GRANT COUNTY, Ind. —  In the suburbs of Grant County, the town of Matthews hosted their annual Covered Bridge Festival. The festival had attractions from live music, food trucks and vendors looking to showcase their business. Among the festival’s many attractions was Des Rae’s Designs, a charming booth run by Desirè Stanley, a local to Grant County.  Stanley’s business sells products from tumblers, coasters, etc. All of her products are handmade and made from the heart, and she only has her mother to thank for her inspiration. 

From going from a stay-at-home mom juggling her responsibilities of a mother and caretaker, to being an owner of her own business. In her free time away from her children and her mother, she would craft, make shirts, earrings and stuffed animals. After her mother gifted her a cricket to make shirts, it inspired her to start up her business. 

Shortly after Stanley started up her business, her mother passed, and Stanley was left to carry on the business without her mother by her side. However, this didn’t stop Stanley from pursuing her passion. Instead she took it as inspiration to continue selling her products in honor of her late mother. Stanley later explains that the reason why she chose to be a vendor at the Covered Bridge Festival is because she has been going to the festival since she was a child.  

“As a kid, I would always look at the vendors and think that what they did was so cool, Stanley said. “I decided that Matthews was a great spot because I know the locals that are here and I’m able to connect with them.”

Stanley has now been a vendor at the Covered Bridge Festival for the past several years and will continue to come back every year. She also expresses how she does other local festivals in hopes of creating a connection with her customers.  

For more information about Stanley’s products and story visit her facebook page: DesRae’s Designs

Contact Ava Lens with comments at ava.lens@bsu.edu.

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