Do you have a special occasion coming up, and are in need of the perfect gift? Do you have your Mother’s Day gift already? Well we have an amazing source for phenomenal and unique creations! Meet Dazed & Amazed Creationz, by Chatonyia Smith!
Originally from St. Louis, Mo, but currently live in Chicago, IL, Chatonyia is a Mental Health Social Worker and Owner of Dazed & Amazed Creationz.
Dazed & Amazed Creationz has been in business for 3 years and makes amazing wreaths!! So how did Chatonyia get into making wreaths? Chatonyia states,
“I wanted to make candles because I spent so much money on them. I stumbled upon Pinterest, tried my hand at candle making but I could never get it right. On there I discovered so much. I was obsessed. I made everything from poop spray to laundry detergent. I then discovered paper flowers and loved it. I make them every now and then still but after making my first wreath people were in love and I saw an opportunity. I made them that Christmas but stopped shortly after because life became too busy. I lost the love of my life in June to cancer and made a wreath for his services. Everyone started asking for one and the funeral home asked why didn’t I make all the sprays. The two of us always talked about businesses. I truly believe that God place us in situations and his death gave me that push to finally do it for real.”
Wreaths are the most requested items, though people will request other crafts from Dazed & Amazed Creationz. Though making wreaths was not her original passion, her family thought she was very crafty!
“My true passion has always been in mental health and helping others. Now to craft is therapy to me and the reactions I get when I make something for someone speaks to my soul. I absolutely love to come up with new ideas. Crafting consumes my mind and I enjoy making something come to life that a customer requests.”
For Chatonyia, she makes wreaths mostly and has a goal of not having two of the same! In fact, Chatonyia says it can be extremely hard for her not to duplicate one, and it’s something inside of her that won’t let her! Not only does she makes wreaths, but she also makes creations out of diapers – known as “diaper cakes.”
“I love to make wreaths -not only are they beautiful, but it’s a time for me to be in my space. Since being in black girls craft group on Facebook, looking at all the talented sister I have wanted to do everything. I’ve made floating centerpieces, glittered wine glasses and bottles, gift baskets and t-shirts. There are still somethings I want to try out. I realized everything is not for me. I enjoy doing the t-shirts but I think I’ll hand that over to my daughter.”
“I like to work on serval things at one time. I could work on 5 wreaths at a time. I normally create the base first and then play with the color combinations for the ribbon. I might be in the middle of working on one and look at another and something hits me and I’ll jump to that one. I have to stare at them, walk pass a few times to make sure the coverage is right, it’s fluffiness is correct, the flower is positioned properly. I often take several pictures of it to see if it pops for me. People say to me what else do you need it’s pretty, I always say, it’s not finished until I could say it’s gorgeous. And it could be something simple like moving the signage. I sorta do the same thing with other items I make. I guess realistically I can create a wreath I’m happy with in a day but I need a another day to look at my work. I can complete a diaper cake in an hour or so.”
In the beginning stages of her business, there were a few challenges Chatonyia faced, but that did not stop her grind!
“The most challenging part of starting my business has been pricing and time. Because I love what I do, I want items to be affordable for everyone. When I do comparisons, I realize I often undercut myself not because I think theirs is better in fact I’m often stunned by some of the prices on Etsy. Also because I have a full-time job and 2 children that have busy lives time has been a big hurdle. I’m trying to new marketing strategies that would potentially lead to steady income so I could pursue this full-time. Of course marketing can be tricky but I’ve been blessed that many of my sales come from word of mouth. During holidays it’s about as much as I could handle.”
Make sure you keep up with Dazed & Amazed Creationz, as they have been featured in a few craft shows and plans to do more this year! They have also expanded in to diaper cakes and is currently working on making handcrafted baby mobiles! (NNIIICCEEE!!)
If you’re interested in having your own crafting business, Chatonyia has the following advice,
“There are so many crafts you are gonna be interested in. I would suggest someone find that one or two things and specialize in it. Find all ways to perfect it. Don’t be afraid to mix it up, try different colors and materials. Also, get a deposit before you start a project. I haven’t had many people stiff me, but having the deposit will help with purchasing supplies needed at that time.”
You can follow Dazed & Amazed Creationz on social media via:
Instagram: AnDcreationz
Facebook & Etsy: 4dacreationz
Chatonyia has these last final words for our readers:
I have been an entrepreneur in my mind since I finished college. I have a bin full of business plans…
