Step into the cozy world of Courtney’s Craft Corner! Check out this branding mini session at the Lake Effects Community Arts Center in Manistique, Michigan, highlighting the beautiful, handmade process of a local Upper Peninsula crochet artist. Filled with laidback lifestyle headshots, tools of the trade, and creative inspiration!
Cozier Vibes & Handmade Creatures: A Manistique Branding Session with Courtney’s Craft Corner
As a small business photographer, there is nothing quite like filling a completely blank canvas. When Courtney reached out for a branding mini session at the Lake Effects Community Arts Center in Manistique, Michigan, she let me know this was her very first time getting professional photos taken for her business.
To say I was excited to help build her brand's visual story from scratch is an understatement!
Courtney is the incredibly talented maker behind Courtney's Craft Corner, where she crochets the most adorable, whimsical little animals and creatures. If you’ve frequented local markets and craft shows around the Upper Peninsula, you’ve likely seen her smiling face and her beautifully crafted creations.
The Heart of Handmade: One Stitch at a Time
One of Courtney’s big goals for our session was to capture the true "work in progress" nature of her business. In a world of mass production, Courtney makes absolutely everything one by one, completely by hand.
We made sure to document the tools of her trade—vibrant skeins of yarn, her trusty crochet hooks, and the steady rhythm of her hands at work.
But what truly sets Courtney's Craft Corner apart is her heart. She intentionally keeps her smaller items at an accessible, affordable price point so that local kids can browse her market booths and leave with a handmade treasure of their own. She finds inspiration everywhere, often taking custom pattern suggestions straight from her family and her customers.
Courtney was so kind to gift me three of her adorable bigfoot stuffies to give my niece and nephews (shhh!), and also a chicken stuffie, which I have already given my oldest nephew since he is up here visiting. To say he is absolutely in love with this little crochet creature would be an understatement!
Cozy, Laidback Business Visuals
When it came to the aesthetic, Courtney wanted to lean into a cozy, laidback, and friendly atmosphere. She brought along a lavendar coffee mug to match her brand (because what creative entrepreneur isn’t fueled by caffeine?), alongside her custom logo-stamped packaging bags, business cards, and stickers.
Even though she claimed she was nervous about posing, she absolutely crushed it! Her genuine warmth and creativity shine through every single frame.
With a busy lineup of upcoming local markets and exciting pop-up events at businesses around Northern Michigan, Courtney now has a beautiful library of fresh images to share with her growing community on social media and help promote her booth.
Support this amazing local maker! Follow her journey and find out which UP craft show she'll be at next by following her on Instagram at @courtneys.craftcorner906 and on Facebook at Courtney's Craft Corner.
Are you an Upper Peninsula maker ready to elevate your business? Whether you need behind-the-scenes content of your process or fresh, friendly headshots that help your customers get to know the face behind the brand, let's connect! Click here to book your own branding session!