ranging from 5 to 15 years old, she spends her work days in a studio on her property, up to her elbows in dry clay, leaves, moss, papers and paints, with her creative team, coming up with the next project to post. Found object color wheels, pom pom, acorn, leaf and gourd crafts and a buttermilk-moss painting project are in the works for this season. Faucett stays light on her feet and is always moving–her creative energy kinetic. She says, “Keep yourself in motion. Don’t focus on the destination –just the movement. It might not end where you think, but you’re always pivoting toward something.”

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MVP of DIY Handmade Charlotte’s Rachel Faucett

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babesta beat fall/winter 2015