From saying ‘Oh snap’ to creating beautiful things
Trisha Long never intended to open a business.
Like many crafters, Long says she was working on a personal project and happened to post a picture on Facebook of the cross-stitch she was working on. People really seemed to like it. She got a few orders for some pieces just from posting that one picture.
The same thing happened, says Long, when she tried her hand at embroidery. She stitched something, posted a picture, and someone bought it.
“I just kept going,” says the Yarmouth woman.
Based on her positive experiences, in 2018, Long created the business, Ohsnapstitches, through which she sells cross-stitch and embroidery pieces – embroidery being the most popular.
The name for her business came easily, she says.
“I happen to say ‘oh snap' a lot when things happen, either good or bad, and because I mostly sell stitching items, I just put the two words together,” Long says.
Creativity comes naturally to Long. She says her whole life she saw her mother, who she says is amazingly talented, cross-stitch. Long watched her all the time – thinking the process looked fun – but says as a child she never had the patience to learn. She waited a long time, but finally learned the art.
"My mother and my best friend at the time helped me get started," says Long. "That was in 2007, and from then on, I was hooked. I've been stitching ever since."
Not only has Long been into stitching, but she's also always been interested in crafting in general, saying she always has supplies for just about any project.
“I have made unicorn headbands for little girls' birthdays. I've scrapbooked for many years, made cards. I'm always tinkering with new ideas on how to make things,” says Long.
Next, she plans on learning how to crochet.
“There's no end in sight for me when it comes to crafting,” she says.
Custom orders are definitely Long's favourite things to make, and she says they keep her really busy.
She loves it when someone contacts her and says, "Do you think you could make this?"
"My answer is always the same: 'Let me go try!'"
Inspiration and ideas of what to make next also come naturally to Long. She says she can be sitting and watching something, and an idea will pop into her head. Popular shows inspire her as she watches them. Other times, she will be outside and an idea will pop into her head. Whenever and whatever these ideas are, she writes them down and stores them in a box for later.
Her orders, however, are more custom-based, says Long. She likes to ensure her customers are hands-on during the process. She likes working with them and making sure they have a hand in whatever choices can be made.
For example, for embroidery, Long says they will go over sizes, what they're looking for and what colours they would like.
"They get to pick all their details, and I love that part."
It's also fun when customers give her creative control, says Long.
“I do enjoy working together the most. When they see the final product, it makes it more magical when they had a hand in the creation of the piece,” she says.
Crafting is a relaxing thing for her, even with all of the mess it creates.
She says – although it sounds silly – she feels free when doing it. It's a way to relax, ignore the world and dive into art. This was exactly what she needed through COVID.
“Stitching has a calming effect on me. You can have the TV or music going, but you really don't have to pay attention because you're busy with your hands,” she says.
Creativity comes naturally to Trisha Long. She says her whole life she saw her mother, who she says is amazingly talented, cross-stitch.
Another part of the craft is creating her own patterns. Long says she got asked to create a cross-stitch pattern for someone a couple of years ago. It was her first custom pattern for someone else, and it is something she would like to try again so she can offer this service more often through her business.
She enjoys making her own designs, noting she has a binder full of things drawn up that she hopes one day to complete. But for now, she says she is fortunate and thankful to get all the orders she does. But it does prevent her from creating her own.
In the future, Long hopes