Crafters We Love: Everyday Eclectic and a Giveaway!

crafters-we-love-everyday-eclectic

Crafty couple, Matt and Tiffany Rogers, handcraft incredible artisan goods through their shop Everyday Eclectic. Their awesome products include fragranced soy candles, natural soaps, and room and linen spray– and all are made using high quality, natural materials and their fragrances are made with pure essential oils. They also have adorable necklaces called “Plucky Charms” that are composed of repurposed and and vintage-inspired charms. Most are created with vintage watch faces, too, which I love!

Not only did I get the privilege of interviewing Tiffany from Everyday Eclectic, but they’re going to give away a prize pack to celebrate CAGW reaching over 5,000 likes on our Facebook page! (You guys rock!) Isn’t that awesome? The prize pack includes a matching candle, foaming hand wash, and room and linen spray! Before you enter the giveaway, though, check out the following interview with Everyday Eclectic– you’ll see why they are “Crafters We Love!”

Crafters We Love: Everyday Eclectic and a Giveaway!

CAGW: How did Everyday Eclectic get started?

EE: Honestly, I’ve been the artsy-craftsy type for as long as I can remember… so, EE was bound to happen at some point. (I was the kid/teenager who ALWAYS made handmade gifts for everyone.) However, technically, Everyday Eclectic began officially in October of 2007. I had been making candles as a side hobby for years at this point, and, as it so happened, my husband had become quite proficient at making his own natural bar soaps. When we began giving these items away as gifts, and the recipients of these gifts began coming back to us for more, we started getting the feeling that we might be on to something. So, that’s how Everyday Eclectic began – with myself making candles, and my husband making soap. We began by selling online, and locally to family, friends, and those who had heard of us by word-of-mouth. The next year, we applied and were accepted to sell at our local farmers/artisan market, which takes place weekly on Sundays. We were both thrilled at the response to our items, and the visibility in the community that this seemed to be giving us. This bit of extra income seem to steadily increase little by little, until I was able to move production out of the basement of our house, and into my very first studio – which was in our city’s Business Development Center (a sort of incubator for start-up businesses). At this point, Matt and I just continued to devise, test, and put new products out there. Fast-forward from then to now – he and I continue to learn new skills and create new products (we tell people it’s a disease – we just can’t stop ourselves) that we can share with others. He and I officially operate Everyday Eclectic full-time now, from our studio space/storefront in Chattanooga.

CAGW: What attracts you to eco-friendly materials?

EE: Matt and I knew that we wanted to base our business around eco-friendly materials from the very beginning. There was never any questioning or doubt about this. I was seeking to create a candle that people could feel comfortable burning in their space without fear of harsh chemicals or smoke polluting their air. I turned to soy wax as a viable, renewable alternative to traditional petroleum-based paraffin as my answer, and have never been disappointed. A good soy candle burns cleanly, efficiently, and does not produce the intense heat that non-plant-based waxes can. In addition, soy wax is easily cleaned up in the case of an accidental spill, which I find also important (being as how I myself am not always the most graceful of people). Meanwhile, Matt was on a quest to create an all-natural soap with purely plant-based oils that both cleaned and moisturized – which can be a tall order. Through much research, trial, and error, he was definitely able to accomplish his goal… and has since created both solid and liquid versions of his soaps – both of which have been very popular.

He and I strive to maintain high standards for ourselves when it comes to creating our products. We love being able to offer ‘affordable luxuries’ to our customers that are not only lovely, but healthy and functional as well. Truly environmentally-friendly products are always the better choice.

Crafters We Love: Everyday Eclectic and a Giveaway!

CAGW: Tell us about your products and why you’re passionate about them.

EE: Matt and I are both incredibly passionate about creating. There’s something so elegant and fulfilling about being able to take base ingredients, and create something beautiful from them. In my case, I was initially drawn to candles because they are timeless. Candlemaking is a heritage skill – something that has been done for generations and generations, initially as a source of light. However, as is the case with so many older trades, the number of chandlers (candlemakers) is dwindling, and I wanted to be a part of keeping the tradition alive. Meanwhile, Matt’s interest in soapmaking began with stories that his father told him of creating their own soap on their West Tennessee farm when he was young. These stories really peaked his interest in keeping the family tradition alive, while improving on the old recipe and methods. Thus began our quest to revive (while attempting to respectfully improve upon) traditional crafts from our past.

CAGW: What’s it like working with your spouse?

EE: For us, it’s awesome! Before Matt and I married, we were already plotting our entrance into the entrepreneurial world together. Women are constantly asking me, “How on Earth can you WORK with your husband? My husband and I would KILL each other!” For us, I think it’s mainly about three things: 1) compatibility, 2) shared vision, and 3) balance. As it happens, Matt and I share an addiction to creating, so we enjoy bouncing ideas off each other, and working together to complete projects. We both want to continue to create, and to make our efforts succeed for both of our sakes. When you work with your spouse, your vision must be shared. Nothing affects only you – it affects WE. Balance, in my opinion, is the most difficult part. It’s almost impossible to leave work at the workplace. Matt and I both suffer from ‘constant brainstorming’, and it can be painfully difficult to shut that train of thought down and rest. Luckily, he and I really try to look out for each other in that respect. In addition, he and I tend to laugh a lot… which always helps.

Crafters We Love: Everyday Eclectic and a Giveaway!

CAGW: Is there anything else we should know about Everyday Eclectic?

EE: Everyday Eclectic is pretty unique entity, in that it has evolved into the Matt and Tiffany Rogers Idea Incubator. He and I continue to learn, be inspired, and develop new products. In addition to our soaps and candles, he and I have now developed a new line of artisan infused honey, called Bee In Your Bonnet. I have begun making jewelry from personally hand-tooled, upcycled, and vintage-inspired components called Plucky Charms. (I never knew I would love metalworking with a hammer and anvil so much, but I’m totally addicted!) Matt has created a line Appalachian-style brooms, called Black Hound Broom Craft, using the same methods as his great-grandfather, also a broommaker, used. Last, but most certainly least, he and I have developed a line of all-natural sodas, called Pure Sodaworks, which has now become its own brand – and is both brewed and bottled by us in our Chattanooga location. Pure was founded on the same philosophy as all of our Everyday Eclectic projects, with all-natural ingredients being the standard… and the positive response to the product continues to overwhelm and humble us.

Keep an eye on us at EE, because you never know what we’re gonna come up with next!

CAGW: Where can people find your work?

EE: Where you can find/learn more about EE goods:

Now for the giveaway!

We want to say thank you to all of our readers who “like” us on Facebook! We have over 5,000 likes now and your support gives us even more motivation to keep creating!

You must enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below. If you have any issues with the Rafflecopter, please contact us. This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States– sorry to all of our International readers– shipping is just insane! The giveaway ends on September 28th at 12:00 am.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

13 thoughts on “Crafters We Love: Everyday Eclectic and a Giveaway!”

  1. I love the lemongrass and green tea room spray! My room definatly needs some fresh smells like that. Great company and great interview. Thank you!

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