Hey there! You really want to know about my crazy life and how I got started doing this fabric thing? Well, it was a long chain of events that started in 1999 with my selling on EBay and developing a nice email relationship with other single moms out in cyber space who were trying to put food on their table for the kiddies. I was a single mom of three young boys and needed to find a way to work without the expense of daycare. I sold anything I could to make a buck. I purchased mostly at estate auctions and soon developed a propensity for a garage full of junk. Well, I got tired of the post office caring little about the fragile packages I was shipping and I got tired of moving junk from one side of the garage to the other to make room for more junk. I sort of fell into selling fat quarters after a suggestion from an eBay mom friend who made custom mouse pads with coordinating computer covers out of fabric. (See you can always make the mortgage somehow! Gotta be creative!)

I started with about 30 fabrics that I had purchased in nearby Amish Country, where fabric abounds. The fabric was plentiful and the customers were wonderful to deal with. My oldest son who was 13 at the time would help with the photography, when he wasn't off playing hockey or with his friends. My youngest son Chris, then 9, was the packer and inventory manager of the bunch. Far more organized than I could ever hope to be, he alphabetized all the fabric on the shelves in my office and was constantly on my case when things got out of whack with his system! Adam, then 10, kept pretty much to himself, typical of the middle child, but was always a good listener and critic when I brought in new crazy fabrics or pondered over trying new things with the site or the auctions. Throw in a 2 acre property and 4 bedroom house, 2 dogs and a cat and life was very full! I was very blessed to be capable of supporting myself and to still be there to catch every Halloween parade and after school sports event. To have the support of family and friends is a gift from God. There is something very soulful for me in the fabrics. Not sure what that is...just feel it was the path I was meant to find. I am thrilled to be able to share it with you.

I started traveling through Maryland, Delaware and Virginia stopping at every fabric store I could find and before I knew it my inventory was up over 1000 different patterns! We are currently at 2800 and climbing. The fabric shopping is still my favorite “work” responsibility. I really do need to stay out of those fabric stores! Do they have help groups for this addiction? FAA? Fabric Addicts Annonomous? Well...With the help of several wonderful assistants from the local high school, boy do these kids know computers, and a good friend who comes in to cut and pack orders with me twice a week, I am able to keep my head above the business. Oh and don't forget the dogs, Jake the yellow lab, my best friend who I lost to cancer last January, and Bauer the Jack Russell, who sat by my feet day and night while I lived at the computer and kept me company when the boys were at their dad's.

Seven years later, life has changed a good bit, but I still LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my fabric business and am thankful every day that I can wake up and look forward to work. I have moved into a restored 100 year old barn with my fiancé and his 2 boys, ages 11 and 13. Yes! 2 more boys! Should I change the name of my business? My workspace has tripled, thankfully. We are constantly under construction in “the barn” and on the edge of chaos trying to keep up with hockey, soccer and lacrosse practices, music lessons, doctor’s appointments and book reports. 2 of the boys are driving now, three have jobs, and one is in college. The five are in 4 different schools and guess who the taxi driver is? I do enjoy most every moment of my “Mommy” tasks but still find the business to be my soul time. Life is good! Ken and I hike, bike, camp and fish whenever we can get away. We both love the outdoors! He blessed me with a trip this past July to Alaska for my 50th birthday. We traveled all over the Kenai Peninsula with our own itinerary for 2 weeks. What an incredibly beautiful place. Everyone needs to go there at least once in their life! They have great fabric stores there! I wanted to dump the clothes and load my suitcase with textiles but I controlled myself. We plan to marry in May, finally finding time to plan what should have happened a year ago.

I don't sew or quilt, but swear I will learn when the kids are gone and life is much simpler....if that ever happens! I have a tremendous respect for women everywhere who take the time to sew and create. I am happy to share your stories and help you find just the right fabric to finish off that project. I admire the pictures you send of your creations. I pray for you and your families when you share your hardships with me. We are all in this world together and I feel strength in my life from each of your visits with me in cyber space. Thanks!