Brittney Andersen puts her heart and “sole” into everything she sews for small shop Bare Soles Moccasins. “The hours that go into our business, the passion we have for creating something fun for our customers and the feedback we get with every pair received is what drives us to continually do more.”

Andersen launched Bare Soles after creating matching footwear for her own two boys. “I actually hand-sewed the first pair of moccasins while wearing a headlamp in the car on a late night road trip. My husband thought I was crazy,” she laughed. “I’m a self-taught seamstress; I’ve never taken a class, just a whole lot of trial and error to get us where we are today. Some of the very first moccasins sewn for friends and family were cut from the back panels of leather couches that we found.  Leather, at the time, was expensive, so this ‘upcycling’ was a way for us to jump into using leather without the big cost.”

Today, Bare Soles is wildly popular with small shoppers looking for unique leather designs and matching accessories. Andersen credits her “Mocc Daddy” husband Jeff for the expansion of the Bare Soles brand and new shop items including the Bare Bag, the Crossbody and all the Bare Necessities (like fuzzy blankets, car sear covers and even dog collars). “He has figured out how to streamline our cutting process, he created an entirely new workspace for me, which allows me to sew faster and more fluidly than ever before, and he is constantly coming up with ideas that just keep getting better,” she shared.

I personally love the shop’s “Space Doodle” print, but Andersen’s favorite is the Disney-inspired “Magic” design. “Being a Disney girl at heart, being able to design something that speaks to my Mickey-loving soul makes every pair extra special for me.” Customers enjoy the ability to completely design and customize the footwear based on their preferences. Options include size (obviously), sole color, the addition of a bow or front fringe, and the inclusion of fringe, a scalloped back and a leather toe cap in over 30 different colors. The shop also offers “specialty bows,” like Mickey Mouse ears, Halloween bats, and holiday holly berries. “Through our customers and their unique suggestions, we feel that we have developed a process that allows you to select, modify, and create some of the most one-of-a-kind moccasins and handbags available,” Andersen exclaimed. “I love seeing all of the fun and incredible ideas that our customers come up with. The options are literally endless!” One of the most unique pairs she has created came from the world’s most iconic print design. Literally. “When my best friend was pregnant with a surprise gender baby, I had this crazy idea to cut up a genuine vintage Louis Vuitton handbag and use the leather panels to create two pairs of moccasins to surprise her with at the hospital,” Andersen recalled. “The way my heart raced making that first scissor cut into the handbag was definitely intense. Looking back, I can’t believe I actually did it, but now, that pair is one that she has treasured for years and the other, she passed on to another expecting mom.”

Andersen left her 10-year teaching career in 2018 to take on Bare Soles exclusively and she hasn’t looked back. “I never thought in a million years that I would take this leap and pursue this passion full time. My last year teaching I was not only working what turned out to be two full time jobs with mocc-making, but I could not skip one beat as a mother and a wife either. It all required lots of coffee and very little sleep. The change has been an incredible one and one that I am so thankful to have made. I get my weekly teacher fix by volunteering at my boys’ school each week, and that is plenty!” Her new(ish) full-time role with Bare Soles also allows her the freedom to focus on the creative end of the business. “We like that we can offer an affordable, truly handmade product that is made in the USA, to a group of parents who genuinely appreciate our craft, workmanship and our love that goes out into each pair or bag made,” said Andersen. “The families we’ve met, the friends we’ve made and the thousands of kids we’ve watched grow in our brand is something, that as a family, we truly cherish.”

Watch the Andersens live every Monday evening at 5:30 PST/8:30 EST for “Mocc Chat Monday” and join the Bare Soles VIP Bunch Facebook group to learn about upcoming new releases on the shop’s website here.

“Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere” – Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey

Dusti Shivers started making clothing for friends and family from her hometown Liberty, South Carolina. In February 2016, her husband Connor was offered a career opportunity in Knoxville, Tennessee and the Shivers family headed north to Knox county, the birthplace of Mountain Dew, HGTV and small shop Liberty&Knox. “I started an Etsy page so I could continue my hobby,” Shivers recalled. “Living in a brand new state with no friends, it was a great way to fill the extra time. It quickly turned into a second full time job and within five months, I was able to leave my job as a loan underwriter to make shirts!” The shop was named for both locales because “these places have really shaped me as a person as well as the shop.”

Liberty&Knox creates vinyl and printed t-shirt designs for little ones and their mamas. Shivers described the style as “very fun, pop culture inspired, but age appropriate comfortable t-shirts.” The shop has matured from early basic designs to more complex ones. “As I’ve gained experience and knowledge, I’ve been able to create more detailed designs. I’ve also recently stepped outside of my vinyl comfort zone and added printed designs to the shop,” said Shivers. Her personal favorite is a “tie between any of The Office designs,” but I adore all of the custom monograms, the “Y’all” state designs, and the personalized names in script shirts. “My most popular shirt would have to be the ‘You Serious, Clark?’ baseball raglan,” Shivers shared. “Every year for the past three years, I’m making hundreds between August and December. I get the various orders throughout the year, and as a Christmas fanatic, it always makes me happy to be making a Christmas shirt in the middle of summer for a fellow fanatic out there.”

What else makes Shivers happy? “I love being able to exercise creativity on a daily basis. I find so much inspiration from the members of my Facebook group. Liberty&Knox is not just designs I’ve come up with, but also custom orders that have been requested by members of the group. Custom orders give me the chance to brainstorm with so many other amazing moms and constantly get feedback on current trends,” she explained. “The best part about creating kids apparel, though, is getting to interact daily with such an amazing community of women from all over the country, many of whom are in the same chapter of life that I’m currently walking. Throughout the years, my tiny 50-person group has turned into thousands of members that I truly consider friends. I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have this job.” Don’t stop believin’ / Hold on to the feeling…

The new Liberty&Knox website has the current listings for Shivers’ designs, including her latest Easter t-shirts. Plus, members of the shop’s VIP Facebook group have exclusive access to certain designs, so request to join here.

“Excitement was plentiful during my two years’ service as a Pony Express rider” – Buffalo Bill

In the era before electronic communication and transcontinental telegraphs, the Pony Express was the thread that tied east to west during the mid-nineteenth century. The short-lived mail service became synonymous with the “Old West” and was hailed for its efficiency and adventurous spirit. That same adventurous spirit can be found in the plushes handcrafted by small shop Colorado Pony Express. “The Pony Express, in its heyday, was the connection of the East Coast to the West and I try my best to promote my products and bring love across the globe,” said owner Stefanie Hokashou, explaining the origins of the shop name. Based in Colorado, Hokashou launched the Colorado Pony Express in spring 2018. “I always wanted to be a painter, but never had the patience. With fabric, the cutting and gathering, the way it shapes, it inspires me to try new things.”

The Colorado Pony Express mixes different fabrics and materials to create stuffed animals inspired by familiar characters, like the Grinch, Pikachu and Hokashou’s favorite, Mushu dragon. “He turned out perfectly. My Gringotts dragon was also a close second favorite.” Hokashou designed her own patterns and subsequently sought patent protection for certain unique designs, including the shop’s “Chubby Plushies,” its large unicorns, and several Harry Potter-themed creations. “More people should take the steps to protect themselves,” she encouraged. Hokashou also creates custom designs based on customer requests. “I love when I get clients with weird custom ideas. It makes for a fun creative vibe,” she shared. “I also work in every fabric medium. I like the differences, the textures and the challenges they all provide.

Like a Pony Express rider, Hokashou has found a way to spread joy globally through the Colorado Pony Express. “I love knowing that I can fill a need, a void, a dream. I love hearing that the love and imagination I shared with the plushie is now getting a chance to pass that along to another person.”

