Meet Leeanne Dobben | Owner and creator for J&L Workshop Crafts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leeanne Dobben and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leeanne, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In so many ways my business has always been part of me. Ever since I was a young girl, I loved to create and share what I made with others. Once I entered college and started to focus more on weaving and card making specifically, I started having people ask me if I could make them items just for them such as scarves that featured a team color or thank you cards for a business. In college and after college I dabbled with the idea of a business. I would open online shops for a while, do local fairs, and take orders word of mouth. In 2020, I decided to truly become committed to creating, to have a devoted brand, and inventory. My now husband and I created the website and I found a name that combined my love for creating and the support I have from him. While general aspects of business can be tricky such as bookkeeping, maintaining an internet presence, and staying motivated, the main focus of being creative and sharing what I love with the world has been easy.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Please tell us more about your business. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I am genuinely excited and thankful about the fact that I get to create and share my creations with others every day! I am always looking for ways to improve my work and solidify my brand. In card making, my envelopes made from patterned paper have become my trademark and something my customers now look forward to. In weaving, I am constantly learning new dyeing techniques, learning to sew, trying new yarns, and pushing my technical boundaries.

I got to where I am today by learning from books, others, and by trying, failing ALOT, and from support from family, friends, and the creative community. My business would not exist without my ability to create, but it took a lot of planning, day dreaming, learning how to keep books, learning tax laws, etc.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Flagstaff is absolutely beautiful, so I would want to let them enjoy the scenery as much as possible. Each day we would spend time outdoors. There are plenty of smooth pathways, and benches to observe. Flagstaff is also full of culture and many creative people. A few walks downtown may be in order to check out the small business, galleries, and to sample the small restaurants, sweet shops, and coffee and tea places. Wandering is my favorite. I would make sure my friend can sample what Flagstaff cuisine has to offer. I love to visit the farmer’s markets during the summer to see what other locals are creating and the delicious produce they are growing. Because of our dark skies, Lowell observatory is also a must. Not only is it breath-taking to look through the telescopes, but the view from the top of the hill allows you to see the whole city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
100% my husband. He is my photographer, idea bouncer, IT specialist, loom fixer, and moral support. He has encouraged me to be creative full time, to fail and to get back up again, and is my biggest fan.

The creative community. Social media is full of groups who help with technical issues. I have had times where I do not understand a pattern or my paper seems not to want to cooperate. If you ask, there are usually more than enough people to help and I do not know what I do without them.

Website: https://www.jlworkshopcrafts.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlworkshopcrafts/

Other: Business email: JLWorkShopCrafts@gmail.com