Carol
Growing up as an only child gave me frequent moments of boredom which encouraged a multitude of artful adventures. I have always enjoyed being creative and I Iove to learn, but I am NOT an artist. Often by necessity and the need to be resourceful, opportunities to be creative arose during the first 10 years of our marriage while living in remote parts of Africa and Indonesia with three young children. It was a delightful adventure!
Back in the states, my job at a local high school helped me realize how much I enjoyed working with young people and encouraging their potential. Together, we planned, dreamed, and found by working together and using everyone’s gifts, you could achieve great things . . . including some pretty sweet homecoming floats!
In the late 90’s, I decided it would be fun to own a retail store, SCRIBBLES, and in the process learned more than I could have ever imagined. I was surrounded and energized by the creativity of my young staff including my daughter who I cherish working with on any project to this day. Between treasured employees and customers who have become lifelong friends, the years between 1996-2008 were truly impactful and rewarding.
After “retiring” from retail I began volunteering with a newly forming non-profit and a few years later became part of the staff - literacy mentoring became my focus. I found a new passion and was thrilled by the opportunity to use my skills for such a worthwhile endeavor. . . . and then I tried retiring again.
The Birth of Sweet Poppy Shop
In December 2023 a text from Emily, a former Scribbles employee, ignited the spark to dream just a little bit more. Thoughts of reviving the joy, fun and creativity of SCRIBBLES had always been in the back of my mind; and now with today's technology that did not exist two decades ago, I wondered what might be possible. (Retirement just isn't in my genes, I guess.)
I wondered how could we create a platform for artists to share their talent with a broader audience . . . and also bring back a bit of Scribbles to share with a new generation?
OUR SWEET TEAM: Emily & Jen, our first artists, each with a natural talent and distinctive style; and of course Annalaura to help bring all the pieces together and contribute her meticulous attention to detail. My role: to cheer them on and help share their talent with you, our customer.
It is our goal to recreate the same friendly ambiance you would have experienced when you walked through the door of Scribbles, to create gifts that inspire - gifts created from the art of our Sweet Poppy Artists and give back to our community in the process. Our only regret is that we can’t greet you with a warm smile when you walk through the door, personally help you find what you are looking for, or send you out the door with a beautifully wrapped gift. But we do want to hear you - find out what speaks to your heart, what you love, and how we can best serve you.
So, WELCOME to SWEET POPPY SHOP!
We invite you to wander through our collection and get to know the talented artists whose creations inspire each product. We hope every gift will make you smile and you feel the genuine warmth from days gone by.