** I have been doing arts and crafts since I can remember! In the town that I grew up in, we had a community organization that provided all sorts of activities for children during the school year, but especially during the summer. My mom always had me signed up for at least 3 or 4 things at a time to keep me busy over the summer and I always picked some sort of class where I could be creative. My need for a creative outlet continued in junior high school with sewing and other home economics classes that led to other classes in high school. Which ended up leading me to get my Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Design and Textiles.

** I first started creating Barbie clothes with my mom when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I think that my love for sewing steered me towards getting my degree in fashion design.What were the first things you created? and how did your creativity progress from there?

** The first things that I started creating on my own were pajama pants in junior high. Then, in my first college course that I took while still in high school, I started creating my own prom dresses and outfits out of unusual fabrics like ultra suede and velvet. My creativity was in full bloom when I started college and I unfortunately lost some of that there. I think the pressure of projects/assignments/grades really hurt my creative drive and I actually stopped sewing for years after getting my degree.

**We bought 10 acres and have a little creek that runs near our property. When our daughter was born we would walk down to the creek and back every day. As she got older (and walking on her own), she would always point to the wildflowers and yell "daisy!" (They are my favorite flower, so she heard the word a lot). When I started the business, she would always ask to go to "daisy's creek" and it just seemed like a cute name.

** After finishing college, I realized that I didn't want to move to a big city and figured that was a prerequisite to becoming a fashion designer. After having taught gymnastics throughout college, I really felt a calling to go into teaching and that is what I pursued. I taught 3rd grade for 3 years in one district and have been teaching kindergarten for 8 years in the district that I currently work. I have loved teaching and it comes very naturally to me and I still have so many things that I would like to accomplish. But, while pregnant, I really started to create things again and started doing scrap booking (traditional and digital) and started sewing after my daughter was about a year old. And after making some Christmas gifts for people, I realized that I totally had the bug!!

Do you still dream about making other things? If so, what?

** Yes, yes, yes! I have so many ideas going on in my mind and things that I'd like to try. I'd love to do a clothing line and be able to market it to stores on the wholesale level. I'd also love to expand the kinds of accessories that I can do. I've always wanted to have my own store one day and I'm hoping that the cards will all fall into place on of these days.

** I was at a birthday party for a friend's daughter and saw the cutest little pinafore/apron and took a peek at the tag (I am an admitted tag peeker and look at the tags of the kids in my class all the time!!). I saw the website and at my first chance went online to check it out. That's where I found this incredible marketplace! I had been making my rhinestone tees as a business for about 4 months and was really nervous to sign up. It took me looking around at what other people had done for about 2 months before I gathered up the nerve to do it. And boy, am I glad that I did!!!

Do you sell your things outside of etsy? ** Yes, I sell in 2 stores locally, one hair and nail salon and online at http://www.daisycreekdesigns.com/

What's your absolute favorite thing in your shop?** That is so hard! I think that my favorite rhinestone tee would have to be the "Nana's Girl" one because it is the first tee that I did (although I have changed the font since then) when I started my business. The phrase is also the reason why I started my business - I had gone into a local boutique with my mom (Nana) and saw that shirt. My mom grabbed one right away for my daughter and after really looking at it, I kept saying to myself, "I can totally do that!" The rest is history!!

**I think that my favorite thing always changes. For me, my favorite thing is always the thing that I am focusing on more than other things. Right now I am doing a lot more sewing and creating new clothing items. I am really having a lot of fun making more "princess" types of things like wands and crowns - I have had a request from a local store for those, so it's been fun trying to find my own vision of those. With everything, I'm trying to find my own way and put my own mark on it so when someone sees it they will know it's one of my designs.

** Wow! That's the hardest question of all!! When I first started on etsy, I marked a lot of shops as a favorite who made different clothing items because that was a direction that I wanted to take Daisy Creek Designs. Since joining etsybaby, etsymoms and etsykids, I have become more aware of so many more sellers and how amazingly creative and talented they are. It would take pages and pages to answer this question because I admire each of my team members for so many reasons - each one differently!

** If there is something that you'd like to do or try, to just jump right in and get involved! I was so nervous to join etsy and it's been such a great experience! And as I look back, it is so silly that I waited so long to join a team. I know that joining and being a part of these teams has made my experience on etsy SO much more worthwhile and has taught me so much!

** Since doing tees and clothing for younger children is really where I am at creatively, CPSIA would virtually make it impossible for me to continue. Most of what I do are one of a kind or in very small quantities and the enforcement of third party testing would make it impossible for me to continue financially.