MorseLeather Co. didn’t begin as a business idea. It began much earlier—in a lifetime of creating things with my hands.
I’ve always been a maker. As a child, I would build whatever I could with whatever I could find. I still remember proudly carrying a newspaper purse to go shopping with my mom and grandma—complete with a stapler and extra tape for “repairs.” As I grew older, duct tape became one of my favorite materials. I made wallets, accessories, and even a tall Uncle Sam hat for my uncle’s birthday float down the St. Croix River, which he faithfully wore, at least for a few minutes.
Eventually I learned to sew, and I still remember sitting with my grandma Judi while she helped me make my first quilt. She brought her supplies to my house and patiently walked me through it all—how to fix my machine tension, how to respect fabric direction, and how not to push or pull the material. More than anything, she taught me the importance of finishing what you start. I can still picture her encouragement when I would drift toward the next “shiny project,” something I now recognize in myself even today.
Over time, I moved through crochet, knitting, and anything else I could learn next. Looking back, I can see that the real thread through all of it wasn’t just crafting—it was learning. I’ve always loved taking a new skill, figuring it out step by step, and then adding my own twist to it.
From Creativity to Motherhood
When I got married and started a family, that creative drive didn’t disappear—it shifted.
I began making things for my children: knitted animals, handmade toys, and eventually “Flat Dollies,” felt dolls with detailed little homes and scenes. I poured so much time into designing them that I eventually began selling them.
At the same time, I was wrestling with an ongoing question that would quietly shape everything that came after: if I'm going to invest this much time into making things, how can it also add value to our family instead of becoming a burden to it?
I didn’t have the answer yet, but that question became a steady filter for every creative project that followed.
Creativity in Everyday Life
Like many mothers of young children, there were seasons where creativity had to shrink. Babies came quickly in our home, sleep was scarce, and life often moved in survival mode. But even in those years, I still found small ways to create—making things for our home, using what we already had.
Without realizing it, those years were shaping something important in me. Creativity was becoming more about learning how to bring beauty into the middle of ordinary days. Our home slowly became a place where making things was normal, not separate from life but woven into it.
Learning Systems, Order, and Craft
Around the same time, I was also learning how to make my creative work more intentional. I began designing smarter, sourcing better materials, and creating systems that allowed creativity and order to work together instead of competing with one another. For the first time, I realized that creativity didn't have to mean chaos.
As I continued refining my process, I learned how to knit two socks at a time from the toe up, source professional-quality materials for our Flat Dollies, and streamline the way I worked. Looking back, this was the beginning of my fascination with production and systems. I loved seeing handmade designs become polished, professional products.
It was during this season that I also discovered something I didn’t expect: I loved learning business.
Morse Code Bracelets & Meaningful Connection
I started experimenting with online platforms and eventually launched my first website. Around this time, Morse Code bracelets became a central part of my work.
What I loved most wasn't just making them—it was the connection with the people who wore them. Customers would choose a word that mattered deeply to them, and many would share the story behind it. I was constantly surprised by how something so small could carry so much meaning, and how eager people were to share their stories.
That experience changed everything.
From Handmade to Wholesale
At the same time, I was reaching a crossroads. I wanted to reach more people and give more individuals the opportunity to carry a bracelet that meant something deeply personal to them. But I was also feeling the weight of time, energy, and sustainability within our family life.
Creating each item individually was meaningful, but it wasn't scalable for the season we were in.
That’s when I stepped into wholesale.
It required a whole new level of learning—tax requirements, packaging systems, shipping, production flow, and communication with store owners. Everything felt new again. But I loved it.
And I began to see MorseLeather Co. not just as a creative outlet, but as a real business. One that could serve other small shops, reach more people, and still remain rooted in handmade work and meaningful design.
My first wholesale order was a turning point. I remember packaging it carefully, communicating with the shop owner, and realizing how deeply they valued carrying something handmade and intentional—something not mass-produced or imported.
That moment made it clear that there was a place for this kind of work.
Today
Today, MorseLeather Co. continues to grow in that direction. I'm still learning, still refining systems and products, and still working to balance creativity, business, and family life. But I no longer see that as instability. I see it as the nature of building something slowly and intentionally, as my children watch alongside me.
Looking back, that question—"How can I invest this much time into making things that add value to our family instead of becoming a burden?"—has quietly guided every stage of MorseLeather Co.
The products have changed, the business has grown, and I've learned more than I ever expected. But the goal remains the same: creating meaningful things that encourage others, tell stories, and reflect the beauty found in ordinary life.