How did my Etsy journey begin?

My crochet journey started at a young age when my Nanny taught me her skill at the age of 9. Ever since, I have used crochet as a way to unwind and eventually developed a passion in making beautiful pieces.
When my oldest daughter was born in 2015, she suffered great amounts of oxygen deprivation to the brain which left her with a plethora of disabilities and hospital stays. It was during one of her extended hospital stays that I made some scarves and decided that I would start a Facebook page to sell some of the items I was making. It didn't take long to realize that I needed to quit my job as a Hotel Manager to give my daughter the 24hr care she was going to need. As the demand grew for custom crochet through my Facebook page, I decided to finally open this Etsy Shop.


What does the name Bear + Bird mean?

While my daughter, Eliana, spent 7 weeks fighting for her life in the NICU, she was put on an Ocillator Machine which gave her 60 breaths per minute to help heal her lungs. It was when my dad noticed that her chest was rising and falling quickly from the machine that he said it reminded him of a hummingbird and how they breath so fast. Since that day, Eliana has been nicknamed Hummingbird". Later on we discovered that the hummingbird is the symbol for HOPE, which is the basis of our journey with Eliana.

In 2017, I was with Eliana during one of her admits that I learned I was pregnant with our second daughter, Harper. The first thing we purchased for her nursery was a canvas of a Bear under the stars. Since that day, she has been our little Harper Bear, and has completed Bear + Bird's name.

Harper is such a sweet and caring 2 year old, who has learned to help care for her big sister, and will always be her protector. Their special bond is something I have truly enjoyed watching blossom. My little Harper Bear and my sweet little Hummingbird are the reasons you are reading this "about"

UPDATE

It is with a very heavy heart that we had to say goodbye to our precious Eliana on January 11th 2020. Her little body could no longer contain her spirit. I always knew this business would eventually become part of her legacy, we just never thought it would be so soon.

There is much healing ahead of us, but know that we will be slowing getting back into the swing of crocheted awesomeness as we can. We are still accepting custom orders!

We want you to know that when you purchase from Bear + Bird Design not only are you still supporting our Bear + Bird, but you are also carrying a little piece of Eliana's legacy with you. That is the greatest joy to us.

We appreciate all your support and look forward to creating many beautiful handmade products for you and your loved ones to enjoy.

After all, the best gift is bringing a smile to someone else.