My love for creating gifts, apparel, and more started out in 2018 while helping start Chesapeake Bay Rugby Supply. It was a company my in-laws started to make rugby apparel while my now husband played for Pax Rugby here in Southern Maryland. We got a screen press and make shirts and sand blasted mugs to sell at an event. I may have gotten hooked while using their Cricut machine and it went from there!
We moved to Texas soon after and although we wanted to keep the business going, we didn't have much space, time, or money to keep things going. But after hand cutting and designing matching shirts for our 2019 Family Disney trip, my in-laws gifted me with my first Cricut machine. Soon after I was making small things to sell on Facebook Marketplace and tried to start Black Lab Graphics (after our beloved black lab Gumbeaux) I made shirts to sell to friends and family, but that is as far as it went as once I got the screen press set up, we had to take it back down due to moving again, and finding out we were pregnant! Black Lab Graphics never got off the ground- never even made it to a business license.
Forward to December of 2021 we move back to Maryland and into our new house, and finally room for crafting! Although we did not have our screen printing machine, we started out with our trustworthy Cricut machine and built from there; including a Cricut Maker, laser engraver, sublimation printer, auto heat press, and more. What was once a small corner of the basement is not taking two thirds and we hope to one day outgrow that space too.
2023 I finally gave myself the final push to get a business license and start promoting my business. I got all the paperwork and documents filled out, got them sent to the State of Maryland, and its been climbing the ladder ever since!
In September 2023 we had a house fire and lost everything. My business was located in my basement, so all my equipment, products, everything was gone. I shut down Crafty Cow Designs because I thought it was over. Thankfully from the love and support of my amazing husband, he helped me get back going and just a few short months later, here I am coming back bigger and better than ever!
It has not been easy to say the least, but it is such an amazing experience to be able to finally take something I love doing and making it into something I can share with others. From helping with decorations for my nieces, to getting my first out of state order, it has been such a blessing.
I am so excited you are part of this journey with me.