Taradaramadeit!

I was fortunate enough to stumble across Taradara on Twitter, and I started checking out her really cool and unique products at that time.

I don't remember exactly what led me to reach out, but I had to have one of her business card holders for myself, and so I let her know I was stalking her store until I picked one out for me.

I have since ordered a gift for my best friend from back home, and Tara was amazing and seriously created something that meshed with exactly what I was looking for.

I asked her if I could interview her and promote her a bit here as she really has been one of the easiest people to work with and I absolutely love her style. I also think we're supposed to be friends, which is why I'm totally drawn to her, or something like that that doesn't sound stalker-ish - I mean, yeah, she's awesome.

So, here's my stab at interviewing:

* What made you start your business?
I started my business because I really want to stay at home and be accessible to our boys at any time. I am a Trauma/ER RN, so I definitely could go back to the hospital to work ... but I feel like I would miss out on so much with my family. With my sewing business, I am fulfilling my first love being artistic, my dream, and my passion ... and I can be with my family.

* How do you keep your ideas so fresh and creative?
I've thought a lot about this. I don't really have a concrete answer as to how I stay inspired or where I get my ideas from. I'd have to say that I appreciate constructive criticism from my peers. Bouncing ideas off them and asking them their opinion really has helped me grow and develop my products. I encourage my friends, customers, and my family to suggest different products they would like me to make. I love that my products are so unique and different than anybody else's, so that pushes me, too, to stay inspired to be fresh and creative.

* What's your favorite piece you've ever made?
My absolute favorite piece that I've ever made is my son's quilt. It has nothing to do with the products I make to sell, but it is hands down my favorite. When he was 2, we got him a big boy bed and I realized I didn't have age appropriate bedding for it ... so I made him a quilt with various trucks in six different squares. I used fabric from my stash, my mom mailed some fabric from Canada, and my mother in law gave me fabric to assemble his quilt. I also used his receiving blanket from the hospital for the ambulance ... it is the very essence of a 'quilt' with a story and that's what makes it so special to me.

Here's a photo:

You can also find out more about how special this piece is to Tara by clicking here to read the post this interview inspired over at her place.

* Did you learn to sew from your family members? (I saw you wrote that you come by it naturally!) How old were you the first time you created something? What was it?
I learned to sew from my Mom. Her mother and her grandmother were both sewers/quilters. I love how sewing is a part of my 'heritage' in that I have grandmothers {and a great grandmother} on BOTH sides that has passed their talents on.

My mom used to sew a lot for other people in our town ... and for us as kids. A little story, my Mom would be working on an outfit for me one day and the next morning she would have it hanging off of one of our kitchen cupboards for me to see when I came out to have my breakfast. I would wear it to school that day {what a great childhood memory}. So, I thought I would do that for my children too ... I made our oldest a t-shirt with a tie appliqued on it and he totally shut it down {boys!}. So, I sew functional products for others to enjoy and appreciate {hehe}. Okay, back on topic....

I believe I was 12 when I first created something. I believe it was a pair of shorts I made for myself. I didn't use a pattern, I just took a pair of my own shorts and layed them down on the fabric and started cutting and sewing. I sewed the front to the front instead of front to the back {oh, patience was certainly a virtue that I learned ... I used the seam ripper more than once with that project}. I've always loved the idea of having a skill, such as sewing, that you can make something functional out of a flat piece of fabric.

See, I told you, don't you want to know her? Well, you CAN. Just check her our here at her BLOG or head on over to her ETSY store or her Big Cartel store to check out what she has in stock. And if you don't see it - ASK for it, because, well, have I mentioned that she's awesome and will totally make whatever it is you're looking for? Yeah - that.

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