A few weeks ago I shot a newborn session for Baby Ian, and as many of you might remember, I used some new props with that newborn session. In perusing Pinterest, it suddenly dawned on me that I needed to offer more props to my newborn clients. Why I hadn’t come up with this idea before, it’s beyond me.
I have a friend who I met through my sister in college, but, I actually worked with her now-husband while in college and met him before I met Sarah. Anyways. . . Sarah has started a business knitting various items. I loved the idea of the diaper cover and newsboy hat I had seen on Pinterest so I messaged Sarah and explained my idea to her. She readily agreed and made me two diaper covers with matching hats; one for a boy and one for a girl. I told her to use whatever creativity she wanted and whatever colors she wanted in the design, I totally left that up to her.
I was very pleased with how they turned out and couldn’t wait to showcase them on my session with Baby Ian!
Then, I had another idea. Why not help spread the word about Sarah’s business by having her write a blog post for me? So, a few weeks later, here we are! I do have to say that I love reading her personal blog and what she’s up to these days. Check out her personal blog, The Spice Rack, you won’t be disappointed.
Back to business. Below is a post that Sarah wrote about her business, Marigold Lane, and where it has taken her today. I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to leave me a comment if you liked the guest blog and jump on over to Sarah’s page as well!
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I’m so excited to be a guest blogger for Jodi today! I love her work, as I know you do, and I’m honored to share my company with you as well.
I started Marigold Lane earlier this year as a way to keep busy while my husband is in medical school. Our situation is somewhat unique, as he is attending St. George’s University on the Caribbean island of Grenada. Yes, I got to pack up our little apartment, quit my job, and live in paradise for two years! Work visas are very expensive and difficult to come by down here, so most spouses aren’t able to get a job during this time. I found that I had quite a lot of free time on my hands, and not too much to do. I wanted to find either a hobby or some way to make a little extra grocery money.
While thinking through a few options, I remembered that I had learned how to knit when I was around 10 years old. Once a week, my mom would drop me off at the home of a sweet, elderly lady so I could keep her company during the day. She would fix me a sandwich, let me watch TV with her, and taught me how to knit. I eagerly made my mom many {lopsided and uneven} dishcloths that year for Christmas, along with slippers for my sisters, and a tiny scarf for a friend’s new baby (that my grandmother had to finish just minutes before the baby shower). Although I stopped knitting when we moved a couple years later, I never lost a love for the craft. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I had found the perfect activity for Grenada.
I purchased a collection of needles and started searching for the perfect patterns to begin my new hobby. Fortunately, the yarn is very lightweight and doesn’t take up much room in my suitcase. I began with a few baby hats and booties as those were small, easy, and relatively quick to knit. My husband was the first person to suggest I sell these items. He continued to encourage my hobby and eventually Marigold Lane was started.
My favorite aspect of knitting is finding a picture of something I love, thinking, “Hey, I don’t need to buy that; I could make it,” and seeing a project through to the end. I continue to knit for the enjoyment of it, but have been fortunate enough to sell a lot of the items through my website. I also love when someone comes to me with a picture or an idea and being able to create a custom piece just for them. The newsboy cap and diaper cover that Jodi used in a recent photo shoot is one of my favorites!
In the past few months, I’ve expanded my inventory to include a baby blanket, sweaters, leg warmers, headbands, handbags, napkin rings, pillow covers, and scarves. I’m always experimenting with new techniques and adding new items. If you’re looking for a hand-made Christmas gift this year, I’d love to hear from you!
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