21st-century quilts sew different from Grandma’s – News-Press
Reverse applique: Traditional applique sews a motif (the design piece) on top of a background. Reverse applique quilters sew the motif underside of the background, then cut away and turn under the edge of the top fabric to reveal the motif. Sashiko
SEEDS of Entrepreneurial Spirit
I’m really excited about the opportunity to attend the BlogHer convention this year as I’m looking forward to networking with and learning from some of the best and brightest bloggers around! Unfortunately, it will not be a cheap trip since the tickets alone cost $298, so I was ecstatic to learn from Jennifer at Hip As I Wanna Be that her sponsor, SEED Power (a line of all natural body care), is also offering a $250 sponsorship to one of her readers through their SEEDS of Inspiration Contest.
I hadn’t heard of SEED so I checked them out and learned about the founders and I was struck by both their entreprenuerial spirit, and their similar story. The founders are a husband and wife team who were nearing their 40s when they started their family and began the intensive process of detoxifying their lives. My husband and I also followed a similar path as we struggled with infertility issues and credit having five healthy children now in great part to developing better habits and living a healthier lifestyle.
As they were researching ways to simplify and detoxify they found themselves faced with a business opportunity that would help them to help others fulfill this same need. Born from research showing that drinking red wine has beneficial health effects, their all natural line of skin care products is made from grape seeds, a natural byproduct of the winemaking process. Their inspiring story demonstrates how those with the willingness to work hard and the desire to achieve can create their own entrepreneurial opportunities that allow them to design a career doing something they really love.
Mother and Daughter Business Fills a Void
Tina Schatzberg had left her career as an advertising sales executive to be a stay-at-home mom, however she still had a passion for marketing and wanted a more flexible means of pursuing that passion. When Schatzberg’s mother lost her job as a sewer for an automotive supplier in Detroit, the two decided to go into business together.
Schatzberg had been frustrated at not being able to find “unique, high quality accessories” for her daughter Kayla, so the two created Ragamuffins Direct. Their online shop offers handmade accessories for women and children such as nursing covers, baby blankets, baby booties, bibs, burp cloths, hobo bags, head scarves and an adorable line of beanie hats like the one Kayla is modeling here ($20 retail).
Read more of Schatzberg’s story in the Detroit News where you can even get instructions to make your own beanie!
Unemployed Mom Stitches Up a Business From Daughter’s Designs
Denise Garlow is an out of work graphic artist from Atlanta who had been spending most of each day at the computer looking for employment and rewriting her resume. Then one day her daughter brought home a plate she had designed in Girl Scouts that had drawings of “colorful, mouse-like creatures with large saucer ears and big black eyes.”
She asked her nine year old what she called the characters and she replied “Mom, they’re my representatives … they come to children who are sad and lonely or who were meant to have a better life.”
Since Denise didn’t feel too good about herself or her job prospects at the time, the statement really touched her and it eventually led to the creation of a new business. Now she has turned her basement into a workshop and has completed prototypes of four dolls, as well as story lines to go along with each character.
Denise has invested in materials, in registering her limited liability corporation, A Place of Good LLC, and she’s taken steps to protect her ideas by filing for patents, trademarks and copyrights.
She’s taking it month by month as she can afford to pay for things, but still Denise has advice for others who would like to go into business, “the thing I would advise is to listen and find out what you really like, what really moves you.”
Read more of Denise’s story in CNN Living.