Clementine Kids – The Story Behind the Brand

When picking products to stock in my shop, I look for quality and beauty, a sense of modern originality, but still a vintage vibe.  I want products that I love and feel my own children will enjoy.  To me wholesome materials and imagination inspiring designs are important, but so are the stories behind the companies’ development.  My favorite products are often those from a company with a great story to offer, just like Clementine Kids.  Because I felt a connection to the company and a desire to cheer them on, I wanted to share their story.  I love their philosophy and inspiration to their creation!

Initially, I was drawn to the Clementine Kids line because of the beautiful prints on the swaddle blankets, and the meaning they have to me.  Huckleberries have a special place in my heart…memories of walking across my in-laws’ farm with my daughter picking wild huckleberries to eat along the way.  Peonies are my favorite flower, and the ones we have planted in front of our house are split from my husband’s great great aunt’s peonies planted on her farm – well over a century old!  And of course, who doesn’t love a clementine??  As you can see from the title of this blog, I love produce 🙂  But after corresponding with Haley, the founder of Clementine Kids, to learn more about her and how her company was created, I felt it was necessary to share my appreciation for this company with others!

So here is Haley’s story:

“Growing up, my mother always had a project. She was either quilting or painting or sewing Halloween costumes and she always encouraged creativity around the house. There were times I know, that money was tight and times were hard for our family, but my mom was resourceful and scrappy and she always had a fun art project for me and my four younger siblings.

As I got older, I realized that she got this trait from her mother who also got it from her mother. My great grandmother, Lucille, had eight children and was a single mom and widow with  4 young children at home. She had to get serious about providing a wonderful life for the people around her with very little means. Her home was covered in paintings of beautiful scenes of all her favorite places. Making something out of nothing was her specialty and each of her children sensed the magic of creativity because she encouraged all of them to make things with their hands.

When I became pregnant with my daughter, Penny, I knew I wanted to carry on the family tradition. I wanted her to see the process of creating something from nothing and I also wanted to provide other moms with playful patterns that would excite their children’s growing minds. Clementine Kids took on a little life of its’ own. It brought all the ups and downs of being a new mom and a business owner, but it has pushed me to be more creative and resourceful!  One day maybe Penny will get into her own big messy creative endeavor, but I want to model for her  that it’s possible.

Design Process:

Each blanket is originally painted from watercolor or Gouache and then arranged into a pattern. I paint every single face and unicorn hoof in the line. Our striped and design based patterns are all designed digitally from my favorite colors.” – Haley Smith, founder of Clementine Kids.

A special thanks to Haley for sharing her story and her input on this post!!