During this time, my husband was starting his own business. Money was tight. We were fine day-to-day, but the reality of finding the money necessary for Christmas presents for three daughters required some ingenuity. We had power tools, I knew how to use them, wood and paint was cheap ... and a small business was born. Very small.
For a few years, in summer I would cut and sand and paint little figures and country-style decor. In fall, I rented space at craft fairs, setting up a booth and selling my wares. One of my best sellers was this:
It was a custom item. I had the large hearts like this at the booth, pre-made in mauve, blue, rust, or cream, and customers ordered small hearts to hang from the hooks underneath. Husband, wife, children. I sold a ton of them. (I remember one special one: a family's four grown children chipped in together and ordered one for their parents, with themselves, their spouses, and all of the grandkids hanging from it. It was huge.)
I was startled to see this one earlier today. Somehow it ended up at Goodwill in Culpeper, minus its little name hearts. It looks as good today as it did when I made it almost 30 years ago. Goodwill's price: $1.99.
My label. Hometown Designs was what I called my little enterprise.
I still have ours, the prototype, with our family on it ... it's in a box somewhere.
I hope this one goes to a good home.