Long ago, really about 15 years ago, I started a craft business while I was working full time for a construction company. During the next 2 years while I was still working, my craft business grew into a wholesale business. At that time I was in my early 40's and making a living as an office manager for this construction company. My children were just about grown but were still living at home. Those were busy but exciting years for us. The business started with me making angels and just kept growing.
I was working non-stop all day and all night and couldn't keep up. So I had to make a decision. I decided to resign from my job and go with my passion. The wholesale business led to opening up a retail business two years later at the Chattanooga Choo Choo and we named it "Little Lace Lady". For the next ten years, I ran this business and literally met people from all over the world. You would not believe how many people know the song, "Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo" and they wanted to see the original. I met mostly people from England and Europe--even countries that I have never heard of! I have even met some celebrities who stayed at the Choo Choo. Maybe even one of you has visited the Choo Choo in the past.
Two years ago, we decided to sell the business and it is still there to this day. I am semi-retired now, and am traveling in a totally different direction, but I still make my angels. The angel pictured has gone through several "costume changes" and the latest change I have made is adding my tatting to the skirt. ( I am selling it on my Etsy if you are interested.)
The one suggestion that really made my angels start selling well was a suggestion by a sales rep. who was selling my angels. She said that if I would write little simple poems and add them to my little angel, it would expand my line and people would buy them even more. And she was exactly right! I wrote poems for mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, grandmothers, granddaughters--anything I could think of. The angel pictured has my "Mother" poem on it.
Here is the poem:
I thank the Lord above
For giving me a mother
who always is so kind and good
And patient like no other.
There will always be people who believe in angels, and I certainly am one of them!