Meet Lori Carroll | Owner Pale Tree Crafts

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

Hi Lori, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m originally from Ohio, but I moved to Greenville, SC 31 years ago and I like to say I got here as soon as possible! I come from a family full of “handy” people who like to make or fix things and I learned early on how satisfying it can be to do those things for yourself. I had a Great Aunt who was the family crafter and she passed that particular love on to me. She was also the kind of woman who liked to learn new things and was a wonderful teacher. She would show up at family gatherings from out of town with her car full of food and all the supplies for a craft project that everyone could join in on. As a child, I thought she was amazing, and I hope I’m carrying on her legacy in a way that would make her proud. I’m very close to my family and my parents finally followed me to SC 5 years ago. My mom also loves to craft and it’s something we’ve done together for years. Having the opportunity to do that more often since starting Pale Tree Crafts has been wonderful. My strong family connections and being raised in an environment of love, encouragement, and enthusiasm for learning new skills are the foundation for everything about me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been a crafter all my life, and like a lot of crafters, I’ve tried my hand at many different mediums over the years. It started with rubber stamping in the 90’s and more recently I was doing crepe paper flowers, Cricut crafts, and sublimation until I bought a laser in April of 2023. The process of creating things brings me a lot of joy, but giving things I’ve made to friends and family and seeing them smile has always been my greatest motivation. I was having so much fun with my new laser that I decided to share that joy with a wider audience and start a small business.

Doing craft fairs has been a new experience for me this year and I’m having a lot of fun doing it. I think anyone who knows me would say my actual number one hobby is talking! So having the opportunity to talk to people at vendor events, and seeing them smile when they find something they love that I made is the best feeling in the world. I also love making custom items, especially when I get to help someone bring an idea to life. I like a good craft challenge!

I’ve had to learn about running a business and a website, which was all new to me, and that has been the most challenging aspect. Thankfully, there are many online resources and groups full of knowledgeable people who want to help others get started and succeed. I’m also a mom and a nurse working full-time, so life is hectic but very fulfilling.
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To me, an important part of my brand and story is that I’m doing this with my mom. She helps with the painting and assembly of my items, and we get to spend a lot of time together in this endeavor. My logo is a tree with a crescent moon and that moon is a symbol of our close relationship. When we lived 600 miles apart for 20+ years, and even now that it’s only 10 miles, we can always look up and see the same moon no matter where we are. Growing up, we called a thin crescent moon a “toenail moon” and it makes us smile every time we see it. This time spent crafting together is something I greatly treasure.

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?
I am completely in love with the Upstate and I love having people come visit so I can show it off. First, would be a day in downtown Greenville. Visiting all the shops, the restaurants, and of course the gorgeous Falls Park. There are so many restaurants that it’s hard to choose, but I love Sassfras, Trio, Soby’s, or Grill Marks. I haven’t been to Carmella’s for dessert yet, but I’m looking forward to checking it out! No visits to Greenville are complete without a stop in Mast General store, dropping a coin from the mouth of the Porcellino statue for luck, looking for the Mice on Main, and seeing the inside of the lovely Poinsett Hotel. M. Jusdon Booksellers is a perfect oasis from the bustle of Main Street. On Saturday mornings, I like to go to the TD Saturday Market and the last stop is always for banana bread from Banana Manna, which I take down to the park and eat immediately. I always bring a knife and some butter with me just for this purpose!

The rest of the week would be for exploring the gorgeous surrounding area. A day spent seeing Table Rock, Bald Rock, and Ceasar’s Head with lunch at Aunt Sue’s on Hwy 11. We could spend a day exploring Travelers Rest, part of the Swamp Rabbit Trail or walking around the lake at Furman University. We would have to stop and see the Poinsett Bridge and Campbell’s Covered Bridge. We would drive down to Woodruff to see CraftySavvy’s adorable shop full of beautiful things made by local artisans, myself included, and have dinner at Connor Flynn’s. I also love the historic Taylors Mill and 13 Stripes is one of my favorite local breweries. Downtown Greer is lovely with the city park right there, Cartwright Food Hall, and all the shops on Trade Street.

There is honestly so much to do and see in this area, we could easily spend several weeks seeing it all!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I want to thank for getting me where I am, and where I’m still going! First, my unconditionally loving and supportive parents, Nancy and Tom West. My crafty and free-spirited Great Aunt Mary for inspiring me. Also, Courtney (aka Liz Love) and Jeff Straub (Leeward Solutions) support my small business and life in more ways than any friend could hope for. I am lucky to have a lot of other wonderful friends in my life who consistently show up and cheer me on, too.

Website: https://www.paletreecrafts.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091619380941&mibextid=ZbWKwL