I began creating handmade crafts for family and friends about five years ago—just small projects and the occasional special request. With our children off at college, and jobs, living their lives. crafting became a meaningful way to fill my time.

Everything shifted when our oldest son moved to Nashville to join the Christian band *We Are Vessel*. We have been close with the band members for many years, and through that connection, I began producing merchandise for them.

In the fall of 2025, the band learned they would be part of the major annual concert tour *Winter Jam*. This opportunity significantly increased the demand for merchandise, turning our small hobby into a full-scale production effort. At the time, I was embroidering beanies using a single-needle machine, which made the process slow and challenging. Recognizing the growing need, my husband suggested that if we were going to continue, it was time to invest in proper equipment. True to his motto—“go big or go home”—we purchased a 15‑needle embroidery machine. Before we knew it, our hobby began evolving into a true business.

My husband discovered he enjoyed the design work and operating the machines, and together we started mass‑producing merchandise for the band from November through March. As word spread, we began receiving additional orders from other businesses and individuals. By June 2025, we decided to officially establish the business on paper as a “side job” for us.

Since then, we’ve expanded our equipment to keep up with demand, and we now operate with a 15‑needle embroidery machine, three heat presses, a hat press, two lasers, and five 3D printers. We’ve even converted our children’s former bedrooms into workspaces to accommodate everything.

Today, we proudly serve several ongoing clients, including the Walmart Distribution Center in St. James, Phelps Health, Missouri S&T, two bands, and many more who reach out to us for custom work. Our products and services include:

* Custom T‑shirts (sublimation and DTF)
* Embroidered, DTF, leather‑patch, and soon acrylic‑patch hats
* Laser‑engraved items such as pens, slate, and various engraved‑surface products
* 3D‑printed keychains, fidget spinners, and practical household tools

What began as a simple hobby has grown into a full‑fledged side business. We are committed to providing high‑quality products and excellent service, and we look forward to continuing to grow and support our customers’ needs.

 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My husband and I work exceptionally well together, which is truly a blessing. While we occasionally have differing opinions on how certain tasks should be handled—something that happens in any business—our ability to communicate and find common ground keeps everything running smoothly. He often jokes that he is “the boss,” but in reality, our work is a true partnership. He also likes to say he learned two very important words early on: “Yes, dear,” which always brings a bit of humor into our day.

One of our biggest challenges is managing unexpected equipment issues, which can make meeting deadlines more difficult. Space has also become a growing concern. We’ve fully outgrown the three rooms in our home that currently serve as our workspace, which limits our ability to add larger or more advanced equipment at the moment. However, we remain optimistic and are confident that expansion is in our near future as our business continues to grow.

My husband is a business owner, and I also work a full-time job so our evenings and weekends are when we do all side business work. That can make for some very late and long nights where we both have to get up and go to work the next morning.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We do not focus on just one specialty; instead, we offer a wide range of customized products, including T‑shirts, keychains, stickers, magnets, and hats and too many things to list. Among everything we create, we are especially proud of our hats with leather patches—they have become a favorite project for my husband and a signature item for our business.
What truly sets us apart is our commitment to providing high‑quality products at affordable prices. While we operate as a business and make a profit, we intentionally keep our pricing fair and competitive. We believe this balance of excellent craftsmanship and reasonable cost will keep customers returning to us time and time again.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
We’ve learned over time to approach each request with an open mind. We often joke that we’ll “try anything once,” but in all sincerity, we tell our customers that we will always give their ideas our best effort. While we cannot guarantee that every concept will work perfectly, we are committed to giving each project an honest and thoughtful attempt.
There are occasions when a request falls outside our capabilities, and in those instances, we believe in being transparent. We would rather say no than deliver something that does not meet our standards or the customer’s expectations.

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