I am a woman, wife, mother, artist, and business person with a heart for social and environmental responsibility.  I live in the resplendent Sonoran Desert surrounded by inspiration and the unique lifestyle of the American southwest.
All of the clothing that I design and sew is made with care and attention to craftsmanship and detail.  I sew all of my garments with triple-stitching to reinforce durability.  Every item is unique and not mass-produced.  I began sewing clothing in Home Economics classes in high school and sewed for all of my children while they were growing up.  
I began sewing for other people when, as a young mother, people would ask me to sew nursing clothing, baby wraps, cloth diapers, and diaper wraps for them. I began sewing my designs in clothing because I became frustrated with purchasing clothing at high prices that were made quite shabbily and with an inferior cloth and construction.  I wanted my clothing to be versatile through the stages of weight loss, body changes, the shifting activities throughout my day, and to express my creativity!  I wanted to wear clothing that expressed my individuality as a woman and that was durable and stylish.  As I would wear my designs; while on vacation, running errands, and on excursions;  people began to ask me to design and sew clothing items that were wearable art for them as well.  A little hobby has grown into a cottage industry that allows me to express myself and create wonderful clothing I am quite proud of.
While my business has grown, I have decided to carry clothing from other designers to add versatility to our store's unique inventory.  I strive to only bring my customers ethically sourced and manufactured, one-of-a-kind, creative clothing!  My designs are marked as designed and constructed by myself. 

·   My focus is on creating high-quality fashion across an enormous range of designs that enable you to choose the clothing items that reflect your style and mood, suitable for your lifestyle.  Many of my designs are made exclusively to fit my customer’s needs and cut to their measurements.

·     Essence of the Sonoran designs are created with quality and longevity in mind; producing well-made garments that will withstand the test of time and serve you for many years.  I do not make items designed to be consumer "throw-away" items. 

Please Note:

Although we are not fair trade certified, we consider our business practices and those of our factories to be fair trade.  Workers are paid fairly for their work, they work in comfortable, safe working environments, and are treated fairly and with respect. We have been working with the same small factories for several years and they are all family-owned with intimate work environments.

One specific example is the women's cooperative, a group of amazing women who work on our designs. The purpose of the women's co-op is to enable women to have flexible working hours so that they can continue to maintain a balanced family life, to nurture and care for their children while being able to earn additional income with fair wages. Here at Essence of the Sonoran, we have always cared for people, products, and professional standards. 



Essence of the Sonoran Skin Care 

I worked for many years in the cosmetics/beauty products industry as an educator and as a manufacturer's representative to Dermatology Clinics, Spas, and the Professional Salon Industry.  I learned that most products sold in the United States are privately labeled from large facilities and marketed differently to command various price points.   After using high-priced products for years, I was tired of paying ever-increasing prices for skincare products that were essentially the same products across the board in the marketplace, only labeled differently.

I was sick and tired of wasting money on complicated skincare regimes that did not work as advertised and were exorbitantly priced!  I began making my own products that met the needs that I, and my family, found far more efficacious and less complicated, not to mention far more cost-effective!  I became frustrated with products found in health food stores that were ineffective and quite costly, though marketed as "healthier and different," than those found in drug stores. Most products have water as their first ingredient, so one is essentially paying for water as the main ingredient!

After many years of experimenting with which products worked well and which products did not, I decided to add the line to my inventory for sale.  These products are botanically based, all-natural, and certified organic.  The ingredients are sourced very carefully and you can be assured of the highest quality ingredients!  You can read more about the line on my blog. 

Why should you purchase from Essence of the Sonoran?

With over 30 years of experience in this business, I have come to know what my customers want and what they need.  My greatest attention to detail on Essence of the Sonoran clothing and accessories, whether they are our own designs or the clothing that is imported from other designers, is what makes them different from many other designers and importers out there.

I could make my clothing less expensive by leaving off so many of the details we all love; like embroidery, lace trim, handmade crochet work, large pockets, and reinforced stitching, but it is those details that make this line so special and set our clothing apart from Big Box, mass-manufactured, sweatshop, store clothing. I strive to make sure the designs are top quality and unique, and I make sure our vendors have those same values!

This business supports artisans and craftspeople and we pay them a fair and living wage to help them support their families.  All the men and women who work in the shoppes that produce items for Essence of the Sonoran are paid above the standard rate, whether in Nepal, the United States, or Thailand - and for us that is one of the most important things about our company.

To read my blog, click here.  It contains more information on my business, my life, fashion, inspirational tips, and writing.