After my second baby was born, I was still struggling with being at home after having spent 11 years in the workforce. I needed something…anything…to bring a sense of purpose to my day (as anyone with children understands, at the end of the day, regardless of how busy you were, there is usually nothing showing that you accomplished anything...there are still diapers to be changed, bottles to be fed, and messes to pick up). I had a sewing machine and I knew the basics and when a friend announced she was expecting, I got busy. It started with a search of fabric. I found a fabric I fell in love with (baby pink, paisley embossed minky)…so I decided to make her a blanket. With extra fabric left over, I decided I could make some burp cloths and bibs. And, since I had an embroidery machine, I embroidered a few onesies to match. I put it all together in a gift basket with a satin liner (using fabric leftover from the blanket binding). I was so pleased with myself. The gift was a hit, but mostly I was…satisfied…I had something tangible at the end of the day to say "I did this today". I started searching for ways to put my sewing skills to use…on a single income, I couldn't just sew for the fun of it and thus I discovered Etsy.
Since then, I have grown to three shops…my original shop, boodybabies.etsy.com, is devoted to destashing fabric and creating fabric labels for other crafters. My second shop, boodybabiesbedding.etsy.com, is devoted to custom nursery and toddler bedding and decor. This shop, 1200stitches.etsy.com is for everyting else. I currently offer a wide array of ready made pieces and also take on custom projects. As my children grow, my goal is to specialize in a few different objects and grow my business even more, allowing me to work outside the workforce.