Soap Creek Designs is an Etsy shop full of beautifully handcrafted stained glass. Rickie, the creative artist, is the proud mom of two daughters who serve in the military. Let’s learn a bit more about what’s it’s like to be the mom of an active duty member before getting to the crafty stuff.
TSM: How long have your daughters been in the military?
My oldest daughter joined in Army after she graduated from high school in 2000. She put in her 4 years and was Honorably discharged in 2004. In July 2007 she signed up for the Army Reserves and almost immediately began training for a deployment in Kuwait. She was in Kuwait for a year. While there she did missions into Afghanistan for three months and just came home a few weeks ago.
My youngest daughter joined the Navy in 2007. She did a 6 month deployment to the Persian Gulf – serving aboard the USS Pelelui. While there her ship was shadowed by the Iranian Navy for several days. Later they had a hand in chasing Somali pirates away from cargo ships. She is currently in San Diego, CA.
TSM: Even though my husband is active duty, I can’t imagine what it feels like to be the mom of someone going to war.
TSM: What is your favorite part about being a “military mom”? 
The pride I feel in my children. The thought that they are contributing and serving our country.
TSM: What has been the biggest adjustment for you having children serve?
The fear and the worry about them. When they have been deployed, the thought of them being so far away, and in a dangerous place, has been like ice on my heart. Not being able to just talk to them when I want.
TSM: That is one way I’ve been very lucky… when my husband has deployed I’ve usually been able to speak to him fairly frequently.
TSM: What’s the most common misconception about life in the military?
That all military people are cold-blooded killers. They are not. They are just regular people with a slightly different kind of job. But a job that most people, even myself, cannot understand. This job can take them to horrible places. In this job they could be killed while out on patrol or while in the chow line getting breakfast. They could face being kidnapped and tortured just because they wear a US flag on their shoulder. This is a fear that weighs heavily.
Okay, we’re going to switch gears big time and focus on the beautiful stained glass art Rickie makes for her Etsy shop, Soap Creek Designs.
About Soap Creek:
Hand crafted in the Hollar in the hills of West Virginia, I use the Tiffany style of stained glass – each piece of glass is carefully cut by hand and the edges ground smooth. Each is then wrapped in copper foil and soldered together. Due to the nature of stained glass and hand made items, no two pieces are alike even when cut from the same sheet of glass. I believe that each and every item is a unique artistic creation, no matter how large or small.
TSM: When did you start making your goods? When did you start selling them?
Back in the early 1980’s I began working on stained glass as a hobby. I began seriously selling in 2005.
TSM: What is the inspiration behind your work?
Generally my children, nature, other ideas that pop into my head. Things that I would like to have myself. Sometimes I will get an idea just from looking at a sheet of stained glass. I’ll “see” something in it that I think I can make.
TSM: What is your favorite item to make and/or sell?
My favorite item to make is something new I just thought of! And my Puppy Toes dog paw prints.
TSM: What is the best part about owning your own business?
Working for myself and creating things to make someone’s life a bit happier – add a bit of color to someone else’s life.
Shop! You can browse Rickie’s stained glass art at her Etsy shop. In addition to patriotic pieces, Soap Creek Designs also has holiday, seasonal and fun whimsical art. (How cute would those butterflies be in a little girl’s room?)
Win! Soap Creek Designs is generously offering a Primitive Star with Beads!
How to Enter: Visit
Soap Creek Designs, take a look around, and leave a comment here with your favorite piece of stained glass art.
Bonus Entries:
* Donate to one of the participating charities. Leave one comment for every dollar you donate.
* Purchase something from Soap Creek Designs before the end of the giveaway and leave five comments.
* Post the Support Military Moms button on your blog.
* Follow The Shopping Mama blog.
* Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or a reader.
Fine Print: Be sure to have your email address visible in your profile or included in your comments. (You may email me if you prefer.) If you subscribe via email, be sure to validate it through the confirmation email you’ll receive. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. Winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Open to US mailing addresses. Contest ends 11:59 pm June 6.
Build-A-Bear Workshop has generously provided a $25 gift certificate up for grabs during the Support Military Moms event.
If you’ve never been to a Build-A-Bear Workshop, what are you waiting for? I am only slightly embarrassed to admit that even before I had kids, I built a bear or two for myself. It’s just too fun. You get to pick out a special bear or any of the other adorable little animals or dolls they have and you “build it” with a heart, optional sound effect and then it’s stuffed full of fluff.
Join 21,459 fellow moms
1,891 readers
13,760 followers
5,808 fans