Amber Kincaid of Buddy Dude Threads still views herself as the new kid on the small shop block. “At this stage, with Buddy Dude being so new and me still figuring out multiple aspects of owning a small shop and selling to customers online, I’m always telling myself ‘kiss,’ keep it simple, stupid,” she shared. Kincaid launched Buddy Dude Threads in late 2018, but initially had no intention of starting a shop. “Having a small shop, even a very, very small shop, is a big time commitment,” Kincaid revealed. “Juggling two toddlers, one of whom is severely cognitively delayed and autistic, autism therapy, and sewing is definitely an interesting full time job.”

The name Buddy Dude originates from a nickname for Kincaid’s oldest son Jacob. “It’s not particularly catchy, definitely not hip and trendy sounding, but it is something personal to me and seemed to be the best fit for what I wanted to do.” Beyond the name, Kincaid’s two boys also inspired her to open her own shop. “I started sewing for my children first,” she said. “My boys aren’t providing any feedback yet, although they will look at a particular cartoon print like Lightning McQueen and get a huge smile across their face. I know they approve.”

Unquestionably, Buddy Dude Threads has one of the fastest turnaround times for custom apparel, likely because Kincaid sticks to what she does best – children’s shorts and joggers. “The four bottom styles that I make are all gender neutral. What determines if they are boy or girl bottoms is just the fabric print chosen.” Speaking of fabric prints, Kincaid offers many options because she loves the different designs (“I had no idea there was a whole ‘fabric world’ on Facebook.”). I asked Kincaid to name a favorite. “Right now, I’m really excited to be making all the Dr. Seuss items. Those four prints are my first purchase from that particular vendor and I’m very impressed with the quality of the fabric and how bright the colors are,” she explained.

While Buddy Dude Threads may still be in infancy – not unlike many of the shop’s customers  – Kincaid’s sewing skills date back to her childhood. “My favorite part about sewing is the creativity aspect. I’ve always been crafty growing up and I still am,” she said. Whether it’s do-it-yourself home improvement projects or arts and crafts, I love it!” If she wasn’t sewing for Buddy Dude Threads, Kincaid would consider a career in house flipping. “Again, it’s another crafty type job. I love renovating and updating my own home. Whether it’s white washing the old red brick fireplace in our home, painting my kitchen cupboards myself, or updating all the light fixtures inside and out, I love all kinds of hands-on work.”

Buddy Dude Threads continues to grow and has earned a well-deserved reputation for quality. “I absolutely love the photos that moms post of their littles wearing Buddy Dude Threads,” Kincaid exclaimed. “I’m always relieved that they are happy with the item they received and their children are excited to wear it.”

Want in on the growing excitement? Spend some time going through the expansive fabric selections in the Buddy Dude Threads VIP Facebook group here.

Rachel Eden makes me laugh. Her responses to my queries are playful, just like the sweet plushes she creates for her shop Winks + Wildflower. Winks + Wildflower, opened in February 2018, specializes in the design of children’s lovies and stuffed animals, like llamas, owls, otters, moose, ponies, lions, cats, dogs and more. Eden draws inspiration from animals she loved as a child and she hand sews each of their little faces. The shop name is a reference to Eden’s daughter Charlotte, her “wildflower” and “official snuggle tester,” and her “lovie-stealing cat named Winksie.”

Winks + Wildflower plushes come in several sizes, including large and small snuggles, “love buds,” which are stuffed small snuggles, and “dew drops,” a smaller version of the “love bud.” Eden’s humor shines in both the names and product descriptions of the Winks + Wildflower plushes. For example, the Winks + Wildflower raccoon is named “Trash Panda” (“We wanted this to be as authentic as possible, so they have been marinated in our own trash cans all week”), and Eden’s long-tailed fox is “Faux Paw” (“How Embarrassing…”). Her recent cat unicorn design, aptly named “Meowgikal Kittycorn,” is described as “riding through rainbows sprinkling happiness and dreams clouds onto children.”

The Winks + Wildflower plushes come in soft, ultra-lux materials in every color under the rainbow, including a rainbow tie-dye print. You can even have your plush personalized with your kiddo’s name. “I love the design aspect, but I also really love the community aspect,” Eden shared. “I feel like we have created this little family and it is so fun to turn their ideas into a lovie or dew.”

Eden is currently working on a “mer-cat” (“a/k/a mermaid kitty”) for an upcoming shop release. I inquired which plush design was her favorite, but Eden responded, “I feel like you can’t ask me that. It’s like asking which of your kids is your favorite.” If you want a Winks + Wildflower Kittycorn, Trash Panda, or Mer-Cat, you better have fast fingers. Winks + Wildflower’s last restock sold out in less than five minutes.

Speaking of cats, Eden has noticed plenty of them, as in the copycat variety, but she shrugs them off. “As with anything in the art world, there will always be someone who sees an idea and takes it. It used to really bother me, but at this point, the copycats will always be a step behind. They’ll always be looking for the next thing instead of enjoying the process of what it truly means to create and be authentic to yourself and your brand.”

Even though the future is bright for Winks + Wildflower, Eden has a solid back-up plan. “If I wasn’t designing, I would be a unicorn. If all else fails, be a unicorn.” I agree, Rachel Eden.

Don’t miss out on the next llama-filled Winks + Wildflower release on February 2nd. More upcoming drop dates are announced in the Winks + Wildflower VIP Facebook group and on Eden’s website located here.