How It All Started
'Way back in 1984, I signed on with Northwest Fabrics to make sample crafts and clothing that they would display in their store. Enough interest in the samples was generated that I began selling my work. I started with a few shops, and a couple of small craft shows, and things grew from there.
For a time I did this while holding down my "real" jobs in the computer field: applications programming, R&D in medical image processing, and systems programming.
In 1995 I decided to resign from the "real" job to do a more important "real " job: raising my three children. But I continued to do sewing to supplement the household income, and because I enjoyed it.
And yet, the business still kept growing, even though it was supposed to be a part-time pursuit. Now, the whole family has become involved. My husband Craig, with his business background, is the bookkeeper and provides invaluable guidance on the financial and practical aspects of running a company, in addition to keeping our computer equipment running. Matthew, who's fourteen already, helps to bag our customers' purchases and straighten up the displays. Andy, age twelve, helps pack and trim the Christmas tree at our fall shows. (He also loves Runescape and is building his own website.) And Caroline, age ten, is primarily in charge of public relations: she's our charming greeter!
In the spring of 2001 we decided to build an online store, and our very modest goals were surpassed within the first few months. Since then, we have continued to enhance our website, making it easier to use and more informative, and we plan on adding new items as our creativity leads us.
