Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Rasley.
Hi Tanya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Cozy Chaos Craft Co. was founded by Tanya Rasley, Maat Pittman, James Kelley, and Clay Rasley, who each brought different skills and creative backgrounds to a shared vision: creating a place where creativity and community come together.
What started as an idea between four friends has grown into a destination for makers of all skill levels. We wanted more than a craft store—we wanted a welcoming space where people could discover a new hobby, learn from experienced instructors, meet other creatives, or simply sit down and work on a project.
Today, Cozy Chaos Craft Co. offers thousands of supplies for fiber arts and other creative hobbies, hosts classes and community events, and provides artist studios that support local creatives. We also hand-dye our own yarn in small batches and create artisan soap in-house, giving customers products they can’t find anywhere else.
As we continue to grow, we’re working with Megan Jarvis of Mud & Mayhem to bring a dedicated pottery studio into the shop, expanding the creative opportunities available under one roof.
Everything we do is centered around the same goal we started with: supporting creativity, celebrating local artists and makers, and building a community where everyone feels welcome to create.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a small business is never a smooth road, but honestly, that’s part of the adventure.
Transforming a 7,000-square-foot building into the creative space we imagined took a lot of hard work, problem-solving, and more late nights than we’d like to admit. Every day seemed to bring a new challenge—whether it was renovations, inventory, learning new systems, or figuring out how to wear ten different hats at once.
One of our biggest (and favorite) challenges has been introducing people to a different kind of craft store. We didn’t set out to create a place where people simply come in, buy supplies, and leave. We wanted to build a creative community—a place where people can learn a new skill, spend an afternoon making something, meet local artists, or just feel inspired. Watching people “get it” for the first time has made every challenge worthwhile.
We’ve learned that flexibility is one of the greatest tools a small business can have. Every obstacle has pushed us to grow, try new ideas, and become better at what we do. Looking back, we wouldn’t change much, because each challenge helped shape Cozy Chaos Craft Co. into the creative, welcoming community we’re so proud to be building.
We’ve been impressed with Cozy Chaos Craft Co, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Cozy Chaos Craft Co. really started long before we ever signed a lease.
The four of us—Tanya Rasley, Maat Pittman, James Kelley, and Clay Rasley—have been close friends for nearly 15 years. Our families have grown up together, our kids have been best friends since they were three years old, and we’ve spent countless hours dreaming up creative ideas together. Opening a business wasn’t just about starting something new—it was about combining decades of friendship with a shared belief that creativity has the power to bring people together.
Each of us brings something different to the table. Tanya and Clay previously built Canard Labs, growing it from the ground up into a business with two storefronts and products carried in more than 900 shops around the world. Clay also spent more than two decades as a chef, where creativity, craftsmanship, and attention to detail were part of everyday life. Maat has been immersed in the fiber arts since childhood, learning to spin at just eight years old and developing a lifelong passion for knitting, weaving, spinning, and nearly every fiber craft imaginable. James has an incredible eye for color and design and is constantly dreaming up new ideas, whether that’s creating a new yarn colorway, designing displays, or helping bring a creative vision to life.
What ties all of those backgrounds together is the belief that making things matters. When we looked around Coos Bay, we realized there wasn’t really a place where creative people could gather—a place where you could take a class, meet local artists, work on a project, or simply spend time surrounded by people who love creating.
That became the heart of Cozy Chaos. Yes, we sell supplies, hand-dye our own yarn, and make artisan soap, but that’s only part of the story. We also dedicate a significant portion of our space to local artists, instructors, and makers because we believe a thriving creative community benefits everyone. We love seeing people discover a new hobby, gain the confidence to teach a class, or even turn their passion into a business.
Our hope is that Cozy Chaos becomes more than just a store. We want it to be a place where ideas are shared, friendships are formed, and creativity continues to spread throughout downtown Coos Bay. If, years from now, we can look around and see more artists opening studios, more creative businesses filling empty storefronts, and more people making things with their own hands, we’ll know we’ve done exactly what we set out to do.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
We’ve never viewed success as something we achieve alone. Some of our biggest accomplishments have come from collaborating with local artists, instructors, and makers instead of competing with them. We believe that when one creative business succeeds, it strengthens the entire community. That’s why we’ve built Cozy Chaos around lifting others up as much as building our own business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cozychaoscraftco.com
- Instagram: @cozychaoscraftco
- Facebook: @cozychaoscraftco
- Other: TikTok @cozychaoscraftco
