Our Story

My great-grandmother taught me to sew when I was 5 years old.  She would watch me while my sister was at school and my mom was at work.  She'd make me pancakes, watch her soaps and teach me to quilt with my great aunts and uncles' polyester clothing from the 1970s.
I continued to hand sew until I got my first sewing machine at age 16.  I would make curtains and pillows to coordinate with my room.  Sewing was one of my favorite hobbies throughout high school, college, and culinary school. I think I was the only college student to have a sewing machine and fabric crammed into their tiny, shared 10x12 dorm room. I graduated undergrad and decided to go culinary school too (long story that left my parents very confused and a little concerned).
Fast forward 5 years --  After spending a few years running a local chocolate company, getting married to Jonathan and adopting our first daughter, Adventure, a friend introduced me to essential oils.  She asked me to make her an essential oil bag.  She wanted something cute, and handmade (but not “homemade”). At that time (around 2016), most of the essential oil bags were mass manufactured overseas and they just weren’t attractive. I drafted a bag that I would want. It needed extra padding to protect the bottles if it was dropped, a liner that would protect against leaky bottles and the ability to hold whatever size bottles I wanted to carry. I didn't realize at the time what I was getting into.
That first month I made 100 bags by word of mouth. The second month, I decided this little side business needed a name and maybe I should start keeping up the books 😬😬 The third month I quit my job and hit the ground running, well.. as much as one can with a 3 year old at their feet.  Eight months later my husband started working for the business full-time and it became our family's sole income. 
  In 2019 we felt called to adopt again. While filling out our adoption agency paperwork, we learned about Embryo Adoption. Weeks after the sudden passing of Jonathan's Dad, we transferred three embryos that had been frozen for 14 years.  Our daughter Primrose came three weeks early in August 2020. (for the full story of our embryo adoption click here)
We’ve experienced the stress, hardship, and joy that comes from owning a small business, especially during the pandemic. But more importantly, we’ve experienced the amazing grace and provision of God and the extreme generosity of support from our customers, family and friends. It is truly a joy to be able to design and make beautiful, functional products for you and your family.  
If you’ve taken the time to read this, we are glad you are here.  Your support means so much to us. 
contact us at kate@modernmakerie.com / jonathan@modernmakerie.com