Christmas is over, and the New Year is coming TOMORROW! While the New Year always excites me, I also often feel immense pressure to make lots of goals and have my business plan and personal life all neatly organized and ready to start with a clean slate. I also, of course, realize how unrealistic that is. But alas, I’ll talk more about goals tomorrow. However, before that happens, I have one more fabulously handmade give-away to close out your 2012! It’s been so much fun to feature such talented creatives over the last two months, and I hope you have all enjoyed getting to find out more about them and their amazing products. Meet Alethia, who hand-crafts awesome purses and bags out of recycled burlap coffee-bean bags!
Tell us your name, where you’re from, and 3 of your favorite things.
Aletheia L. Stroup currently attending the Masters College in Santa Clarita CA, from Birmingham AL.
Three of my favorite things to do!
– Finding no limits to the imagination as I paint with scissors, make the old new, and mismatch the unthinkable: crafting.
– Wandering through God’s creation and losing my heart in worship through hiking, bouldering, trail running, mountain biking!
– Sipping a hot drink on a snowy day, sitting by a fire place and reading a magnificent book.
How long ago did you start your shop, and what initially inspired you to do so?
I started my Etsy shop three years ago although I only keep it open during summer and Christmas time. Initially I was inspired after seeing so much burlap from the coffee shop I worked at go to waste. I still have the very first purse I made – I was trying to make a backpack but it tuned into a purse instead. After that I had friends and even strangers ask me to make them one, so I started selling them out of the home by word of mouth. Eventually I finally started an Etsy shop! I made my first purse when I was 16 and now I am 21 and I have made and sold over 75 purses and many headbands!
What’s your favorite thing to create?
My favorite thing is something new! Sometimes I have customers who fall in love with a specific design and ask for it over and over! I’m glad I can satisfy my customers but I absolutely love it when a customer gives me some vague guidelines and lets me run free with an idea!
The winner of this give-away will receive a Tree Design purse pictured on the left above! How cute is that?! Also, be sure to keep up with Alethia by following her blog! The winner of her fabulous purse will be announced on Friday. :) Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone!
I’d love to win this purse because it’s adorable… and so is Leathy! :)
love these!!! repurposed items are my favorite! kudos to Aletheia’s creativity!
oh my goodness. My friend would love this! I hope i can win it for her! She’s one of those owl lovers ;)
i would love to win this adorable bag, because I LOVE burlap!!!
Love the earthiness of it :D
Love the natural vibe! And I love anything with trees!
My loving purse decided to rip a few days ago.. I had it for a few years! This giveaway is so generous. I’d love to win it to replace my old purse..and well, the pattern is just darling.
Super cute creation! I’ve never seen anything quite like it.