We are inching closer and closer to the first day of spring!! Today’s featured crafter, Andrea, shares her pretty beaded flowers and jewelry. By the way, great catch with that bead sorting husband of yours – how sweet!
Andrea Thomas

I'm a working mom of a 10 year old monster (my son) and a 13 year old step-daughter. I live with my husband, my son, my Best Friend and a dog that is so ugly she is cute in MN.
I help my parents run their market farm during the summer so I spend my winters working on my inventory. The farm is where I get the most of my ideas for my flower from with our huge gardens.
I LOVE to stay busy which many people think is nuts. Aside from working full time, running my business, helping with my parents farm, and my family I am also involved in the PTA and my sons scouts.
Little know fact about my husband: I get my beads mainly from the thrift store to save money and they are usually mixed up. My amazing husband spends hours sorting them by hand, oh and they are VERY small seed beads so he spends hours doing this. If thats not love and support I dont know what is.
What got you started crafting?
I have a VERY black thumb!!!! Funny considering I grew up on a farm and have Master Gardener parents. I have always loved flowers in my house but kill anything the minute it passes over the threshold of our house. Making French Beaded flowers gives me a way to have flowers in my house that even I can not kill.
What is your source of inspiration?
I get most of my inspiration from my mothers flower gardens but also get ideas from seed catalogs she gives me when she is through. Every year my husband, son, and I will go to Door County WI and I will take photos of all the gardens and wild flowers around the peninsula. These are some of my favorite photos to use when I am making my flowers because they are full of memories of our family trips.
What have you made recently?
Recently I found a cute little plastic blue shoe at a thrift store. I new the minute I saw it that I had to make a new baby arrangement with it. I call it my "It's a Boy" arrangement.
Where do you sell your crafts presently?
Since I work full time I sell mainly online at me Etsy store. However I do have on show that I do, the St. Croix Master Gardner yearly convention. I hope that some day I can quit my day job and do more shows as I love to talk with my customers and get to know them more.
Why are handmade crafts important to you?
When you buy something handmade you usually are buying directly from the person who made it. I, personally, like to know the person or the story behind what I am buying.

Find Me
LocationTwin Citys, MN
Email Address
Andrea Thomas
Personal Website
http://www.etsy.com/AndreaThomasDesigns
VDAY2013
http://www.facebook.com/AndreaThomasDesigns