In this episode of Homespun, host Misty Doan welcomes Rena Dearden, owner and designer behind The Rustic Horseshoe, known for her charming stuffed animals and ride-on toy sewing patterns. Rena shares her inspiring leap from a career in law enforcement to building her own creative business, sparked by a beloved childhood stick horse. She opens up about the challenges of leaving a stable job, the perseverance it took to make her dream work, and how she turned an early, imperfect creation into a thriving pattern line beloved by makers worldwide.
Key Episode Highlights:
How Rena transitioned from police work to running a creative business from home
The sentimental story of the stick horse that inspired The Rustic Horseshoe
How strong, skilled women in law enforcement reshaped Rena’s view of sewing
Lessons learned from selling early creations and refining designs
Rena’s hands-on, pencil-and-paper approach to designing stuffed animals
Why sticking through financial and emotional challenges made all the difference
The shift from product deadlines to a more flexible pattern-based business
Why anyone can create with the right steps and mindset
How Rena stays inspired and playful in her work