It feels crazy saying that I found the life of a mom oddly underwhelming, but it’s exactly how I felt when our first was born. I needed a hobby so I brushed up on my crocheting skills from junior high and decided that the world needed me to make something.

I started with baby blankets for pregnant friends, washcloths as Christmas presents, and hats for my little dude. Then it hit me: HATS. That’s what the world needed from me. “After the Bump” popped into my head and at that point I knew something special was in the works. I pulled an all-nighter designing a logo and a product line and had my Etsy shop up and running the next morning. Luck would have it that Etsy took off with a boom. And by boom I mean BOOM!

That was 2009. Fast-forward to today and I am still that crazy house with the lights on at 3am while the rest of the neighborhood is fast asleep. We’ve added two more kiddos to the mix, for a total of three under the age of five, plus a Doberman the size of a small horse.

August 2014: After much prayer it became obvious that I needed to close down the made-to-order section of my photography prop business. My babies are growing up far too quickly and it has been so wonderful to spend more of my time with them! A new branch of After the Bump has taken leaf, my digital download knit and crochet patterns! I would hate for all my original patterns to go to waste so I am making them available to the public for personal and commercial use.

I’m pretty sure I could write an encyclopedia about all I’ve learned running this business as a one-woman show! I am the designer, the maker, the correspondent, the graphics artist, the branding agent, the purchaser, the shipper, and everything else in between.

No, I never thought owning a business was in my future, but I’m sure glad it is. Looking back, I’m happy I was the nerd who knew how to crochet in junior high. Thanks, Grandma--I owe you one.

P.S. I’ll be the first to admit it, I am a hoarder (of yarn, not junk). I love all things stringy and colorful. My perfect day would be spent surrounded by hand-dyed yarn and knitting while listening to some good ol’ John Mayer. Because I know you were curious.