Lisa Leonard Designs

A friend of mine shared this with our facebook family. Lisa states, "I have been making jewelry since high school but I decided to get serious after my first son, David, was born. I wanted to start a small business that would enable me to quit my job and stay home with my boys. At the time, I had never taken any formal classes or received special training in jewelry making. I just went for it! I am kind of the 'jump in and learn as you go' type. Creating jewelry not only allowed me to work from home, but has connected me with so many amazing women along the way.

You can learn more about Lisa and her products at http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/

Bee Yourself Designs

What an incredible Idea!! Leave it to our daugthers to inspire us! :) She states, "I have been creative all of my life. There is rarely a moment that I do not have some undergoing project going on. I truly enjoy creating, it is my passion. One day my daughter asked me to make a cover for her laptop. That put me to work, and I did my best to create an unique cover for her. Little did I know, it would receive so many compliments. So, I decided to make a few to sell. In addition, I have put uplifting quotes on some of my items. I hope to encourage YOU to be the best you can be with these inspirational quotes." You can find more of Bee Yourself Designs at http://www.etsy.com/

Cloo Gifts

I came across this amazing and talented woman today. Look at these adorable crocheted hats! She has been crocheting for over 10 years and has sold hundreds of hats on Etsy. I've got to say....I'm inspired! You can check her out at http://www.etsy.com/. Love this!!!

Bliss Soybean Candles and Gifts

Suzanne states, "As with anything in my life, I just couldn't do something minimal -- I made way too many candles and had to give some away to friends! They loved them which led me to make even more and then I realized I better do a craft show to get rid of them all. That was Garfield Park in 2004 and I did wonderful. And that is where it all began. Word of mouth spread like wildfire and I found myself doing about 20-25 shows a year, building a website, making marketing materials, selling in stores and on EBay, and doing fundraisers. All of that while working a very stressful, more than full-time job as a Human Resource Manager. Yes, I am tired but I love my product and I love my customers! Oh...and I have a much better job now:) You can learn more about Suzanne's story and her business at http://www.blisscandles.com/

MiaJoie

I came across this very talented lady today. She says, "I am a part-time writing professor, though Mia Joie is rapidly becoming a full time business. I am a mother of two children: a baby girl and a 3-year-old boy. Mia Joie is named after my daughter: Mia is Italian for “mine,” Joie {pronouced zhwä} is from the French expression joie de vivre, "the joy/zest of life." My husband is a Wine Buyer, and we have traveled to many vineyards, including those in France and Italy. On our travels, I look for interesting fabrics that sometimes make their way into the items listed here.

You can find more of her products at http://www.etsy.com/ or visit her blog at http://miajoie.blogspot.com/

Love This Quote...

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?" –Nelson Mandela

My Dream Web Design

"I am a self-taught webdesigner and I love what I do. I look forward to designing something new on a daily basis but the most important aspect for me is ensuring that my clients are satisfied with the service they receive and happy with the website I design for them. Teaching myself how to design websites has been a long process but completely worth the effort as I am now confident in my work and excited to build my business. " You can learn more about Chemeyne and her web design business at http://www.mydreamwebdesign.com/

Salt Apparel

I am inspired by Denise Alves who is a very busy wife and mother of 4. She states, "It is our goal to design products that break the mold of the bubblegum Christian mindset and get attention of non-Christians, thus opening the door for conversation." You can learn more about Salt Apparel on the web at http://www.saltapp.com/

Little Kiwi's Photography

I'm so inspired by Keri who is a wife and mother of 3. She is a truly gifted photographer and states that, "I am always learning and feel that the moment you feel you have nothing left to learn is the moment you stop growing and being creative." To learn more about Keri and her wonderful work, you can visit her on the web at http://www.littlekiwisphotography.com/

Katie Jean Designs

Through her travels to Europe, Indonesia, and Japan, Katie has been inspired by artisans’ handiwork at home and around the world. Her mother taught her the love of fabric and sewing, but her desire to create using vintage materials didn’t blossom until her third child was born, when she stitched her first handkerchief to an onesie to make a baby dress.
Katie’s flair is in taking her beautiful collection of vintage linens found at estate sales and thrift shops from around the country and refashioning these treasured pieces into items that will be enjoyed for generations anew. Each new creation is made with a special vintage touch from the past with a look to the future.
Today, her collection has expanded to include yo-yo shirts, tablecloth dresses and cozy blankets. Look for her new line, baby jean, a fresh collection of organics for the softest skin.

You can visit her on the web at http://www.katiejean.net/