Hokashou is planning a large scale ready-to-ship sale on April 13, “which will include more dragons, and Labyrinth characters, getting back to my super nerdy roots and hopefully inspire the open market by bringing childhood characters to life.” Drop details will be available in the Colorado Pony Express VIP Group here.

“Freckles and Fancy started on a borrowed serger and a fold out table that I would put away after each nap,” shop owner Kat Lavery recalled. “Then, I got a little corner of my basement and would put away my fabric in a single plastic tote. Now, I have two rooms full of fabric, industrial machinery and a giant cutting table.” Just celebrating its third birthday on February 25, Freckles and Fancy has reached the big leagues of small shops.

The shop is home to brightly colored peplums and dresses, holiday-themed pajamas, hoodies and rompers, and monochrome leggings and bummie shorts, just to name a few. “Stripes and florals will always have my heart. My mom still makes fun of me for my obsession with stripes,” Lavery laughed. You have probably seen Freckles and Fancy’s signature red truck bum flap holiday pajamas. “It has been a crazy popular design over the past two seasons and I think we will bring it back again for Christmas 2019,” she said. For me, the bunny raglans and dresses are so adorable for Easter.

The Freckles and Fancy designs, much like the shop name, are playful and “reflect the fun of childhood, sun, and the life of being little.” Lavery draws inspiration from all over. “Sometimes finding a piece of trim or fabric will dictate the piece. I love seeing where it takes me.” Like many moms, Lavery is also heavily influenced by her own three kiddos. “They won’t wear anything that is not comfy,” she explained. “It has to be at the comfort level of pajamas or they won’t wear it. So, the biggest thing for me is cute and comfy. I am way more adventurous with pattern and style choices for kids clothing.”

Lavery found a passion for sewing when she was just a tot herself. “My mom still has little bunny and kitten that I made when I was only five years old. I have always kept busy sewing or crocheting ever since I was a little girl,” she said. “When my twins were born, we were stationed in a very small town without much access to cute children shops. I got tired of my limited options and started to learn how to sew kids clothing. I absolutely loved making all the adorable outfits for my girls.” This sewing background lends itself well to handcrafting apparel for Freckles and Fancy. “I love making every pattern with my own twist. Very rarely, I will leave it as pattern calls for it and not change a thing,” Lavery shared. “Next step would be drafting my own patterns, but I can’t draw for the life of me so I think I need to learn digital programs first.”

Wish Freckles and Fancy a happy third birthday in the shop’s Insiders Facebook group and check out all the latest offerings on Freckles and Fancy’s website and Etsy shop. Plus, use the code “frecklesandfancy” to save on your next purchase – thanks Kat!

“Color is a power which directly influences the soul” – Wassily Kandinsky

Sarah Bader is discovering new colors. “My favorite part of creating and designing for The Swaddle Company is the challenge of mixing colors in just the shade I imagine,” she shared. “Some of my favorite colors have nine or more pigments in them. When those powdered dyes hit the water, they explode like fireworks, pigment drifting slowly through my mixing-cup or lazily floating on the top, refusing to dissolve. It’s amazing what wild particles of color are contained in something we read as a solid ‘green.’”

Bader is the creative force behind Alber Road Children’s Wear and more recently, the Swaddle Company. “I started the Swaddle Company mid-summer 2018. I wanted to flex my creativity, be something different. Something I thought the children’s clothing market always struggled with was ‘color.’ I didn’t like the typical offerings for babies (pink, blue, yellow – the staples of commercial baby clothes) and I wanted to stay true to my roots: ethical, slow fashion.” The Swaddle Company’s products are responsibly made from start to finish, due to Bader’s fair trade practices and eco-friendly and organic fabrics. “I found a source for organic double-gauze fabric (also known as muslin) from a company that takes great pride in paying their overseas employees living wages and investing in the women of their community. I tried a low-water dyeing technique, crucial for our water-depleted area and I discovered that instead of struggling with color, the science of dye came to me almost naturally,” she recalled.

