An introductory into my world as a stay at home mom, Army Vet and Fiber Artist
Tuesday February 13, 2024
Let's bring you up to speed with my background details. I am one of three sisters and grew up on the coast of North Carolina. I've actually have spent most of my life in NC. I went to UNC-Pembroke, studied Art and after graduating, I joined the Army in 2012. After 10 years of service, I decided to set aside my boots and pursue something that would fill the void left-over after years of being overworked and overwhelmed as a Psychological Operations Instructor. I initially thought I would be a flower farmer. So I took advantage of the "Soldier to Agriculture" program NC State coordinated with the Army's Transitional Program, called Career Skills Program. I met some wonderful farmers and veterans during this program and although, farming didn't work out for me just yet, I still have a dream of owning my own farm one day.
Farmer Mike Henderson, in Parkton, NC - produces grass-fed beef products
Fast Forward to how I became a Fiber Artist, living in Peachland, NC.
The Art of Stabbing
I became lost and lacked purpose for a while after the military and the weight of being a stay at home mom was crushing. I had no release. Until an bi-annual visit from my in-laws gave me a glimmer of hope. My mother-in-law, Eileen, thought she could wake up my creative nature by showing me how to needle felt. I was always in awe of Eileen's work and even helped her out with a craft fair she was in while I was pregnant with my daughter, Freya. She brought all the extra supplies she had to get me started and suggested I do my rooster as my first project. I was entranced by quite literally the art of stabbing.
Community Support
After a couple of months of creating and buying a lot of wool to experiment with, Eileen and I decided we should create a business and do a fair together. The first fair was a complete disaster, it was crazy hot and we pretty much broke even after paying vendor fees. We were distraught and thought we made a huge mistake in taking on this venture. I was determined though to rid ourselves of our extra inventory, so I searched online for festivals, farmers markets and then I found one, right in my backyard. I happened to scroll across a Facebook Ad for the Anson County Fiber Arts Festival in Wadesboro, NC. That festival opened up a world of fiber artists and a community I could never have dreamed of. It sparked confidence in myself and set me down a path of determination I thought I'd lost after leaving the service. I couldn't be happier, living in this small, sleepy (with the occasional train whistle) town of Peachland, NC. The community support is what makes it great. You would never believe that one of the poorest counties in NC, has one of the biggest appreciations for fiber arts. It's probably because the county is mostly agricultural based. Anton County is full of people who know that it takes hard work and time to make something beautiful and appreciate hand-made quality.
I love to dream and come up with wild ideas. Even though I didn't fulfill my flower farm dream, I am still working closely with farmers and buying wool from them to create my art. To me, that's the great thing about dreams, they aren't tangible. Dreams always seem to shift or change ever so slightly depending on which perspective you look at them in. Dreams keep me motivated to pursue and do more. Keep dreaming.
You have great determination! Hope you enjoy Peachland, I grew up there.
Fiber arts have always interested me.