Mafe Maria: Personal stories by autism parent mentor, Maria Stultz

handmade products

(19 entries)

Using my creativity, artistry, and craftsmanship to create beautiful and functional objects that serve real needs.

Myself, realigned »

I’m slowly getting back to making… Two years after Joaquin’s diagnosis, the urgency to save my babe has come down, and the need to breathe for myself has come up. Old passions and hobbies felt wrong for a long time (I felt tons of guilt around them), but I’m slowly coming out of that one. […]

Shirt in Progress »

It’s that time of life again when the 24mth Naartjie hoodie that looked perfect last week, suddenly wraps Joaquin’s belly like a tight (and short) hug. Also recently, Don Joaquin has decided that there’s nothing more disgusting in life than a cotton button–up shirt. Knits only! — he seems to demand. Is this an indication […]

My Signature Style »

Oh dear… Anabel Sousa, creator behind the super chic “Crear es Creer”, has honored me throwing this challenge my way… She’s figured out hers, and now asks me to define which of my artisan works can be considered my “sello personal”. Meaning — as I understand it — which item (or collection of items) has […]

Why am I not surprised? »

Sunday evening Joey finds me making a onesie for Joaquin. I tell him that I’m going to bed early with him. I’m a little bummed. Nobody will buy my stuff at Etsy. Just a couple of people show interest in my hats, and nobody seems to care for the mini wallet. I’m never going to […]

Sticking my patita in etsy »

YES! YES! YES! I finally opened my tiny etsy shop. As I say in my shop’s announcement, I probably should have waited to have more items to sell, but come on!… making two vueltiao hats with the little time I get away from my bollito is no small feat. As the perfectionist business–background person that […]

In Progress »

This is one of those projects I usually come up with, that sound like a great, relatively easy–to–do idea, and then end up taking a lot of time and work. But that’s why I love it. Probably doesn’t have any etsy potential because the price I’d have to set for it to be worth my […]