#MakerCrush: Meet Carrie Caillouette of Half Hitch Goods
There’s no denying a maker crush. Symptoms include: You follow them on Instagram, you read their personal blog and your friends and family know exactly what you want for Christmas (hint: all their goodies). We have a lot of #MakerCrushes here at Brit + Co, and one of our local loves is Carrie Caillouette of Half Hitch Goods.
Carrie drove up to Fort Mason last weekend and parked her 1985 Volkswagen Vanagon at our Re:Make Festival. There’s NO WAY you could have missed her cool setup. And that’s how most of her weekends go! Carrie can typically be found somewhere in the Bay Area selling homemade, heirloom products from her “Rolling Shoppe.”
So what is in Half Hitch Goods’ super sweet Volkswagen van? Carrie wants to emphasize the power of intentional gift giving by connecting consumers with handmade products. Tell us more, right? According to Carrie, the secret to great gifting is finding personal things that have meaningful product stories, which makes them more significant.
She is totally on to something here. Some of the best gifts we have ever received weren’t mass-produced consumer products. We often cherish handmade jewelry pieces and products associated with memories instead of shopping malls.
Watching Carrie interact with customers at Re:Make, it’s clear that she loves what she is doing. “I feel like I’m playing more often than working,” Carrie said. We feel the same way!
She also shared a bit of advice for others that are looking to live the hashtag #iamcreative: “If you can’t stop thinking about it, don’t stop working for it. There is always a big leap when moving into your passion as your life’s work.” Carrie recommends talking to other makers and your own creative community, and to get connected, present your ideas and ask for feedback.
How’s that for a mini pep-talk? We just love what Carrie is setting out to accomplish with Half Hitch Goods and the stories she tells through products. Be sure to check out her website to find out where Carrie will pop up next.
What do you think of Carrie’s “Rolling Shoppe?” Let us know in the comments below.
(Photos by Ashley Batz Photography)
