Happy Birthday Jenni!

aka Lana Bella

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.

Hi I'm Jenni from Lana Bella. Well first I'm a mom of a large brood. We have 6 yes 6 children between my husband and I ranging in age from 17- 2. Three of three of the children are currently being homeschooled. One will graduate next month (so proud of you Brenna)!

When/how did you start your business?

I initially started my business in the spring of 2004 as a cloth diaper maker. I also at the time made wool diaper covers and wanted a wool wash I could send as a sample to care for the covers and also for additional purchases. So Lana Bella (beautiful wool) came from that about a year later. I ended up making more and more soap as our family grew because in the same time it would take me to sew one complete diaper I could complete 2 batches of soap.

What inspires you?

Everything. Food. Color. Kids. I love plants and herbs and love walking with my kids and seeing the herbs popping up from sidewalk cracks or even out of tree trunks. I recently made the decision to discontinue all of the synthetic fragrances and concentrate on the herbal and essential oil blends as a way of being more creative.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

That everyone uses soap of some sort. I love when people who think bar soap is drying or "old school" try it and fall in love. There are so many ways I can branch out with the herbal line. I love making things that help people.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?

That people would be more understanding of what it takes to be a micro manufacturer. That its rude and hurtful to stand in someone's booth and say "I could make this much cheaper" and that my time is also valuable and this is my job. I would wish that small makers would be valued, appreciated, and compensated for their true worth.

by LanaBella & Lexi

Note: My daughter Lexi is assisting on this series as part of a home-school project.