The Swaddle Company has become known for its exclusive color offerings, like “Dusty Sage” and “Fox Tale,” launching in the shop soon. “We offer complex colors you won’t see on most retail shelves and take great pride in our small-batch, water-conserving approach,” said Bader. “We want to offer those colors that appeal to the moms who don’t fit the mold and their precious little ones who are equally adventurous.” One of Bader’s current favorite designs is “Foxen,” created by Australian artist Esther Fallon-Lau. “Her art speaks to my soul and her foxes especially so. The first piece I ever released was designed by her and she continues to amaze me with her ever-growing popularity and talent.”

Using organic materials for littles is also crucial for Bader. “Babies are growing and developing and whether it be our organic clothing or our organic bedding, that’s a lot of skin-to-skin contact. We believe it is really important to avoid toxic chemicals that may harm their development,” she explained. In addition, “cotton, as a crop, is one of the worst offenders of chemical overuse. In a recent study I read, the amount of pesticides used on cotton far outweighed any other crop. It leaches right from the plants into our water systems and impacts everyone! We believe we are doing our best to support a healthier environment, one that we can be proud to hand down to future generations.”

Where does Bader find her love of color? “I’m an avid quilter and love batiks, so my color palette is nearly infinite. In the background, I am constantly experimenting with new colors, new techniques, working on designs we print in our own shop with water-based ink, connecting with incredible artists from around the world.”

Find a new favorite color on The Swaddle Company’s Facebook page and Etsy shop and don’t miss the shop’s spring releases. “We’re looking to the skies this year for cosmic inspiration as we plan our spring launch, coming this month. Recently, we teamed up with a darling lady from the UK whose collection we’ll be releasing in May, so stay tuned for more exciting prints!” Use the code “SMALLSHOPDROP” to save 15% theswaddlecompany.com and alberroad.com. Thanks Sarah!

“When I heard she had a brain aneurysm, my first thought was, I pray she makes it. I can’t do this without her.” Hänni Baatz’s words gave me chills. Hänni, the “Chief Childhood Magic Maker” behind small shop Wolfe and Scamp, was referring to Vicki Board, her longtime friend and Wolfe and Scamp social media assistant.

On March 11, Vicki gave birth prematurely to baby Franki Rose at only 34 weeks due to complications related to HELPP syndrome, a variant of preeclampsia. Franki spent two weeks in the NICU, but she is (thankfully) thriving. Days after Franki’s release, Vicki began displaying stroke-like symptoms and her husband immediately took her to the ER where doctors discovered two brain aneurysms; one had already ruptured. Statistically, ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 40% of cases. Of those who survive, about 66% suffer some permanent neurological deficit. Vicki underwent emergency brain surgery on March 29 and remains hospitalized. My heart goes out to Vicki and her family, including her four year old daughter, Vivi. Can you imagine what it would feel like to give birth to a preemie and then be prohibited from even comforting your infant while recuperating from life-threatening brain surgery? I can’t. The thought is devastating.

Hänni immediately sprung to action for Vicki and her family, organizing the “Vickisaurus Rex Relief Auction” and helping arrange a MoneyPool fund to defray mounting medical costs. “It is hard to express just how deeply I love Vicki,” Hänni shared. “She has helped me through some very hard times, and for the past three years, there is not one day we haven’t been in touch.”

Now Hänni is looking to the small shop community to help support Vicki under the most excruciating circumstances. “This community is like no other community; when one of us needs help, we all come together to lift that person up. I’m not sure why this is —maybe it has to do with the labor of making something with your own two hands and loving the people who appreciate and support all that goes into it. The work of small shops isn’t really about making money; the work of small shops is heart work.” How can your shop help Vicki? “Please consider participating in our auction on April 12-14, hosted in the BTC (‘Be The Change’) Auction Facebook group,” Hänni implored. “We are gratefully accepting both small shop credits and item donations, and every dollar earned from those donations will go directly to Vicki’s family. The secret hope of my heart is to raise $5,000. I know that is a lot, but it would be life-changing.” Please consider donating to the auction by entering your shop’s information here.

