Crafting can touch our lives in so many ways, and crafting has always been a part of my story. Maybe it’s generational. My grandmother quilted, did needlepoint, sewing, embroidery, knitting, and worked wonders with fabric. My mom, a nurse, would come home from work to do cross-stitch or scrapbooking late at night. So it’s probably no wonder that as a teenager, I was often creating for myself and others. I became a creative entrepreneur early on in life - inviting my girlfriends over to watch movies, while I fulfilled orders, painted, hot glued, and assembled little figurines into flower pots for sale.
It’s been nearly 20 years since then, and my story with crafting has only continued. In 2014, I founded my more official creative business, Crafts Made by Mom. While I wasn’t spending time with my two, adorable girls, I was personalizing tumblers, keychains, and more – making wood signs and crafts for people across North Carolina. Over the years, the business and the joy it brings to people has been amazing. What hasn’t been fun or easy has been sourcing the supplies!
Too often, I’d be spending hours a day driving across the state of North Carolina looking for last-minute vinyl or just a few blanks for my next product or project. I was frustrated. No store was fully serving my home here in the triangle with a high quality, wide selection of materials and resources for people like me.
So in 2018, I decided to create something new: Crafts Made by You, the solution to my own problem and the frustrations of so many other local crafters I know. Our store is nestled right here in the heart of North Carolina because you deserve a nearby place to help you make all the things you’re dreaming about and what to make for others.
Because the thing is – we all have a story with crafting. For you, it may have begun with your family’s story or on your living room floor, as it did with me. Or it may be a story that just’s beginning.
Wherever you’re starting from, I invite you to create with me soon, here in town, at Crafts Made by You. I can’t wait to see what you’ll craft!
Elyse