About Me: My Crafty Side

I began sewing at a young age with the guidance of my grandmother. I remember sitting down on the floor and spending hours looking through her scrap fabrics before deciding on the perfect one to use. To be honest looking through fabrics, all the colors, shapes, themes, is still my favorite past-time. My freshman year in high school, I took a sewing class; it is then that my love and knowledge of sewing flourished. My father surprised me with my very own sewing machine that year for my birthday. I still have that sewing 15 years later, (along with four others, including an embroidery machine, it is an addiction).

I took a break from sewing while in my early twenties. Life was too busy and I just didn’t have the time. It was not until our children were born that I began sewing again. At first it was just as a hobby; I sewed my children’s bedroom curtains and their crib bedding. I forgot how much I loved it. I couldn’t stop I started making my own stuffed animal patterns, sewed my daughter’s sun hats, and sundresses. I also started working on home décor, making quilts for our beds, throw pillows, curtains and valances. From a hobby it went to a business. I started selling children’s items at a local boutique and started selling quilts, stuff animals, and children’s items online. Most of my customer base came from a site called Clubmom. I had begun to write for them about crafting and frugal living. It was through them that my sewing and writing became intertwined. I would sew and craft in the morning while also taking care of my babies. In the afternoon, at nap time, I would write about the progress I had made that morning crafting.

As my children grew, so didn't my crafting experience and crafting knowledge. I began to experiment with other crafting mediums; beading, ribbon work, hair bow making, home décor crafts, seasonal crafts, decoupage, scrapbooking, and jewelry making. With each craft or creative idea, I would write about it.

My writing and crafts were noticed by Sandy Sandler, owner and inventor of Bowdabra. I began writing step-by-step instructions using the Bowdabra for seasonal and home décor crafts. Through my work with Sandy I have learned the importance of easy to follow instructions and large clear pictures. I added an office to my home along with a photo studio. Working with Sandy has allowed me to grow creatively, professionally, and has added photography to my repertoire.

I also began to write crafts for a non-profit called C4K555.org. The purpose of the website is to provide easy to follow step-by-step instructions for crafts that you can do with your children. The crafts usually take less than five minutes and the materials cost less than $5.00.

I feel privileged to be designing children’s crafts for C4K555.org. It is a wonderful site and near and dear to my heart. If it wasn’t for my grandmother and my parents encouraging my own creativity at such young age I might not have been able to turn my creative ideas into a business as an adult.