Did you know A.F.E.W. is an acronym for air, fire, earth and water? I struggled for almost a year for a name for my website. I wanted the name to have meaning, and boy, does it!
In the beginning I made cloth diapers. I used 2 coordinating prints on the outside and 2 layers of soft hemp fleece on the inside, plus a lay-in soaker. I wanted my name to reflect cloth diapers (‘natural changes’). But I also wanted the name to cover any other craft I was sure to delve into. I was already making bath and body items and had jut started dyeing silks for play.
The elements were really important to me, and still are, so I started playing with the words; air, fire, earth and water. I put them in order by their rotation with the seasons and the compass, I tried all sorts of word-play with them. I always tried to include spirit. Finally I tried making sense of acronyms and came up with a.f.e.w. Then I made a phrase of it and ‘A.F.E.W. Natural Changes’ was born.
When I first opened my website, I went with WAHMSHOPPES as a host. It was easy. My best friend and I started making bath items in each new and full moon. We named our line ‘Essential Elementals’. We still dabble in making natural bath items, me more then her. You will see some pop up from time to time, when I have the time! lol
I also had a shop at the wahm congo K&F Shops for a few years.
Now, I am at Hyena Cart and on Etsy. I mainly sell hand-stamped playsilks and bath confetti. My biggest seller is a silk pirate map rolled in ‘aged’ paper and sealed with real wax. I also make cards, scrapbook pages and other paper arts. Once in a while I will stock sewn items or wool felted treasures or other cute playthings. A dolly diaper. A drawstring bag. A set of stacking blocks.
Then name means so much to me. Of course the biz gal in me enjoys that the name begins with an ‘a’. I like how you make natural changes by using cloth. And I like to promote natural things.
Now, I’m not a die-hard eco-conscious fanatic. If I could be, I would be tho. I try not to be judgemental most of all. But I do lean towards a more earth-friendly way of life.
