Custom Hand-Painted Nursery & Children’s Room Decorations Artist and Mom of Two: Amy Allen

Bio: Sweet Dreams really began in 2004 when I was pregnant with my first child. I painted wood name letters to hang in his room. Fast-forward two years later when I was pregnant with my second child. I fell in love with a nursery bedding/theme that didn’t have a lot of coordinating accessories so I decided to make my own. This time I did letters, as well as some wood pegs/hooks and a tissue box cover. A few months later Titzy’s store owner and my good friend, Tiffany Brenner, asked me to paint letters for her son’s nursery as a shower gift. It was then that I received the encouragement to sell my letters. I posted an auction on e-bay and within days had my first order. That was only 3 short months ago and business has really taken off. I now do a variety of hand-painted nursery and children’s room decorations, including frames, pegboards, signs, switch plates, and so much more. I can pretty much find and paint anything a client wants, and many of my designs are made-to-order. Titzy’s has come along at just the right time and I think it’s a great match. It has given me the opportunity to branch-out and create some new designs, as well as contribute some functional display pieces for the store. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to display my designs locally, and also to help support the entrepreneurship of two fellow moms who want to step outside of the traditional work force and into a more flexible and family-friendly work environment. But even more importantly, it has given me the confidence and enthusiasm to take Sweet Dreams to the next level, and ultimately making this my full-time career. Look for new designs and additional items from Sweet Dreams soon as I have plans to do custom/personalized Christmas ornaments this fall. You can also find me at some local craft fairs next summer. In the meantime, I’ll just be painting in the corner of my kid’s playroom. You can contact me at sweetdreamsinfo@yahoo.com

Tell Yourself T's

Tell Yourself T’s is a T-shirt company started by Ferndale mom Stacey Verkeyn and Rochester Hills native Jennifer Johnson. The company makes a fun and funky line of rhinestone wear for women, children and babies of all sizes. All of their high-quality apparel is 100% made in the USA. In addition to products seen in this display, Tell Yourself T’s can make the custom phrase or design of your choice.

www.tellyourselfts.com

MommyLoves

While pregnant with my second child, I fell and broke both my legs. Delivering and caring for a baby is hard enough. Adding my temporary handicap of casts on both legs taught me that I could do anything! MommyLoves was born in March, 2003 as a grass-roots, family owned and operated business when my second son was 18 months old. I gladly tapped the wealth of knowledge and experience present in the community of women both in my Northern California neighborhood, and on the internet. I vowed to a pay it forward by helping and supporting other women wishing to stay home with their children while still contributing to the household income. The Marketing and Silk Screening vendors I hired in the beginning were women-owned home based businesses like mine, and we have since grown and expanded together. When I need extra help during peak seasons, I hire Moms in my community and payroll them through a well respected, woman-owned staffing agency. The few reps who sell my products to retailers also fit the stay at home business model. We all understand that flexibility is the key to our success, and we know that things will get done during nap times, school hours, and our productivity soars between 8 p.m. and midnight. This MommyLoves business model, with the support of other like-minded businesses, has allowed many women in communities throughout the U.S to maximize their skills and creativity, while enjoying the privilege to raise their own children. What a concept.

Mary Johnson
MommyLoves
916-600-0836