Meet Amanda — The Creative Heart Behind Be Mandy Things
How Be Mandy Things Began: From Hobby to Handmade Bag Business
In 2017, I was a stay-at-home mom raising two energetic boys with my husband. It was fulfilling, but also, honestly, a little boring. Inspired by my mother-in-law, who’s been sewing since childhood, I decided to try my hand at sewing. After my first lesson, I was hooked — but I quickly learned that mastering the basics like sewing straight lines at a slow pace was key to improving.
With lots of practice, I progressed from simple projects to making zippered pouches, custom tote bags, and other handmade fabric accessories. I started gifting these creations to friends and family, and the compliments kept coming: “Did you really make this? Do you have an Etsy shop?” Their encouragement planted the seed.
The Pandemic Sparked My Small Business Journey
Then came the long pandemic, which gave me the time and space to focus on sewing like never before. To make room in the house (and sanity in my mind!), I decided to open my Etsy shop — and my very first sale happened the day after launching! What started as a creative outlet quickly grew into a thriving small business selling handmade bags, sewing patterns for beginner bagmakers, and more.
If you had told me years ago I’d be designing and sewing professional-quality bags, I would have laughed — but sewing has become so much more than a hobby. It’s my therapy, my stress relief, and a way to keep my creative spirit alive.
Sewing, Teaching, and Finding Balance
These days, I’m a full-time Special Education teacher working with behaviorally and socially challenged children. Balancing that with family life means my sewing time is often limited to evenings and weekends, but my mind is always buzzing with new bag designs and fabric combos. My sewing room is filled with fabric collections and patterns just waiting to be brought to life.
Collaborations & Brand Ambassadorships
I’m proud to collaborate with top brands like Poppie Cotton, Art Gallery Fabrics, Benartex, Maywood Studio and Sallie Tomato, serving as a Brand Ambassador and sharing insider bagmaking tips with my community. You can check out all my collaborations on the Brands I've Partnered With page.
Ready to sew your dream bag? Want to save 10% on your Etsy purchase? Become an insider at bemandythings.com/code.
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