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About Me

Hi, there! I’m so glad that you found your way over to my little internet home. My name is Bonnie. I’m Mama to six amazing children, two girls and four boys, ranging in age from preschool to all grown up. I’m also GiGi to one granddaughter and one grandson. I am a follower of Jesus who is blessed to be married to a wonderful husband, Ray, who is a huge encourager of all the crazy craftiness that I’m always into. For that matter, he’s quite the crafter himself!





I own a little business called Fishsticks Designs where I design and sell sewing patterns for children’s clothing and accessories. My biggest business goal is to create designs that are unique and modern but always straightforward and practical. Fishsticks Designs was born from my desire to not only sew clothing for my own children but also to teach other moms (and grandmas, and aunts, and maybe even a few dads) to do the same. You’ll find that many of my patterns are sewn with cotton knit fabrics because that is exactly the fabric that most of us live our lives in. Each of my patterns includes step-by-step instructions with words and pictures so that you can read and see what to do next. It’s almost like sitting in my sewing room with me. It’s at least the closest that I can get without you stopping by for a visit. For more information about my patterns, just click on this image:


Why the name “Fishsticks”? Well, let me see if I can make a long-ish story short-ish. Remember back in the dark ages when the internet was brand new? Everyone was choosing an email address, not knowing then that what they chose might forever become their new online identity. On that day long ago when I chose my first email address, I happened to glance out the window and see the back of our van adorned with six Christian fish — two big fish and four little fish. Hmmm . . . how about fish6mom? And, the rest, as they say, is history. Because the name fish6mom when said quickly sounds just like “fishsticks mom” that became my online nickname. When it came time to choose a business name, I decided that it made sense to use the name Fishsticks. First of all, it wasn’t already taken. Second, it reminds me that regardless of where my business goes, my focus must always remain on Christ. Finally, it’s a fun name that brings about memories of childhood for me. (That was not short-ish at all, was it? There is a longer version . . . )

But do you eat fishsticks? When I opened Fishsticks Designs nearly a decade ago, frozen fishsticks were a fairly common visitor to our dinner table, along with just about every other processed food on the market. (The original name of this blog was Fishsticks & Fries.) In October of 2011, a good friend issued a little challenge to a small group of moms to join her in eating “real food” for one month following the rules over at 100 Days of Real Food. That one month completely changed our family’s eating habits and our health. I’ve discovered a passion for cooking real food from scratch, experimenting with creating healthy new recipes and watching my friends and family enjoy food the way it was meant to be!


In addition to sewing and cooking, I love decorating. We moved back to Central Florida in the fall of 2012, and I’m enjoying making our new home ours with plenty of handmade décor along with some vintage and flea market finds.

My husband and I are “sent missionaries” from our home church, but we live around the corner from our church and attend services here every week. Ray currently works full-time in the Information Systems Department at the U. S. Mobilization Base of Pioneers in Orlando, and that is what brought us back home to Florida a few years ago. (We send out a quarterly ministry newsletter to our prayer and financial supporters. If you’re interested in hearing more about our ministry and would like to be added to that email list, just click on “Email Me” here on my blog and put Ministry Newsletter in the subject box.)


I’m a “crunchy” mom who strives to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible. The only paper product we use in our home is toilet paper (and that’s not one that I’m even thinking of giving up.) I’m always looking for ways to reuse or upcycle something. There’s nothing like the satisfaction that comes from picking up something at a yard sale (or on the curb) and giving it new life.

Other things that I love:
Worship (My radio is always tuned to our local contemporary Christian station, and I’m often singing slightly off-key at the top of my lungs and dancing along.)
Homeschooling (We’ve homeschooled for over 13 years now!)
Science fiction (A love that my husband and I have passed on to our children.)
Dark chocolate (Fair trade, organic, soy-free . . . yum!)Coffee (If I could get over my Starbucks addiction, I’d really be done with artificial food.)
Baby wearing (My babies are too big for wearing now . . . but I’m glad to take a temporary loan.)
Photography (I’m still learning, though. Sometimes I love the photos that I take. Sometimes I’m less than thrilled with them.)

Things that I’m hoping to learn to love:
Gardening
Chickens
Running
Flying (Yes. I’ll admit publicly that flying terrifies me. Even typing that made me a little bit nervous.)
Woodworking

I hope that you’ll continue to stop in and enjoy everything that I have to share and that you’ll be willing to share with me! I get a huge amount of joy out of reading your comments and seeing the things that you create with my patterns and my tutorials! Feel free to contact me anytime if you have questions about anything at all that you find here on my site. I look forward to getting to know you!

Bonnie

You hem me in, behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5

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