Farmers Market Spotlight: Idlewylde Artist Brings Online Business to Life

A local craft business is hopping onto the streets.

In June, Angela Lacey decided to bring Froggy Pants Creations out of her Idlewylde home and into farmers markets and craft fairs in the Baltimore area.

Now the 37-year-old mother of three is glad she did. Under an unmistakable tent filled with bright colors, she sells trinkets like necklaces, earrings, pendants, belts, sandwich bags and headbands. Froggy Pants jumps from market to craft fair and makes a weekly appearance at the every Thursday on Allegheny Avenue.

"I like this atmosphere because you get to see what people think of your actual work," Lacey said. "When you see the little kids pick up something... it makes you feel special because someone really likes what you did."

Laid off from her job as a photographer in March of 2009, Lacey fell back on old skills learned on her mother's sewing machine in high school and started creating trinkets for friends and family. Before long, she was buying ribbon at craft stores to make reversible headbands. And not long after that, she needed a larger supply of ribbon than the stores could provide.

It's a family affair, too. Rather than paying for day care for two of her three kids—10-year-old Sophie and 5-year-old Dax—she brings them with her.

"There's other kids here with the other vendors ... so they play between the booths and bug the other vendors," she said.

Before jumping into the Towson Farmers Market this year, she posted most of her wares on the craft-selling site Etsy and on her website. But now, most of her sales are done in person, and some unique items can only be found at her stand.

"I wouldn't say I get a lot of orders (online), but I get a lot of people who check the website to see where to find me," she said.