Matty & Max

I’ve been a stay at home mom since I found out I was pregnant with my first child. He’s 5 now. There are plenty of mom’s who have been at home longer than that, and my heart truly goes out to you. With the addition of baby #2 (who is currently 13 months, and more toddler than baby) my sanity level has dipped into the red. That is not to say that my boys aren’t beautiful souls and truly a gift from God. It simply means that sometimes I like them more when they’re sleeping. At any rate, my brain has atrophied from too little adult contact and our family situation is reaching a turning point where something MUST change.

I know there are other sahm’s out there that can identify. You sacrifice your sanity, paycheck and identity so that you can stay at home with your children, and the working world looks down on you because of it. I have a business degree, and worked really hard in school, but that was ages ago. What do you say about a 5-yr gap in your work history when you’re competing with a pretty little grad student who surely won’t have to ask for time off when her kids get sick?! Not much. The truth is, you don’t really want to be away from your kids for long enough to make any real dent in the family’s income. Once you deduct paying someone else to take care of your children, there isn’t much left over.  And all this because you needed to find a purpose. (some of you will say that parenting is the purpose God gave you, to which I reply, “I can’t be a good parent if I’m CRAZY!”…that’s not good for anyone involved!) There are exceptions to the parenting/working paradox, but this is where I am.

I’m in a process of identifying and strengthening my God-given talents. I have always loved making things with my hands. There is a certain sense of pride that comes with producing a finished product. You think to yourself, I made that and it’s pretty great! Now there are things I don’t do well that I’d love to…such as gardening, or simply keeping a plant alive, but this journey is about strengthening what I can do.

I’ve been a recreational sewer for years. When I was little I made things like purses, bean-bags, and doll clothes. I would see something I liked, but didn’t care for the fabric, or wanted it with different sleeves, and I’m 5’3” on a good day, so I did a lot of hemming and altering, or I would figure out how to make it myself. My love of sewing has grown with my second child, Max. We don’t have an attic or much storage, so I didn’t have much left from my 5 year-old, Matthew. There was a lot we had to buy when we found out Max was on the way, and there just wasn’t room in the budget for $70 jumpers and smocked outfits. I thought, “well shoot, I’ll just make it!” and I did a great job too! It gets easier with each outfit, (including that lobster costume you see up there) and now when I see a cute fabric I can’t help but think, that would make a geat….whatever.

So, like I said, I reached a turning point about working. We just needed another source of income. I have a background in sales and began to think, I should really be working for myself. I asked God to lead me in the right direction about working. I felt this was where I was being led, and decided to use the talent He gave me and turn it into a business. Then came all the details: tags, business cards, this blog….I’ve been trying to organize….and I’ll have to get back to you on how that’s going.

My label is called “Matty & Max”, after my boys. I hope you see some things you like here-tell your friends. I also hope we get to know each other. This is a journey for me. I’m open to your feedback, so don’t hesitate to share.

God Bless You & Yours