Featured Shop: Sugar Snap Boutique

Hi! My name is Deidre Kindall. I’m the owner and felt florist behind Sugar Snap Boutique. I live in the small town of Ammon, Idaho, with my husband and three children.

Unlike many other handmade artists I’ve met, I don’t have a background in craft or art. Looking back, I would have never placed myself where I am today: I had a lot of life plans, but none of them ever involved felt or a glue gun! I originally came to Etsy to earn some extra income while I was in school, and because I thought I wasn’t crafty myself, I opened a fabric supply shop. Then, when my customers would send me pictures of their finished projects, I found myself wanting to create something of my own. At first I wasn’t sure what I would do, and often second-guessed myself. But I was determined to at least try, and decided I would start with felt. Many months and several mistakes later, I started to see progress; I opened Sugar Snap in August of 2012 when I was finally ready to share my items.

Inspiration for me almost always begins with color — whether it’s from nature, a poster at my kids’ school, or a friend’s new quilt. If I can envision how the colors will flow together, then I’m ready to take on the shapes of the flowers or plants I want to make. Many times, I start by just sitting at my work table with scissors in hand and a stack of colorful felt. Some of my designs are patterned after real flowers and some are from my imagination; I choose not to limit myself, and that’s what keeps me excited and motivated to create.

I also strive to evolve my style by exploring other mediums and materials. A new favorite this year has been working with wood and magnets. I’ve even allowed my husband to teach me how to use power tools — just another thing I never thought I’d do. The buyers and customers I work with through Etsy also push my designs to change and grow. It’s quite common for a soon-to-be-bride to request a specific type of flower that I have yet to test out; that challenges me to go for it and see what can happen.

I’ve learned along my journey how fun — and even vital — it is to connect with other creative people: They give me a fresh perspective and introduce me to new techniques. I know a lot of my work is better because of the other creative folks I’ve gotten to know. One of the best things about Etsy is discovering new shops and being reminded that we all have something to share through our own unique creativity. But Etsy is more than just a community of really talented people — it represents something I didn’t know I could have. I never would have dreamed that I could work from home and, day by day, build my very own little business that would reach an audience of potential customers worldwide.

Thinking about and planning for the future is an exciting thing for me. I have plans for several new designs that will hopefully pop up in my shop over the next year. But one of my biggest goals, and even a dream, is to start teaching felt-flower crafting classes. Sharing the techniques that I have taught myself is something I’ve already begun to do, and organizing what I have learned and bringing it into a classroom setting is something I would like to try.

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All photographs by Sugar Snap Boutique.

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