I just KNEW that I wanted to cloth diaper and wear my children, way back in 2004 when my children were just a gleam in my (and my husband's) newly-returned-from-Iraq eyes.

My mom bought me my first cloth diapers as a shower gift, their high cost though meant that I would be doing laundry twice a day just to avoid disposables. My grandmother had taught me how to sew in grade school and I thought "I can totally make these".

My first diapers were made from tea towels bought at the local dollar store. As I gained confidence as a mother, a cloth-diaperer, and a seamstress my diapers improved, and I started buying up better materials. I got involved with donating cloth diapers, and making them for friends, than friends of friends, and finally someone said "Hey, you should sell these on eBay!" Suddenly I was officially "in business", all while completing my graduate work in counseling and raising my daughter.

Then a fellow diaper-seamstress introduced me to Etsy in late 2008. I lurked.... and lurked... I was about to finish my graduate program and start my "real" job as a counselor, did I really want to take on another online storefront??

The simple structure and ease of getting started finally lured me in; I'd give it a try. I spent forever getting my shop set up ("I'm not tech-savvy" is an understatement), finally put up my first listing, and then couldn't find it, ANYWHERE. Frustrated, tired, holding a sleeping toddler, I was about to surrender when I realized that my item had sold - in approximately 10 SECONDS! The hook was set!

As my shop has continued to grow on Etsy I have fallen in love with the community, the structure, the chance for a creative outlet, and most importantly the opportunity to stay home with my children.

In spring 2011 this became more important than ever when my husband was killed in a car accident. Suddenly I was doing it all alone, and my Etsy shop provided me with an opportunity to remain home with my children and still make ends meet. I thank God that I am so blessed to be able to work from home creating things I love and spending time with the people I love every day!

I scaled my private practice down and have supplemented my income with my Etsy shop sales. Though I sometimes find myself wondering, in the wee hours of the morning as I sit hunched over my sewing table listening to the soft hiss of the baby monitor between the now-so-familiar clacking of my sewing machine, if I'm crazy. Yet I am so blessed to be able to do something I LOVE, share it with others, and to enjoy the opportunities it provides for my children and I.

It's my genuine hope that you will LOVE your MamaBear items and my pleasure to serve you!