My name is Angie and I started AKDesigns Boutique a few years ago.  We are a small family business that I run and my husband and daughter help me with.  I feel very fortunate to have found something that I love to do that others can use.  I love that I can offer fun and unique embroidery designs at an affordable price to my fellow embroiderers'.

In March 2008 we started AKDesigns Boutique Yahoo Group. This is a great place for anyone that embroiders to get and share tips & tricks of the trade. We post a new free design every month, so join today to get your free designs! By the Spring of 2009 the group had grown to over 500 members.

In early 2009 we started offering embroidery supplies and that has been a big hit. We keep our profit margins low and shipping costs down so that we can pass along as many savings as possible to our customers!

In the summer of 2009 we announced that we're now offering embroidery designs from other designers! This is very exciting for us! The variety of designs offered at AKDesigns Boutique will be able to grow faster [but not too fast!]. Plus, we will be able give digitizers that are starting out a place to start ~ very exciting! Click this link for more information on our New Designers!

In July 2009 we became an authorized reseller for Monogram Wizard Plus products. This decision was made because they just released their Extended Features Pack that allows users to import designs {like mine} that aren't part of Monogram Wizard Plus. This gives the user a lot more flexibility and was a good fit for us ~ now our customers can mix and match Monogram Wizard Plus fonts and monograms with our frames and designs to make very cute and original products.

I'm often asked how I started digitizing and where I get my ideas, so I've answered those questions below. 

• How I got started ~ I started digitizing shortly after I purchased my first embroidery machine and realized that I couldn't find cute, affordable designs I wanted at my local sewing center or online, so I came up with my own designs. 
• Where I get my ideas ~ I'm inspired by so many things; fabric, magazine pictures, clothing, my daughter, etc.  When I see something that catches my eye, I use it as inspiration for my next embroidery design.  I use my original artwork, my daughter's original artwork, and purchased artwork [exclusive and non-exclusive].

Below is an example of a piece of original artwork, finished embroidery design and an animated stitch out of embroidery design.