I took a screenprinting class in 2008 on a whim, as a creative break from my very corporate job. I was quickly hooked, putting aside my weekends to go to the print studio. Etsy was in its infancy then, and when I posted a few of my prints, they started to sell.

Like many people, I was laid off from my full-time job in 2008. Instead of feeling disheartened by the lousy job market, I used this time to improve my printing skills. A couple of items got noticed by bloggers, I did a few craft fairs, my sales took off, and I started to think that maybe I could make a living printing.

It hasn't exactly worked that way. I *briefly* went back to working full time for someone else in 2010. But I now work as a self-employed business consultant about 50% of the time (my clients are all entrepreneurs, so I'm really happy to do this work), and spend the other 50% of my time printing and sewing (though sometimes I get help with the sewing) and sketching out new designs in the tiny (54 square feet!) studio in my apartment.