My Story: From Childhood in the Forest to Tiny Stitches and Tiny Toys

If you had asked me as a child what I wanted to be when I grew up, I probably wouldn’t have said “business owner.” I likely would have told you I wanted to be a tiny creature living inside a mossy tree stump.

I spent my childhood tucked away in imaginary worlds, usually with the forest as my backdrop. I was a quiet kid who played alone a lot, but I was never lonely—I was too busy creating art in every way imaginable. But of all the things I made, I always felt a magnetic pull toward toymaking. I remember tearing up my old clothes, huddled over scraps of fabric, trying to hand-stitch teddy bears and dolls to bring my imaginary friends into the physical world.

That love of sewing was in my blood. I grew up watching my mother, aunt, and grandmother—all incredible seamstresses—work their magic. They passed that language of needle and thread down to me, but it wasn’t until I had my own two children that everything clicked.

I started sewing little “friends” for them, pouring all those years of forest daydreams into every stitch. One day, a family friend saw my work and told me it was the most intricate, perfect hand-stitching they’d ever seen. “You should sell these!” they insisted.

But here’s the thing: while I love the feel of the felt in my hands, I realized I loved the process of creation even more than making piles of the same toy. I didn’t want to be a factory; I wanted to be a guide.

This is where my “other” life came in. With over 20 years of experience in graphic design, print, and publishing, I realized I had a unique superpower. I could take my whimsical, hand-stitched designs and turn them into professional, clean, and easy-to-follow tutorials. I wanted to give other parents and makers the tools to create that same magic for their own kids.

After years of building my work as Delilah Iris Designs and publishing my book, Tiny Felt Cuties and Creatures, I decided it was time for the brand to fully grow into the world I’d imagined as a kid.

Daffodilly Crafts is that world.

It’s a place inspired by the bright colors of Amanita mushrooms, the mystery of the Maine woods, and the wildlife I’ve always adored. From my studio at Daffodilly Craftland, I’m still that same girl who wants to live in a tree stump—I’m just lucky enough to invite all of you in to create with me.

---