My spark for making stuffed animal chalk bags started about 3 years ago. I was a student at CSU Chico and had just started getting into climbing at Chico State’s new Wrec Center. The wall and boulder at the gym were brand spanking new, which was awesome. I had met up with some friends to start trying to crush this 5.9 I was working on, when I happened to notice someone with a headless care bear (Sounds creepy, but yes). I thought that was funny and strange, so I went up and asked him what it was and he replied it’s a chalk bag that he made by hand. From that moment I got inspired to make myself a chalk bag out of a stuffed animal. I literally ran to several different thrift shops in town and bought a sewing machine and some stuffed animals. My very first chalk bag was made out of an Elephant. I had no idea how to sew at the time, so I winged it by watching youtube videos and hand sewing. The finished product was pretty funny looking but worked for the purpose of holding chalk. It was a destuffed plush with a simple fleece pouch. Sadly I was not skilled enough to put in a drawstring but instead had a magnet sewn down in the fleece to close the bag. (Not the best design but at the time it was awesome to me) From that time on I have had a lot of friends ask me to make one for them or for a friend.

I did not really see myself making it into a business at that time since I was so focused on school but it was more of a fun hobby. I just loved meeting people while I was climbing and enjoying life. Through the years since then I have moved to San Luis Obispo and climb at the local gym in the area called SLo-Op. This gym and its members have really supported me and I am very lucky. I have recently been pursuing this as my dream job. Making stuffed animal chalk bags brings me joy. I never know what I am going to make next but I look forward to all possibilities and creativity. I know having a goofy looking chalk bag looks somewhat ridiculous sometimes but it’s a way to have fun and meet people. I hope through these bags that I make, people can have fun, climb, and express themselves.