I've always enjoyed the process of creating - whether it's spending hours putting together a special video for my daughter's graduation celebration, making a personal one-of-a-kind gift for a friend, writing a blog post sharing my heart and all the Lord is teaching me, or designing digital products on Canva, I just love to make beautiful things!
But when my husband passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in May of 2022, this passion turned into a kind of therapeutic exercise for me in those early days. And since I was mentally unable to return to my 9-5 job, I decided to open an Etsy shop selling print on demand products that I designed. Nothing much came of the shop (it was originally named The Lively Latte for my love of coffee) and so eventually I stopped investing my time in the endeavor.
Several months ago, the Lord inspired me to rebrand my shop with a more intentional purpose. I want to focus on creating products for the broken, the grief-stricken, the multitude of lost souls that feel alone and hopeless after the death of a loved one. The only way I made it through those dark days was by God's unending grace, never failing to meet me in whatever facet of grief that would come on any given day. And while I'm not fully healed and still walking this broken path, I now want to share the comfort I received to help care for others.
That first year in my overwhelming sorrow, I spent countless hours sitting outside in a garden we created in memory of my husband, Keith. I set up a bird feeder and would pull up a chair and just watch the activity of the birds as they flew around and enjoyed the food I provided. God consoled me through these newly found feathered friends and I was reminded of Jesus's words that if he took care of the birds, he would certainly take care of me. I even wrote a poem about this sweet time entitled "The Sparrow's Seed." It's listed in my shop as a digital download.
So that's where the name Sparrow comes from. And the "Seed" is God's life-giving Word, bringing healing and nourishment to my broken heart these past 2 years. His words have been like a supernatural salve soothing my pain and teaching me to breathe again when I didn't think I could go on with life.
My top selling (and favorite) item is a new one I recently added to my shop called "Broken Heart Boxes." These are carefully created gift boxes perfect for a grieving heart. Each box is filled with items specifically chosen to provide comfort and encouragement. They are assembled not just with my hands but with my heartfelt sympathy and prayers. I want every recipient to feel loved and seen as she opens her gift. I want her to know that while her heart may be broken, she is not! God has not forgotten her and just like He did for me, He can pour out His grace abundantly on her hurting heart and carry her through even the darkest of days.
