I kept losing my hair scrunchies back in second grade, so after my parents gave me a sewing machine for Christmas, I made some. Later in life, friends needed bridesmaid dresses hemmed and ringbearer pillows for their weddings, so I made them. Then they wanted custom baby onesies and tooth fairy pillows and aprons; so I made them too. It was my own son's first Christmas and I couldn't find a biblical advent calendar (Jesse Tree); so I made one. This process of "making it myself" became sacred and special as each item had sentimental significance to the recipients and meant so much more than a store-bought solution. In a time when most everything can immediately be clicked and shipped, I am humbled that anyone would take interest in my work and allow me the time it takes to personalize and customize a special heirloom quality hand-made gift.

Navy Mango is simply a made-up name for my online boutique here on Etsy where I offer some of my handmade items and interact with friends on custom requests and special orders. Navy blue and mango orange happen to be one of my favorite color combinations to work with, otherwise the name is meaningless.💙🧡

As a mother to four boys, sewing is not a "get to". It's a "have to"! I make time to sew a little bit every single day as a way to hold space for the sanity I've lost and hang on to the sanity I still have left. With every stitch I either lift up prayers, shed a tear, or give thanks for all the blessings. It's sacred space each day to do something quiet by myself that I enjoy. For someone else to appreciate my work and hire me to create something special for them, is truly an honor. 💙🧡