Small shoppers, the list of donated items so far is impressive. Shops like Savage Tots, With Love, Halle, Small Town Apparel, Monka! Goods, Runnamuck Threads, Scars & Gems, Henry + Claire, Winks + Wildflower, and so many more charitable small shops have opened their hearts to Vicki. You will NOT want to miss this fundraiser! Mark your calendar and join the BTC Auction group now.

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, brings imagination to life. Design goes directly from idea to physical product through a computer and a printer and the revolutionary manufacturing process can usually be completed within a matter of hours. Lauren Jackson of Monka! Goods typically has one or two (of her three!) printers churning at any given time. “3D printers are very finicky, especially when you run them almost 24 hours a day, so there is unfortunately quite a bit of downtime for maintenance and repairs,” said Jackson.

Jackson initially opened Monka! Goods, shorthand for the “monkey” nickname she gave her son (and now daughter), in November 2014. “I stopped working to stay home with my son, then six months, now 5. I had created wall hooks from animal toys for his nursery and friends and family suggested that I try selling them,” she recalled. “I spent a few months testing different materials until I landed on animal toys that I filled with resin, then inserted hardware, primed, painted, clear coated, and backed in felt.” In summer 2017, Jackson and her robot programmer husband sought a more cost-effective solution and they spent a year perfecting the design and production process of 3D printing. “My most memorable ‘oops’ moment was when I accidentally powered off my printer while it was printing a large plate of designs,” Jackson laughed. “I came down in the morning to check on it. It had been running for almost 18 hours at that point and when I turned off all of the lights to leave my studio, I also flipped the switch on the printer. It was enough of an ‘oops’ that I guarantee it will never happen again.”

The shop specializes in cheeky homeware accessories, like skull and alien magnets, animal wall hooks, dinosaur holiday ornaments, and my personal favorite, the orange SCROTUS magnet, a nod to the sitting president. I ordered several of those for the holidays this year. “I do love the Menorahsaurus that I released this past year,” Jackson shared. “The most popular design is probably my dinosaur and skull magnet sets and my SCROTUS magnet.” Jackson loves the custom design aspect. “I get a lot of inspiration from the odds and ends of things that I have collected – some say hoarded – in my studio,” she joked. “I also get lots of new ideas from my amazing customers. My favorite is when someone asks, ‘can you make a….’ I always say, ‘I can try!’” 

The innovation of 3D printing allows Jackson to flex her creativity. “I think Monka! is a pretty unique shop. I don’t know of many that make the crazy, bright colored, sometimes ridiculous (or offensive) home decor. I love to push my designs to be ‘extra’ and I think it helps get me noticed.” For the spring, Jackson has big plans. “ I have been getting really jazzed about the shop’s new jumbo skull and dinosaur heads with flower crowns. I have been thinking about a line of big pieces since we started so it’s nice to finally see them come to life!”

Shop all of the Monka! Goods creations on the shop website here and join the Facebook fan club for upcoming sale details. Plus, use the code HIMONKA to save 20% off your next 3D purchase. Thanks Lauren!

“The rooster may crow, but everyone knows the hen delivers the goods.” – Unknown

Mother hen Danielle Ben-David deconstructs and reconstructs various materials like organic cottons, bamboo fleece, linen, and hand-woven wrap scrap into new plush creations through her shop, Chickadee and Hen. The result is squawk-worthy.

“I love working with all sorts of materials, especially luxe minky, organic bamboo fleece, and woven wrap scrap from babywearing wraps. My favorite combination is organic bamboo fleece and upcycled wrap scrap,” Ben-David shared. “I love constructing all sorts of plush animals, but I think coming up with new lovey designs is my favorite.” Ben-David “hatched” the idea after her son turned one in August 2016. “I had sewn some blankets and loveys for him and a few friends and family suggested I sew items to sell,” she said. “I started off making loveys and selling on Etsy, and soon after, I started my own website and began making loveys and plush animals.” The shop name actually came to Ben-David from a children’s song. “One of the birds mentioned in the song is a little chickadee. I was thinking about that song and, in the process, learned that a hen is the name of any kind of bird that is a mom. So I thought chickadee and hen sounded cute! A little baby chickadee and its mama.”

