Every story worth telling has a backstory, a dilemma, and a resolution. If it’s a good story, it contains a bit of irony and a good lesson. Here is the short story of South House Boutique.

The Irony: For years I have preached to my children, “Be true to who you are, don’t try to remake yourself to please others; you will be happier and true friends will gravitate to you in abundance.” But, I wasn’t following my own advice.

The Backstory: 24 years ago, I founded South House Designs as my exit strategy from the Corporate Jungle, allowing me to be a stay-at-home mom and supplement my dear Hubby’s teaching salary.

The Dilemma: I was still entwined in the Corporate Jungle; I designed sewn textile products for retailers nationwide, and in most cases contracted for the production of these products. It fed the children, but slowly ate away at my creative soul.

The Resolution: South House Boutique. I thought my Etsy boutique would be a quirky little sidebar to my larger story; a playground for me to experiment with techniques and materials to create products that come from my heart without the concern for “sale-ability” and “market reach.” Lo and behold, my quirky Etsy playground is not only feeding my soul and creative spirit, but also feeding the kids. I am the happiest I have ever been and enjoying many, many new customers and creative peers.

Staying true to myself, I gravitate toward rich textiles full of character. For me, it’s always been about the textiles – I have always reached for a scarf instead of necklace, well, unless we’re talking pearls and that’s a whole other love affair. A handsome houndstooth, a floral linen, rustic burlap can all tug at my heartstrings; a fabulous pop of color can make me weak in the knees.

I’m a traditionalist, but a rebellious one. I adore timeless style with an unexpected twist, a modern punch, a wow factor. Nothing beats a solid balance of style, function and persnickety detailing. ……. And my customers agree.

The Lesson: Follow your heart, stay true to yourself. Oh yes, and be mindful what you preach to the kids.

And yes, some of the very best lessons come from the playground. South House Boutique is my playground, my sandbox, my happy place where I explore, play and flex some creative muscle. And like all good playgrounds it is So. Much. Fun.