ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Stephanie!
Owner, maker, photographer, content creator, designer and blogger here at Returning Grace Designs.
The Returning Grace Journey
About Our Shop:
I learned to sew in 2012 with the goal of hemming pants for my three boys but I always managed to divert my sewing lessons to home decor items including pillow covers, curtains and upholstery.
Over the next few years, I made lots of home decor items and gifts for family and friends perfecting my craft. In 2016 I opened an Etsy shop and Returning Grace was born!
Eventually as orders increased, I enlisted the help of my husband Skip to assist with cutting fabric, then prepping for zippers and he gradually became an integral part of the business working with me full time. Working together does have its challenges, but it’s been such a gift and a blessing to be able to spend so much time together!
With Skip’s help in the sewing room, I was able to add an independent ecommerce website, social media accounts, interior/product photography and content creation to expand our business. These new avenues have been some of the most challenging but most rewarding! I’m looking forward to growing these areas of the business in the future and we have big plans for our little shop!
From sewing pillows on our dining room table to expanding to a full workspace with large volumes of orders, our business has grown organically through divine providence. It’s been such an amazing journey over these past years. God’s plans have truly been greater than our own! Our family has been given so many graces and blessings in our lives and we do our best to use the business as an opportunity for Returning Grace to others. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than yours. Isaiah 55:8-9
About Our Home:
My husband Skip and I are middle school sweethearts and have been married for 24 years. We have 3 sons, Jack, Ethan and Carter, who are our greatest gifts. We also have 2 German Short Haired Pointers, Cooper and Beaux. We’re both life-long Louisiana residents and have a large extended family living all around us.
I have always loved to decorate. I remember thumbing through my mother’s magazines while dreaming of decorating my own home someday. I had binders filled with pages of my favorite spaces and styles torn out of the magazines for inspiration. Magazines were my first introduction to decorating and I savored every page.
In 2018, I joined social media to promote my handmade business and as time went on, I began to share more of my home, heart and life. It has opened a world I didn’t even know existed. This journey has taken a small-town South Louisiana girl far beyond her wildest dreams! It has also reignited my passion for photography in the process.
While most people look for their dream home in a grand neighborhood, I’ve always looked at historic Main Streets for inspiration. Even though our home is not historic, we have added many elements with classic American and European farmhouse and cottage influences. I love neutral tones with rustic wood elements and pops of seasonal color.
In 2021 we began renovating our starter home into our forever home. My favorite part of this remodel is that we started our lives together in this home and will finish it here together. This home is completely and totally a reflection of us, done entirely by us. I can’t wait to share our upcoming projects with you as we continue to pour ourselves into our home!
Where you can find me!
I’m so happy to have you here on the blog and I’d love connect on socials! I’m active on many social media platforms with a varied content on each. From photos and short reels on Instagram, to informal photos, decor links and videos on Facebook, daily behind the scenes on Threads, full length video tutorials on YouTube, handmade shopping there’s a content format for everyone!
