My Gramma taught me how to crochet when I was five years old. She had actually taught all six of her previous grandchildren the same skill but I was the only one who really took to it and flourished within the craft always trying to make new things, sometimes with a pattern but most of the time working on my own making custom Barbie clothes as a child to creating custom gifts for my friends and family during my school years.

During my university years I had to put my crocheting on the backburner to focus on my theatre arts major and work multiple part time jobs to help put myself through school. After school I realized I was missing something and needed a distraction from my 60 hour per week job and went back to crocheting. When my Gramma went into the hospital for two open heart surgeries I would pass endless hours in the waiting room or at her bedside working on crochet projects that she would inspect during her recovery. I eventually gifted these items with everyone encouraging me to sell them because of the high quality and speed of my work.

I started out selling my items in the lobby during intermission of some musicals I was working in my hometown. I was told I cleared more money than the show itself did! But after that I didn't know where to sell my stuff, I gifted more items that holiday season then went back to putting all my finished items in storage bins in my closet.

Finally I went to the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball in Los Angeles, people were IN LOVE with the crocheted wig I was wearing and asked me if I had an etsy shop. I had briefly heard about etsy before but never really taken an interest, after seeing all the beautiful items everyone was wearing at the ball and being constantly told they sold or bought them on etsy I was hooked.

It took me a long while to actually get everything up and running in my shop because along the way my Gramma took a turn for the worse and my mom and I became her primary caregivers. Right before my Gramma passed away I had the shop up, I showed her the few things I had taken pictures of and she was so proud of me to be taking the skills she had taught and nurtured over the years and doing something significant with them.

Every item I make reminds me how lucky I was to have such an amazing Gramma who taught and encouraged me to be artistic and have my work look very professional. She always put her "Made with Love by Gramma" tags on everything she gave to us and seeing her sense of pride when she presented something she had finished to the lucky recipient was just amazing. I feel such a sense of giddy joy when I sew on my own 13th Hour Designs and have a happy moment remembering my Gramma.

I hope that my items bring some happiness and comfort to the recipients and that people can see the love and experience that goes into each of my pieces.