Mary Says: I aplogize, but I have to brag for a moment

Dress Made of Stretch Satin which we loving referred to as "Butter"

For many years, long before I ever started A Great Impression, I was a seamstress.  Just a seamstress.  Before the days of commercial embroidery equipment, screen printing, or vinyl cutters, I would sit a a sewing machine for hours and hours and hours.  Each day I did what I had to do to get the house cleaned up, babies fed, or whatever needed to be done, so that I could do my sewing.

It was not long into my marriage that the need for me to make some extra money came into the plan.  Sure, I was home raising babies while my soldier went off and trained for weeks at a time, but I can honestly tell you that the next joy to my family was always sewing.  It was my creative medium.  With years and years of practice, I got kind of good.  By the year 1995 I was professionally sewing dance costumes for whomever would hire me.  This led into a career that I would never change for all the money in the world.  And on that note, let me tell you that the money sure has helped out our family of 5.

Then I grew.  And I got into the other realms of creating and business which very happily led me to opening A Great Impression.  If I were to look around my office in a huge circle, it would go something like this. Computer and accessories, then 5 commercial sewing machines in a row, each doing thier own thing, then a huge rhinestone setter machine, next comes a commercial embroidery machine, (I am down to only one now).  Wrapping up the circle to my right now is a big rack of vinyl, then my vinyl cutter.  In the center of the room is a huge work table that usually has fabric, plus vinyl scraps, and glitter on it.  This is the happiest place in my house.  I create here.

So, every once in a while since moving, I have wondered who I am these days.  Am I a seamstress with only a few left customers from my old town?  Am I a web site developer who strives to learn more each day about back linking and all of that confusing stuff?  Am I a graphic artist, or embroiderer?  One thing I always know, is that I am a follower of God, and will trust him to lead me where I will be next.

But after a day of struggling through those questions about who I am supposed to be now, I had the pure joy of getting this absolutely beautiful picture from my most wonderful daughter in law.  And here is who I am.  I am Jeff, Jessica and Julie's mom, who has no more pure joy in life than to create wonderful and treasured items like this dress I sewed for my son's lovely bride.  They were married this July and I am so very proud to show you what I created for her.  As my gift of love, for her loving my son the beautiful way that she does.

Mandy is the most beautiful person inside and out