OliviaAnneDesigns

Hello, I'm glad that you stopped by my Etsy shop today! Let me introduce myself -- I'm Suzanne Shelton. If you can't already tell it, I'm a southern girl, born and raised in Mississippi. After getting my Computer Engineering degree from Mississippi State, I moved to the North Alabama area because this was the closest job I could find to home. That was over 20 years ago! I now call Alabama home.

Now, let me tell you a little about how and why I started Olivia Anne Designs in the summer of 2006. A group of ladies were meeting to help a friend plan a “Christmas in July” emphasis for her quilt shop. Someone said “We need a pattern for a Christmas stocking!” and I just so happened to have an original design that I had been making for family and friends for several years. This became my first pattern! Once my “Jungle Jubilee” pattern came along, I had several requests for me to teach classes on how to applique these designs onto children’s clothing. To make the classes flow smoother and to avoid sending the students home with unfinished projects, I had the designs cut out and put together for the them so all they had to do was iron them down and stitch around the shapes. This led to the creation of what I call my “Ready Set Appliques” – in simpler terms, these are “iron-on appliques”. These turned out to be extremely popular and I started drawing animals and other things as stand-alone designs.

For the business’ first six years, I concentrated on whimsical appliques for children’s clothing and baby quilts. As more and more of my wholesale customers unfortunately had to shut down their fabric businesses, I realized that I had to make some changes too if I wanted the business to continue. However, not only was the sewing industry going through a makeover, I found that my interests were evolving also. At this same time, we were remodeling our house to provide me with a much dreamed about studio space. With this addition, I found that I had so much more freedom to look at other possibilities for the business. My appliques and applique patterns are still around, but I’m starting to use them on other things besides fabric. For example, I now have notecards, hand-colored, framed prints, embellished frames, and door or wall art. I still sew children’s clothes, but these will be more “one of a kind” items.

Through all of the changes that both my business and I have undergone over the past several years, I still believe in my two main goals: 1) I want to make you smile every time you see one of my creations and 2) I want to publicly give God the credit for any success. In high school, I learned the scripture verse Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” I really believe this verse! I am learning to trust Him more each day. When I look back on my past, it is amazing to see how His Plan is unfolding in my life.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will take a look around. If you like what you see, please, tell your friends about us!