We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sandra Casady. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sandra below.
Hi Sandra, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I have always had a passion for creative crafts. I developed a love of needlecrafts by spending time as a child in my mother’s yarn and needlecraft shop. I Learned to sew and made many of my clothes when I was younger. Life, as it often does, took over and I went to work, got married and had my son. I worked in several different professions, but always missed spening time working wth my hands. After I retired fro teaching in 2020, I decided it was finally time to do what I had missed all the years andfound a new medium, paper art!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have always had a passion for crafting and creating with my hands, As a child, I spent many hours in my mother’s yarn and needlecraft shop learning to knit, crochet, cross stitch, sew and needlepoint. As I got older, life got in the way and I put many of my crafts on hold to work and raise my son. I recently retired from working as a special educator and was looking for something to keep my hands and mind busy and I discovered working with a totally new medium! I am now creating layered cardstock designs and other paper art with my Cricut Maker 3.
I am currently selling on Etsy and am excited to be showing my designs in 2 local galleries here in Arizona! I do come from a family of small business owners and have found pleasure in creating for others. One of my sisters is an event florist in San Francisco and my other sister runs a horse farm and training facility in NJ. Having this family background has allowed me to work to develop my small business and see it grow. I have also been blessed by another local artist, Shawn Ellis, owner of Zivel Natural Creations, who has helped me get my designs into local fairs and the 2 galleries.
All of this has allowed me to spend my new found freedom doing something I love and make income along the way! I look forward to continuing to grow my business and share the love of my craft.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The m0st rewarding aspect of being creative is the feedom to use my love of color to create my designs. I spend most of my time deciding on a color pallette and then as I am cutting and layering the designs, I love to see the colors come to life. Each design is a passion and I love to create for my clients. I have had many clients send me photos of their rooms or a photo of a pillow that they would like me to design around. I truly love seeing photos of my designs in their new homes!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Wow! Great question! I have worked in many different careers but after having my son and relocating from San Francisco to Arizona, I became restless and wanted a change. I had been in customer service for a large car rental company and I decided to return to college to complete my degree in Special Education at the ripe old age of 40! I completed my undergraduate program and entered a Masters program where I graduated in 2003. I then went on to teach at several school districts. Throughout this time, my husband and son supported my journey without question. I decided to retire in 2020 (the pandemic made virtual teaching a challenge!) and then started my creative journey. I loved my teaching career and still consult but I really love my craft!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CreationsByCasady.com
- Instagram: @creationsbycasady
- Facebook: Creationsbycasady
- Twitter: @casady_sandra
- Other: Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/creationsbycasady/