Prior Chickadee and Hen collections include bunnies, hedgehogs, llamas and, of course, chicks, as well as minky loveys in a range of festive colors. Ben-David also offers a limited number of custom spots every month. “I love working with different patterns and altering patterns or designing my own to make the perfect lovey,” she shared. “I am inspired by cute and snuggly animals in nature as well as suggestions from my customers. I love making the things they want to see and they know their little ones will love.” Ben-David has received all types of custom requests, including some particularly meaningful ones. “The most unique custom order I have made was a moose made with a baby wrap that represented a twin who had passed away. The moose was for the surviving baby to have and snuggle,” she recalled. “It was so difficult emotionally to sew the piece because of the mother’s story and because I felt so much pressure to get it right since it was so important for her. I wanted it to be perfect, as though it could offer her healing in some way. These stories and many more are the reason why this work is so meaningful and why I truly feel honored to be able make something that a little one will love for years to come.”

Shake a tail feather and join the Chickadee and Hen VIP Facebook group for new drop dates and availability for custom creations. More photos are also available on the shop website located here.

“It takes a village to raise a child” – Proverb

Losing a child is a fear that grips my heart at night. On April 15, 2018, Julie Anthony unexpectedly lost her granddaughter, Aspen. “Aspen was born in August 2017 and she had the sweetest disposition, a soft little laugh and a bit of a lazy eye that had not yet been corrected,” Anthony shared. “I struggle to talk about her in the past tense.  For 233 days, we were able to hold her and love her, and then she was called home to heaven, leaving our family devastated.”

Anthony is the director of Auction for Aspen, a small shop charitable initiative she launched in September 2018. “In July of 2018, I went to Uganda for two weeks as part of a short term mission with Imani Milele Children.  I had committed to the mission trip months before losing Aspen. After her passing, I almost backed out of the trip, but I am so grateful that I followed through,” she recalled. “During the two weeks I spent in Uganda, I saw a need like nothing I had ever seen before. I interacted with children who had experienced loss and hardships that were heartbreaking, yet the smiles on their faces and joy in their eyes were infectious.  I was early in my own grief, just over three months, and being with these children brought me comfort.  I was longing to hold, nurture and care for a grandchild I had recently lost, and these children needed someone to love and support them. We just seemed like a match.  I had to do something.  The two weeks I was there working wasn’t enough. I saw a need; I couldn’t just forget about it.”

Upon her return home, Anthony decided to raise funds to construct a classroom building in honor of Aspen. “ I told my husband I had a crazy idea of wanting to raise $30,000 to fund a classroom building in memory of Aspen but no plan on how I would ever raise that much money. I then talked to my daughter to see how she would feel about honoring Aspen’s life in this manner, and when she began to cry and told me she would love it, I knew even though I didn’t have a plan, we had to do this.” Anthony’s vision later expanded to three buildings. “But I still had no idea how we were going to raise the money.”

Inspired by her sister Elizabeth, a small shop owner, and with encouragement from her sister Kim (“my biggest supporter and partner in this endeavor”), Anthony launched an Instagram auction with a goal of raising $3,000. “The response was incredible, and we raised $10,000! We had never intended to host more than one auction, but we just finished our third and plan to host another one in the Fall,” said Anthony. “The outpouring of support was so overwhelming. There were small shop owners asking what more they could do, telling me they were so honored to be involved, asking for updates, and quite frankly, sending so much love that it cushioned the hole in my heart that Aspen left.  These were strangers. People who read Aspen’s story and were willing to generously rally behind our family. They were willing to join alongside us as we honor Aspen’s life and change the lives of some other children. I have been moved to tears by this wonderful community of small shops.  The people behind these shops have warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes so many times. They will never know the depths of my gratitude.”  

