Ruby's Musings by Request ~ Meet Cherry Darling

Ms. Cherry Darling 

It was a day just before the holidays when I had decided to follow a woman with a the handle of @she_knits_in _pearls aka Cherry Darling. I spotted one of her knitted creations and I asked her if she had ever made tea cozies. A friendship was struck up and bonding happened. This lovely woman decided instead of me paying for the said tea cozy she would just send it to me, and I decided we should do a gift exchange. Our friendship was sealed from there. Seems we share a lot of health woes, though, and not to divulge too much, hers far outweigh mine, so we were pain sisters, not to mention  tea drinking, retro loving sisters too. As it would happen I had purchased a headband from her Etsy store and had not even realized it, So now we were cherry wearing sisters too! Recently, I had spotted a cute knitting pattern for a pin curl headband, and before I could even mention it to her, she was already knitting one... I of course had to have one, and thus came about a little trade. I would get a super cute pink knitted pincurl cover, and in return I would help spread the word about her Etsy shop that she shares with her mom....it was a pretty good deal! I just love Cherry, her and her mom's creations and look forward to getting to meet her in person one day! I can with confidence mark anything from her and mom's shop "Ruby's Musings Approved"!

Let me introduce you to Cherry Darling....

Tell my readers a bit about yourself?

" I'm 40 years old and currently on my last leg of college before I start a whole new career and chapter in my life.  

Previously, I was a CNA (Certified Nurse Aide) working towards becoming a RN.  Unfortunately, that path   was derailed by a back injury that has left me unemployed and in chronic pain for the last 3 years.  On the bright side, I have been able to start blogging and work on my creative side. You can check out my personal blog She Knits in Pearls. (Here)

                                                                                                                                                                   

 Have you always been into the retro culture?

"No, I haven't.  All through my younger years, you would have considered me somewhere between Goth and Punk.  In my thirty's, my style melded into a Goth/Rockabilly style and slowly that turned more towards the Rockabilly and into a retro/vintage style."

 How did you come up with the handle Cherry Darling?

"The name Cherry was given to me in my early 30's when I became friends with another friend of the same birth name.  Instead of just one of us using a nickname to help with confusion we both got nicknames.  Because I have/had multiple sets of cherries tattooed on me, Cherry became my name.  The Darling part came along a few years later when I was working, part time, in a restaurant.  My manager had the same name so again I went by Cherry (my first paycheck was made out to Cherry and I couldn't cash it).  When expo would call my name to let me know my food was ready she would yell out Cherry Darling.  It's stuck, ever since.  I've toyed with the idea of changing my on-line name for a while due to the numerous Cherry's out there, but it's been so long and it's not just my online friends who know me as Cherry, I'm afraid it would be a big confusing mess if I did." 

 How long have you been knitting ? When did you start and who taught you?
"I've knit off and on for about 15 years.  I've learned from friends and online resources.  I never thought I'd be a knitter.  I used to have 101 creative hobbies and always thought that knitting would be the one I'd never do.  Then I found a hat pattern that I just had to make but it was knit.  Once I learned, almost all other creative hobbies completely fell away.  It was knitting that actually got me into vintage and retro style.  As I was searching for patterns that fit into my "rockabilly" style, I discovered all these vintage and retro inspired patterns.  The rest has been a wonderful and creative journey into who I am today."

Myself wearing Cherry's knitted pincurl cover.

 You sew too right? When did you learn/ how.?
"Sewing was my first real creative hobby.  I think I was sewing before my feet could reach the foot peddle, sitting on my Mama's lap.  Although, I've been sewing for longer than I can really remember, I don't consider myself a seamstress.  I'm pretty good at making skirts and other crafts (like the turbans and headbands in my etsy store) but when it comes to fitting issues, it usually turns into a hot mess.  I leave the real intense sewing to my Mom.  She's amazing like that". 
 

 You have an etsy store, tell us about that.

"Last summer, when I went to visit my mother in Nevada we tossed around the idea of opening our own Etsy store and doing craft fairs together when I move down there this fall (currently I live in Alaska).  After a few glasses of wine one evening we got online and registered our shop.  The name Lacey Rose Creations comes from our lovely dog Lacey we had as I was growing up and Rose is my moms maiden name.  We're just starting out and building a little stock at a time but really hope to kick it into gear after I move closer to her and we can have sewing and crafting days and focus on our business together".  

What type of products do you sell?
"Currently, I am making mostly turbans and headbands and would like to start taking small knitting commissions, like the pincurl wrap I made for you.  In the future I would like to keep making and expanding the retro/vintage inspired personal accessories.  My mom makes kitchen and sewing accessories.  She homes to branch out into long-arm quilting as well.....

We hope to grow into a great little family business that my mother and I can do together.  We want the experience of working and creating together and succeeding together.  We are both creative and constantly making things. If we can earn enough money to keep us in fabric and yarn, and maybe a little bit to help with the extras in life, while enjoying working together, we will consider it a success. Currently, every penny we make through Lacey Rose is being put in a fund to help me move to be closer to her."  

 

Cherry and her sweet mama

You can find Cherry and Lacy Rose Creations on Instagram as well.....

@She_Knits_in_Pearls and the shop... @LaceyRoseCreations