Local Mom Creates Online Hair Accessories Store
Writer / Allison Yates
Sarah Baker, the entrepreneur behind the Etsy shop Baker Blossoms, is a self-taught innovator. Once she has an idea, she figures out a way to do it — even if it involves a learning curve.
In fact, that’s how her business started over a year and a half ago. Baker, a Wisconsin native, Butler graduate and longtime Indianapolis-area resident with a background in banking and insurance, has always had a knack for all things artistic and crafty. So, when she tried to find deer headbands for her twin daughters’ first birthday party and couldn’t – not even on Etsy – she had an idea. She’d learn how to do it herself.
She envisioned, designed and crafted the headbands herself using felt. The headbands turned out so well that once people saw pictures, they wanted to know where to buy them. Baker Blossoms was born. With some help from other Etsy business owners, she soon set up shop and began selling her craft.
Baker’s adorable 2-year-old twin girls, Lillian and Estelle, are the faces of Baker Blossoms. On the business’s Instagram (all photography is done by Baker, another skill she picked up), the two girls can be seen sporting flower headbands while frolicking in the woods or wearing patriotic matching outfits with retro white sunglasses and handcrafted red, white and blue bows for the Fourth of July. These two happy toddlers help her decide what toddler-geared products to make.
“Whatever they’re into, I get inspiration from that,” Baker says.
Baker started by making intricately crafted headbands for girls, but that’s not all the shop offers. Baker Blossoms sells what Baker calls ‘felt pretties,’ a reference to the material she cuts by hand to make her products. Her unabashedly cheerful designs also include bowties, vertical gardens, arrangements, garlands, vases and succulents.
She even innovates nursery décor by taking a plain animal head and adding “a little extra jazz to them,” like a garland. Recently, she made a custom nursery order of the name “Isla,” where each 12-inch letter was covered in flowers. And of course, adults want custom-made cat and deer ears for Halloween costumes, too.
Although Baker Blossoms is still in its infancy, Baker has already had much success.
She’s been able to make great relationships with other Instagram mothers and do collaborations with them. Her supportive friends and family, including her parents (she credits her artistic mother with her love of crafts) and husband, Dan, have helped Baker Blossoms thrive.
Baker has been able to see the impact of her work. Whether it’s “seeing the little girls at Disney World with the little ears I made” or others “wearing the unicorn headband and they don’t want to take it off,” seeing customer photos gives her gratification.
But her biggest achievement of all, says Baker, is that “I’m able to stay home with my girls and support part of our household.” She’s always wanted to stay home. Now’s able to and have a fun, creative business that’s hers.
Although she ships worldwide and has customers in Japan and Australia, in the future Baker hopes to build a more local customer base. She’d also like to work on developing new home décor and nursery items. Because Baker never shies away from a challenge, she also hopes to get more customer orders.
“I like to test my abilities with the custom orders,” she says.
Baker’s products are sold at Lil Bloomer’s Children’s Boutique in Noblesville or online on the Etsy shop. For more information on products and how to order, visit instagram.com/bakerblossoms.