Construction in Uganda is already progressing. “In January, construction began on what will be the first of three buildings in the classroom block of the school. With funds from our most recent auction, we now have the money needed to fund the second building in the classroom block.  Construction on that building began last Wednesday. Once all three classroom buildings are completed, we will begin funding restrooms, teachers’ quarters, dorms, a kitchen and dining facility, a sick bay, an administration building and a security fence. It’s a huge undertaking, but with each person that joins alongside us, the task seems less daunting.”

This small shop community is incredible. How can you get involved? Anthony offered the following suggestions:

1. Direct tax-deductible donations can be made here. Imani Milele Children is a 501(3)(c), so donations for both businesses and individuals can be tax-deductible.

2. Anthony is hosting another Instagram auction this Fall. She needs more small shop donors and help promoting this event. Anthony is also looking for interested shops willing to start their own campaigns on Aspen’s behalf. For example, @theknottedcrown approached her about launching a bow in its shop with the proceeds going to this project. Anthony will promote all fundraising endeavors and the shops that host them. 

3. And, finally, Anthony is looking for 24 groups of people (i.e., shops that band together, school groups, families, churches, etc.) that will try to raise $6,250 each. She recognizes this is a big ask, but it will go a really long way.  $6,250 is what it will cost to build a small house in Uganda.  There are 24 teachers, so she needs 24 small houses. Anthony is hoping some groups will “adopt” a teacher and raise the necessary funds to provide them with a house.

Please consider joining Anthony’s village and making a donation of any kind in honor of Aspen. May her memory be a blessing.

Peace, love and tie-dye! “Hands down, my favorite thing is getting to watch kids actually live in my clothes,” said Nicki Laureanti, owner of small shop the Painted Crane. “I don’t want to be a brand people only buy to take photos in or for special occasions. I want to be an ‘all the time kind of clothing brand.’ Seeing people wear my stuff and come back for more all the time really gets me falling in love with what I do.”

Launched in January 2018 from Kennewick, Washington, the Painted Crane is widely recognized for its colorful tie-dye designs and stylish apparel. “I actually used to make tutus! I was ‘Tin and Ella’ for a few years before I started doing this,” Laureanti shared. The Painted Crane shop name was inspired by Laureanti’s tattoo of a Phoenix, also her hometown. Now, the Painted Crane specializes in high quality knit dresses, joggers, bummies, harems, leotards, sweatshirts and tops (for both littles and mamas), among others. “Twirl dresses are my all time favorite thing to make,” said Laureanti. “They are fun to create for me.” I personally love the rainbow tie-dye tank tops for women. The colors are cheerful and the style is perfect for spring. The girls hem-dyed maxi dresses are also particularly adorable.

As many moms know, the actual tie-dye process can get messy, much like the tots wearing Laureanti’s creations. “My process is so different with each thing. It’s so fun to get to be creative each and every time. No two things are ever the same, so I make each piece a little differently just to make sure of that.” The Painted Cranes uses dye that is CPSC certified and safe for babies and children. After Laureanti hand dyes the fabrics, she washes them in a non-toxic and fragrance-free textile detergent to “set” the dye and prevent stains.

For custom pieces, customers can select up to three different color dyes. Laureanti has seen some curious combinations. “It’s funny because sometimes, people pick colors and I’m like, ‘uhhh for real?’ And then I make it and I love it. But, also the opposite has happened, where I thought I would love something and hated it.” Beyond the apparel, the Painted Crane also offers tie-dyed home decor, like baby crib sheets and swaddles. “I have people asking for me to tie dye such crazy things, like curtains and rugs,” Laureanti laughed. Sounds groovy!

Next up in the shop are tie tops in baby sizes through adults, plus a new ultra rare color. Join the Painted Crane VIP Facebook group here and check out the shop’s website to see photos before upcoming drops.