Alyssa is the talented mama who created our adorable ‘What Kind of Orlando Mom Are You?’ graphics. Alyssa and her hubby both grew up in South Carolina and went to Clemson (Go Tigers!) but now call Central Florida their home. They’re parents two three sweet little ones. You can purchase personalized gifts from Alyssa here.
About the Artist
How long have you been a creative artist?
I’ve always been crafty but I didn’t open my Etsy shop until 2015. I left a career in industrial construction to go to culinary school at 24. I graduated with my degree in Baking & Pastry but decided to start a family immediately instead of pursuing a job in pastry. When my oldest son was born in 2014, I decided to be a full-time SAHM. It was definitely the right decision for our family but it wasn’t my original plan and it was a really hard adjustment for a while.
When he was six months old, I felt like I didn’t have an identity beyond Mama (and he wasn’t even old enough to call me that) and I needed to do something to find myself again. I started an independent creative challenge that I called #alyssamakessomething365. Basically I challenged myself to create something every day – it could be anything – drawing, painting, sewing, baking, etc, and it could take five minutes or as long as I needed. I fell in love with crafting and art again and tried lots of new mediums. I still almost can’t believe it, but I kept my promise to myself and made time for creativity every day for a year. And when the year was over, I didn’t want to stop! So I channeled all that new creative energy into opening my shop!
What are your favorite mediums?
Well obviously I have to say wood burning is one! If you’ve never been to one of my workshops, let me just tell you that the campfire smell is amazing! On a hobby level, I also love papercutting and playing with polymer clay.
How do you find time to be creative with littles?
This is probably a terrible answer, but screen time! I actually have zero to little guilt about parking them in front of a show for a little while if I need some time to myself, especially if I’m being creative. When I do feel guilty, I just remind myself that it makes my brain healthier which makes me a way better mom. They also have a little table set up in my studio with craft supplies, and they often come draw or work with Perler beads while I’m creating!
What are your favorite things to do as a family?
Swimming! We all love being in the water. We love board games and puzzles and grilling/riding scooters in the driveway. We also started playing pickleball in the backyard this year!
So…What type of Orlando Mom are you??
Can I pick the mama manatee on the Florida Mom badge? I want to be her! I relate to so many of them. Before the pandemic, I would have said Booked and Busy! I definitely see myself in Foodie Mom – when its safe to hang out in public again, my first stops will absolutely be local breweries and all the food! And of course I’m so lucky to have met and worked with so many local creatives and small business owners – so Live Local Mom has a huge piece of my heart.
Support a local Orlando artist and mama – check out Alyssa’s Etsy shop or follow along on her craft adventures!
