kar·ma noun the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. It all started out for me with candles. In 1999, I decided I couldn't find a store bought candle that was worth my time, so I decided to create my own. Having had no previous "crafty" experience, I turned on my computer and did hours of research. The first candles
weren't pretty, and some didn't even smell good, but through trial and error, I got it right. Wax melts, and soaps came shortly after, and then I started dabbling in paper goods and jewelry, and furniture and housewares soon followed. Being a military spouse, I wanted to be able to help support my family, so I sold online for a while, first on Ebay, and then (and still) on Etsy. I searched for local outlets for my wares, but was never quite happy with my options, and of course, as is the life of a soldier's wife, we moved several times. As we moved around the country, I did all of these things out of my home, first in a kitchen, then a basement, then an attic, sometimes even in the yard, but all the while longing for a brick and mortar store to call my own. A few years ago, we finally settled for the long haul in Sanford, North Carolina, a quaint little town that I have grown to love, and I decided that I would do anything I could to *some day* realize my dream. Through a strange twist of fate, that some may call Karma, an empty storefront practically fell into my lap, so I clicked my heels and scrunched my nose, and jumped in! With lots of hard work and awesome friends, Karma Boutique was born, and still continues on! Karma is not only a place for me to showcase my wares, but for other artisans too! We have products from artisans from all over the country, but mainly from North Carolina. We have classes and social gatherings and I'm always willing to share knowledge with anyone who needs it, just stop by and see me! And while I still make deliciously wonderful "Stinky Stuffs", I have broadened my horizons to dabble in vinyl, teeshirts, furniture, and really whatever floats my proverbial boat that day. Now I head to work each day armed with Bugsy, my little (rescue) dog too, and we work to create crafty things for people to love, share our knowledge with other artisans and help revitalize our small town.
