handmade - modern - functional

Sewing is a good excuse to control my fabric-aholic-ness!

I absolutely love to sew. I love the thrill of turning a beautiful piece of patterned cotton into something useful, something pretty, something no one has ever made before. I love that every time I sew with a new or used piece of material, I am creating a handmade treasure that only exists because that particular color combo popped into my head... That gives me a little thrill!

My best friend introduced me to Etsy 5 years ago. WOW, a place I can buy more fabric from, to make things to sell, to buy more fabric, to make things to sell... My first shop (www.etsy.com/blissfulsew) was for my handmade items. Then I discovered PDF patterns. I love everything about sewing except unpicking a seam and paper patterns (tissue paper that rips, darts, no pics and lousy instructions). So I drafted up a pattern for one of my fave items, listed it on a new shop and... sold it on the first night!!!

Life threw me a detour. I lost my "corporate" job on Bay Street while pregnant with baby number two. After the initial turmoil, it turned out to be the best fork in my road ever. Now I spend my days trying to grow my 3 little men into good little husbands and Canadians and my evenings (and many weekends) trying to grow my creative business into a consistent addition to our family income.

I honestly could not design and sew without the help of two very special people in my life; my hubby (supportive and positive) and my best friend (successful entrepreneur who showers me with inspiration and ideas). I think very few successful shops online can continue without someone to prop up the front line.

Every design I make, every word I write, every entrepreneurial decision I make is mine to take ownership of and that makes me very proud. I know it sounds like a cliche but I feel so lucky and happy to have my lovely, creative life... Handmade is a very big part of it.