About Me -- the Sewing Senior

Since I was 7 years old, I have wanted to make things, and sell them in a craft shop. That dream never left me.

At first (in the 1960's) I sold in craft shows. At that time, I was making candles and other small items. People would buy them to use as little gifts for kids attending their child's birthday party.

About 20 years ago my crafty friends and I, for several years, held a Thanksgiving weekend craft show in my home. We'd make about $2,000; but my husband really didn't like his tv being covered with a tablecloth on that football weekend. Our marriage survived anyway (grin) and we are at 46+ years and counting.

By this time, I was quite heavily into quilting, and also into rubber stamping; now, it is machine embroidery. Actually, I am now combining quilting and machine embroidery.

I am experimenting with lace bowls. Yes, you heard me right -- lace bowls (and ornaments) made on my sewing machine. They are beautiful, as well as useful!

While I do shirts, jackets, etc. if someone asks me to, my real love is embroidering unusual gift items. Right now, embroidered clock faces and lace ornaments are my primary products.

I am concentrating my efforts on: http://www.sewingsenior.com/; my Sewing Senior web site. There is a story behind that:

About 20 years ago, while at a family reunion, I mentioned I was now too old to start the business I had always wanted. I was about 45 at that time. Dick's cousin, Rod, began questioning me:

How old was my Mom?
Was she healthy?
How old did my aunts live to be?

Gradually, Rod made me realize that there was every chance I would live and be healthy until I am about 100 years old -- another 55 years. Rod pointed out I still had more than half my life ahead of me.

Another 15 years passed before I got going on my Sewing Senior web site. So here I am -- with my own craft shop (online), thanks to Rod's prodding.

I am learning to code the web site myself, and am finding out it is a fun-thing to do. (I'm one of those oddballs that enjoyed COBOL at college.)

Dick and I recently retired, and I find myself working fulltime in my sewing room and on my computer (and loving it).

Both of us will continue to be, as we are now, heavily involved with our grandchildren. Our grandson is 8. He just received his first black belt in karate (Tang Soo Do), and is in Little League.

Our granddaughter is 4, and we're attending dance recitals. We hope to see more of her now we've retired.

Both our grandchildren enjoy what I embroider and/or quilt, and our grandson enjoys helping me with the embroidery, including designing what he wants made. He says the shirts I embroider for him are just AWESOME! Guess I'll make him another shirt (grin). He just received a "Karate Kid" shirt for earning that black belt.

My Credentials:

I have been a member of Toastmasters. This is a great organization. If you have an opportunity to join, you should do so. What you learn at Toastmasters can impact all you do in life.

I am a member of the PCML (Professional Crafters Mailing List) on www.Topica.com/. The business people on this Internet list freely share incredible amounts of detailed business information.

I belong to the New York Crafters Group on Yahoo, along with many others crafters and artists. My gift items are shown in the online catalog we proudly present to you -- http://www.made-in-new-york.com/

This catalog shows items made by New York State crafters and is rapidly growing. If you are a New York State crafter and are reading this, please go to this site for information on possibly joining us: www.made-in-new-york.com/.

Most of what I am learning about web development I have learned from a series of online classes on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) groups on Yahoo. These SEO classes (free) are run by a young lady named Judy ("Cricket") Walker and the great group of teachers she has gathered around her. Find out about Cricket's classes at www.gnc-webcreations.com/.

I hope you will enjoy your time on my site, and please, buy something! (grin)

Thank you.

*I purchased these embroidery designs from some very talented people. All of their designs have been copyrighted. Please do not copy them in any manner.