Artist’s name: Megan Labrecque & Nancy White
Shop name: Apiary Designs
Location: Providence, RI
Etsy shop: www.apiarydesigns.etsy.com
Website: www.apiarydesigns.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/apiarydesigns


1. Tell us about your work
We are Megan Labrecque and Nancy White, a mother-daughter team of designers and seamsters. We make fun and functional fabric accessories for people, pets, and the home. Our product line includes full size reversible aprons for adults and kids, half aprons for adults, totes, yoga mat bags, catnip activity mats, gadget cozies, and accessory pouches of all shapes and sizes. A practical product can be also be beautiful and make life a little more fun!

via etsy catnip activity mat

2. How did you come to be a professional artist/crafter?
By accident, mostly. We’re a mother and daughter team - we both like to sew and had been making things for Nancy’s church bazaar. Our making got a little out of hand, so we decided to go into business to find somewhere to sell our stockpiled merchandise! Once we got started in a few local shops, we’ve been growing ever since. We have been encouraged along the way by a host of talented crafters and artists who have provided advice and inspiration.

3. Where do you draw your inspiration?
Most of our products have grown out of a need we had that we couldn’t find a commercial product to fill - the gadget cozy was made to hold our phones, which are slightly larger than most, and to have a pocket for earbuds. The tote is designed to be heavy duty, to have large pockets to stay organized, and above all to be washable! The catnip activity mat was created when we wanted to make a cat toy that could be washed, refilled, and reused. All of our full aprons are reversible - cook and splotch on one side and reverse when company arrives, and get twice as much use and life out of your apron in the bargain! We’re practical people, but our fun fabric prints put a whole new twist on practicality.

4. What’s your favorite item to make?
I think we fall in love with our products based on the fabrics. When it’s hard to give up something to sell because the fabric makes me smile, I know we’re on to something. We like to make small batches of items in each fabric, so if you love it, buy it - the fabric may soon be out of print!

via etsy bandanna tote

5. What’s your best seller?
Our best seller is our reversible full apron, but the child-size reversible apron is fast catching up - we never thought we’d be known as the “apron ladies”!

via etsy *Bear would go crazy for this!

6. How long have you been in Rhode Island?
Nancy is a lifelong Rhode Islander. Megan left for a while to go to college, but found her way back home soon after.

7. What do you {heart} about Rhode Island?
We love its smallness and yet how diverse Rhode Island is. We love the people. We love the great restaurants. We love the proximity to the city and the beach. We love that people give directions based on things that haven’t been there in 20 years.

8. Please include anything else you’d like to add:
As the holidays approach, we’d like to remind people to shop locally. We try to shop handmade and local, and appreciate very much the local store owners who seek out the unique! Please support local artisans and local shops at the holidays and every day.