Designer interview - Cheri Sanders (mother) and Tracey Galloway (daughter) from Cosy up

Yes, I know I said that I would post this interview yesterday but suddenly there were orders to get out and I wanted to finish everything in the Bee@Home inbox. This got me to thinking and it leads neatly into our Designer Interview. Working from home is a wonderful way to earn a little money but, more importantly, fulfill a skill and dream you may have. It's made even better if you can share some of that with another member of the family and our interviewees today, Tracey and Cheri of cosyup, are perfect examples of that family spirit of co-operation and mutual respect. Tracey shows how wonderful it is to learn a skill from her talented mom and I'm sure alot of us have mothers to thank for their crochet abilities. I think the Camille Capelet at the top of the post is beautiful.

Describe your various creative skills.

Tracey: My mother and I have always been creative in one way or another. Our home growing up was filled with mom’s lovely creations, from handmade tables and stools, to dolls and doilies. She was always making something to make our house a cosy home. In addition to crochet, I enjoy painting and scrapbooking and taking photographs of my adorable baby nephew.

When did you start to crochet and who taught you?

Cheri: For me it would be when we lived in El Paso and I was pregnant with Danielle and had no car in the beginning to get around. I couldn't cook because I was always sick so decided to teach myself macramé, knitting and crochet. I kept it up when we moved to Georgia and was making mostly doilies for the house and doll clothes for Barbie and Cabbage Patch dolls.

Darby Cowl

Tracey: Most of the items in our shop are made by my mom, but shortly after we started selling her creations on Etsy I asked her to show me how to crochet. Since then I’ve been addicted and have added a few pieces here and there to the shop. It is such a wonderful (and therapeutic) hobby that has been a special craft my mom and I can share.

The name of the business is interesting. What was the inspiration behind it?Tracey: I was trying to help my mom start up her business on Etsy, I knew if she could get her work seen by more than just friends and family that the public would love her work as much as we did. I was brainstorming for some name ideas and had been reading an article about ways to cosy up your home, and the idea of “cosy up” just stuck with me. It seemed like the perfect way to describe mom’s scarves, handmade goodies to cosy up your closet!

Carly Mini-scarf and flower

What influences your style and output? What are your inspirations?

Tracey: I think the biggest inspiration for our shop is the yarn itself, we both could spend all the money we make on all of the different and beautiful yarns out there! The gorgeous colors and textures just beg to be made into something lovely.

What are the most important aspects of your work to you?

Cheri: I guess that would be the end result. I'm always amazed at the beauty of each piece and that I was able to accomplish that.

Darlene Capelet

Which project or piece of work are you most proud of?

Cheri: I think each new piece is always my favorite and I can't wait to begin the next one.

When are you most happy when you’re working?

Tracey: I think I can speak for us both in saying that we are happiest right in the middle of a project, sitting quietly and feeling the softness of the yarn between our fingers, knowing we are creating something comfy and cosy that will hopefully find a perfect home with someone special. xo,

Tracey and Cheri