make: jamie of saturday morning pancakes

I love things that make me smile. And I found that Saturday Morning Pancakes creator Jamie Clinard’s creative projects evoke such a joy that I can’t help but laugh out loud while browsing through her products. Like pillows that are screen printed with Ron Swanson’s famous ‘stache, and aprons with Star Wars quotes. Or towels with whimsical airstream trailers and smiling rain clouds. Or, my personal favorite, the Oh Happy Day pillow. They are made to bring a smile to your face, and laughter to your home. Not meaning to sound like a stalker, but I’d like to hang out with Jamie. I mean, who wouldn’t right?

-angie

please introduce yourself.

My name is Jamie Clinard. I grew up in sunny San Clemente, California where my family and I live now. I am a wife to an amazingly hilarious sci-fi-loving man, a new mother to a bald and giggly six-month-old baby girl, and the creator of Saturday Morning Pancakes. I am a huge fan of nachos, smiling, Star Wars, and the number 22.

what do you make or do?

I make whimsical items for the home, everything from throw pillows to tea towels. I strive to make items that will bring a smile to those who see them and spread a little silliness into the lives of others.

where can we find your creations?

You can find Saturday Morning Pancakes items at SaturdayMorningPancakes.com, etsy.com/shop/SatMorningPancakes, or at the following retail locations:

Road Less Traveled (Santa Ana, CA), Deer Lovely (Costa Mesa, CA), Love and Whiskey (Irvine, CA), Local Fare (Costa Mesa, CA), Fingerprints Records (Long Beach, CA), This is AUST. (On Abbot Kinney, Venice Beach, CA)

how long have you been creating and is it your full-time job?

I started Saturday Morning Pancakes two years ago and took the intimidating leap of faith to do it full-time from the start. Prior to starting the business, I had been working in Gang Prevention and counseling at-risk youth. While I loved working with teens, the job was taking an emotional toll on my life. My sweet husband has always encouraged me to use my creativity as my outlet and one night sat me down with a gift that would change my life. He had hired a graphic designer to develop a brand package, he had written up a business plan, and worked out a budget that would allow me to leave my job and focus on Saturday Morning Pancakes full-time. So I had a framework that outlined goals and a brand that portrayed professionalism. It made the transition easier, but no less scary. Since then it has been an evolution of how to keep things creative, but do it in a way that is efficient so that I can have time with our new baby girl.

what obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life?

One of the largest battles I have had to face in leading a creative lifestyle is staying true to my vision for Saturday Morning Pancakes. So many people can influence the way you run your business, from product ideas, to business advice and even down to logo and website design. I often hear the sentence, “What you need to do is….” I know all of this advice is coming from wonderful people that want to see me succeed, which is why I feel pressured to do it all. I just have to keep reminding myself that I need to make the items that I want to make, not necessarily the items that will bring in more money. “Yes, thank you, I am aware that chevron is in right now, but I’d rather focus on shark week and smiling rain clouds.” So far I have set happiness as my goal. From that, we have been able to keep focused on a small number of products, and my business and spirit have soared. It’s not easy to say “no” to supportive suggestions, but saying no means that when you say yes to an idea… it means more.

what inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out?

Advice for other creatives: Be your own cheerleader, know that what you are doing is unique and just as good if not better than the next guy/gal, take the leap and jump in with everything you have. I was lucky enough to have a team of people cheering me on, but the only opinion that really mattered was my own. You have to believe that you have something great to offer the creative scene, because you do. It is so easy to compare your products with everyone else out there. Stay away from that rut and focus on what is unique about you. Every person has a gift to offer this world and we want to see it!