After nurturing the business through it's infancy, Melisa sold the business to Cerise. Cerise loved this little business and helped it grow with love and dedication. Her commitment to quality and her love of tie dye were evident in all that she created. Year by year new products were added, happy customers were served, and piece after piece of beautifully handcrafted clothing were created. Because she now had two little ones at home, Cerise decided to look for a business that was less labor intensive so that she could be with her children while she worked. She found one and put MamaTieDye on the market.

This is where I come in (finally)! I'm Mel and I met Cerise and Melisa through homeschooling and play groups. As soon as Cerise announced that MamaTieDye was for sale, I thought "wouldn't that be a great business for me?" I entertained the idea of purchasing the business for months. After attending a playgroup activity where Cerise taught our kids how to tie dye shirts for Father's Day, I was hooked! I immediately went home and asked my husband to help make it happen. After a few weeks of planning, another few weeks of building and rearranging, and hours of observation I bought the business from Cerise.

I feel like I am the mother of a "teen" business now. Melisa mothered it through infancy, Cerise nurtured it through childhood and now it is my turn to guide it in establishing it's identity and place in the world. I took over in July 2004 and have been hard at work making it my own. I have added new products and am working with it to develop a personality all its own. I have even been able to work with other work-at-home moms who sew some of my products.  We've since relocated to the South and I have a large, beautiful space to work in. 

Running this business is no small feat. It is a demanding and sometimes grueling job. There are some days I stand for hours on end but the end results make it all worthwhile. Nothing pleases me more than a happy note from a customer who is thrilled with the order they just received! I am lucky to have a supportive husband and kids! It is for them that I do this work and they are the glue that holds me together (especially on crazy days when I am running around like a chicken with it's head cut off). 

Melisa offers homeschooling consultation services and is the author of numerous Waldorf-inspired curriculum guides. You can find her at A Little Garden Flower.  She also hosts a radio show and web seminars dedicated to Waldorf homeschoolers at The Gnomes Home. You can tune in any day of the week to hear about topics of interest not only to homeschoolers but also to parents everywhere.

Cerise owns and operates Nestmom. Through this business, she offers breastfeeding and other mom and baby-friendly items. Nursing has been a very important part of how she is raising her children and it is wonderful to see that she is doing something to make it easier for others. You can find her at Nestmom.