Handmade Bags and More
This business came about when my husband suffered a stroke in 2006 and I needed to stay close to home to help him. Sewing and typing are my best skills but at that stage in my life, I didn't need more clothes--I was living mostly in jeans and sweatshirts—and typing jobs didn’t provide the calming diversion I was looking for. I have been sewing since I was about 4 years old, starting with doll clothes like many people. In the beginning it was frustrating because my mother insisted I do everything "right." Her insistence paid off and for most of my life I made all my own clothes and lots for others, including wedding dresses for 3 nieces and several friends.
I started experimenting with purses because I loved the colorful prints and designs I saw in those expensive designer bags found in boutiques and upscale stores. I expanded to diaper bags when a niece was having a baby and I needed a shower gift. The baby blankets came along for the same reason.
In addition to allowing me to indulge my fabric addiction without guilt, getting back into sewing this way has been a great joy and a wonderful way to combine my love of fabric with creating useful things people seem to enjoy. Opening an Etsy shop seemed a logical step after a couple of years selling to friends and relatives and enjoying some success at local craft fairs. No one was more surprised than I was when orders started coming in! It kept me busy and was a good outlet from the stress that was a natural result of being a full-time caregiver. With the loss of my husband in June of 2014. I have come to appreciate even more how important it has been to have started a business late in life that continues to bring me such satisfaction.