Initially this shop was set up to make jewelry to help us fund an adoption from Ethiopia. After several years of fertility treatments and the loss of our son mid-pregnancy, adoption had become our only option for a family. Somewhere along the line I realized I really didn't have much of a desire to make jewelry (I don't even wear it so maybe that had something to do with it) and turned to making NFL and college team wreaths out of Mardi Gras Beads. That has been my ticket to mediocre success.

After being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, my hands no longer afforded me the luxury of such things like "fine manipulations" that are required to pick up beads for making jewelry or the grip strength to crimp beads to finish jewelry so hence, I hung up the jewelers tools! Also because of my diagnosis and the chronic nature of continued disability associated with the disease, I am unable to care for myself most days let alone children so we are no longer able to adopt.

Because I had such a shock in going from working as an Addictions therapist and working with the homeless to being disabled, I had to find something I could do to keep feeling useful. In an effort to keep my hands and fingers as limber and movable as possible I taught myself to crochet. I then set up a charity named in memory of our son Miller Gracen called Angel Miller's Ministry where I use the proceeds of this shop to purchase yarn and supplies to make baby sized blankets to send to hospitals to be given to parents who experience infant loss either via premature birth, stillbirth, or born with a terminal illness. It is my hope the blankets I create are able to provide some comfort to the families in their time of mourning.

So that's my story. That's why Lime-A-Beads is here. I hope you like what you see and I would love to create something for you!!

Thanks again!

Allison