Wings And Words

My grandma was a crafter. She could sew or crochet anything. I like to think I inherited her talent, but I can’t use a sewing machine to save my soul.

Grandma made all kinds of things for me from Halloween costumes, to doll clothes, even a giant frog I called Andy. Everything she made had a tag sewn in that read “With love for my angel.”

fast forward several years, I picked up the crafting bug. I watched countless YouTube tutorials on jewelry making, started buying beads and jewelry making tools etc and started stringing bracelets. I opened an Etsy shop called “Amanda’s Bracelet Creations.”

then I wanted to learn crochet. Grandma taught me when I was young, but I didn’t remember anything. Back to YouTube I went! I planned on crocheting as a relaxing hobby, but one day I made a flower for my dog’s collar and suddenly I was getting requests for them! Soon I was crocheting all kinds of things and making more than bracelets. One thing became clear: I’d outgrown my Etsy shop. I changed the name to With Love For Angels and made all kinds of treasures! Etsy has changed over the years, and while I will keep my opinions to myself, my stuff needed to move. An ad for the Tedooo app appeared to be a sign from heaven. Soon all of my handmade treasures will find homes there.

Fast forward to January of 2020. Diabetes had taken its toll on me, and let’s face it- social work doesn’t allow much time for self care. I wound up in intensive care with cellulitis and septic. Soon the medical staff found a barrage of other issues. I went home with a leg wound and follow ups with more specialists than I had calendar space! When I wasn’t seeing 12 different doctors, my wound care doctor said to elevate my leg and stay off of it. I am not naive to the dangers of diabetes. I knew if I didn’t behave and the wound got worse, I could lose the leg. I listened! There’s not much to do sitting around with your leg up, pondering the next chapters of your life. I took lots of naps and one day I had a dream that I was at a restaurant with my parents (who are deceased). We were discussing my lengthy absence from work when my mom suggested I evaluate my other talents and interests. I’ve always liked to write, and some have even thought I was good at it! When we got out of our booth to leave the restaurant, I found a metal feather bookmark on the top of the booth. Feathers are signs from heaven, that’s the sign I needed. I grabbed my laptop, sat with my foot up and started writing a book. I found I really enjoyed it! I researched self-publishing and decided a pen name sounded fun so Cat Banks was born! When my first books of my books showed up, I cried. Soon, I decided to combine my talents and I started making beaded bookmarks, crochet kindle covers and all kinds of things. They became Cat’s Tales Book Bling.

Eventually, I was told the FMLA hold on my job was up and if I wasn’t ready to return, it wouldn’t be there anymore. I discussed my return with my doctor and all of my new specialists. Everyone was in agreement: my full time job now was managing my health. Applying for social security is no simple task. It is, however, a lengthy task. Bills needed to be paid and money was scarce so my roommate helped me with Poshmark and EBay accounts and we sold everything that wasn’t nailed down. He likes to watch the YouTubers that do reselling and soon that was our partner project. He was the finder of things and I was the lister of those things.

So, there you have it. With Love for Angels became the wings and Cat Banks writes the words. Toss in Cat’s Tales Book Bling and add online reselling and you get Wings And Words!