Hello, I’m Andrea, creator of andi.design//shop. Thank you for taking time to visit my shop and read my story. I thought this first blog would be a great place to share a little bit about myself and how I started andi.design//shop. So here we go…as I said before, my name is Andrea. I am a graphic designer by day and small business owner/toymaker by night. Most days you can find me working at my desk (either sewing, sketching, or working my day job), trying to keep up with my busy toddler, sneaking in a kiss to my husband, and dreaming of being a full-time business owner and stay at home mom.
Family, imagination, wonder, and the gift of play are some of the core values that influence my business and the toys I create. These values are also principles that I seek to infuse in my daily life. When I first began this small business it was a paper goods and gift shop. Since it’s humble beginnings, it has transformed into a toy shop that creates heirloom quality children’s toys which inspire imagination and a sense of wonder. The transformation I spoke of happened after I rediscovered my love of sewing and working with textiles, and that’s where this story truly begins.
Creating is something I do daily for work, which is a gift, but can oftentimes become monotonous. Back in 2015, I was feeling the monotony of the daily creative grind and, in an effort to rekindle my love for creativity, I decided to challenge myself. The challenge was to make something, anything, every Monday. What I made didn’t need to be a masterpiece, beautiful, gosh, it didn’t even need to be finished, I simply had to exercise my creative muscles and make something! January of 2015, I began the regular practice of creativity. From collage to DIY crafts, I chose to set aside time for my soul, mind and body to play and discover. Then, one fateful day in May, I attempted making a stuffed animal. I found a sewing tutorial on a blog that I followed, it was a rabbit, and it reminded me of the Velveteen rabbit. I thought, “Let’s give it a go!” I knew my way around a sewing machine, and the pattern was adorable.
Now, I had grown up in a family of seamstress’ and was taught how to sew in my pre-teen years by my grandma and aunt. So, I figured I would dust off my sewing knowledge and give it a go. I LOVED IT! There was no turning back, I was hooked. So, I began making stuffed animals for friends with babies on the way. They all loved them as well and asked if I sold my stuffed animals. Not yet…but that sparked the idea that became andi.design//shop. I participated in my first local craft show that summer to see if anyone else would be interested in my handmade toys. And wouldn’t you know it, they did! But not only that, I loved being able to watch and help each person find the perfect gift for someone they loved or themselves. From those first stuffed animals, I began developing my own patterns for dolls, pillows, felt playsets, stuffed animals, and more. To all those who have been with me for awhile now on this adventure, thank you for your support and continued encouragement. You have no idea how much each purchase, smiling face, compliment, and positive review fuels what I do and brings joy to my heart. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope that my toys continue to inspire creativity, imagination, and wonder, just as they did for me when I was looking to rediscover my creative spark.
~ Andrea