This is what I do for me. What I do for fun.

I make bible covers and matching zip pouches and bible totes, along with fun purses, wallets, and a few other things to make life more enjoyable. I really believe that functional things should be beautiful, and beautiful things should be functional. Everytime I pick up my own purse or wallet and I see the fun fabrics, it makes me smile. Life is too hard and too long to not take the time to make it enjoyable and pretty!

I named my shop *The Pokey Rose* because I think it defines my style well. I love old fashioned elegance, but it just isn't me. So while everything here MUST be beautiful (like a rose), most of my items have a little spunk and quirk to them, kind of like a very pokey little rose!

I made my shop motto, "Sweet, Simple, Fun", to remind myself daily that that is my goal. I am not here to make a huge name for myself. I am here to make sweet things, to keep it simple, and to have fun.

♥ Hopefully along the way I can brighten someone else's day with something I made. :-)

INSPIRATION
My bible covers, purses, wallets, and key fobs are all things that I use myself on a daily basis. And I love using them all so much and so believe in their functionality as well as their beauty that I am sewing them for the Etsy community. So when you see one of these items, know that I am not making them just to "make a sale". I truly desire to bring the same softness, quality, and prettiness into your day as I enjoy in mine everyday.

EXPERIENCE & QUALITY
I have been sewing for more than 20 years. My sewing has always reflected where I was in life; in my teens I made clothes for myself.. When in college and when I bought my first house, I made blankets, pillows, and curtains. When friends began having babies, I made clothing, blankets, and toys. Now my sewing reflects the needs of a busy working woman, but also one who loves being at home and loves the crafty arts. My purses and wallets constantly get attention when I am out and about; people always want to know where I got them! That really makes me feel great, because I feel like I have found kindred spirits in those moments - people who understand the beauty I see in these otherwise mundane objects.

I did a lot of my early sewing in haste, just to get to the finished product. I cut a lot of corners. In fact, I was taught a lot of short cuts when I learned to sew; that was just how you did it. I have spent the last 15 years or so unlearning all of that! I have disciplined myself to slow down, make it quality, and make it to last. You will see this labor of love in everything I make now. When you get something made by me in your hands, I hope you will feel the love, joy, and skill that I put into it. I am proud of everything I make because when I look at these things, I see the years of experience, the triumphs and the popped stitches, not just a bible cover or a purse or a wallet. I see how I have trained myself to expect only the best, and to take my time in getting there.

I have searched out quality materials from start to finish. I take the time to design my products so that they look finished and elegant. I use lots of topstitching for reinforcement. When I make my wallets, I check and recheck for squareness. I don't skimp on the interfacings, the parts you don't see but can tell when they are missing. I try to make any handstitching clean and neat. A shabby job makes me feel shabby, so I really aim for a professional finish on every item. :-)

That being said, these are definitely still *handmade* things, and intrinsically have imperfections. Many have said that is the charm of a handmade object; that it isn't cookie-cutter perfect and sterile. I will have to agree!!!

CUSTOM ORDERS
I am definietly open to custom work, just contact me through the the convo system here on Etsy. We'll see if some fabric I have on hand suits you or if we need to order some!

JUST FOR FUN
I used to be attached to patterns and maybe even handicapped with out them! I saw so many sellers on Etsy designing their own patterns and I felt stumped. I finally said to myself, "This can't be so hard!" And gave it a chance. Now, I am happy to say, all my sewing patterns are my original ones (not that anything I am sewing is super-complicated), but it is a fact I am proud of. I used to be so intimidated about sewing without a pattern!


One more thing about me - I LOVE the photo-taking aspect of Etsy. I had never done much photography before I started here, so I've had to read up on it and hone my skills. But nothing excites me quite like a well lit, up-close photo of a great Etsy item, be it mine or someone else's. I love that pretty pictures and treasuries are a part of the Etsy experience!