BATTLE GROUND — When Battle Ground resident Amy Kennedy-Palma talks about the 2 Crafty Sisters business that she runs with Rhonda Davis, another Battle Ground community member, she says 2 Crafty Sisters is “exactly what the name implies.”
“We are two sisters who have always enjoyed crafting, sewing, painting, upcycling and more,” Kennedy-Palma said. “We started crafting and selling our things here and there, but then decided to turn it into a full-blown side business in September of this year.”
Wanting to grow their crafting business a bit, Davis and Kennedy-Palma opened a small space for 2 Crafty Sisters inside the Urban Basics store in Battle Ground in September of this year. They also opened an online Etsy shop and started a Facebook page, advertising about once a month through different Facebook groups and through Etsy.
“We have only been in business for almost three months, but we enjoy the opportunities very much,” Kennedy-Palma said. “It has given us a greater tie with the Clark County community and has given us some fun challenges and an opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind, locally sustained and naturally responsible gifts and products.”
Kennedy-Palma said the two do projects that are “just about everything crafty.” They sew limited children’s clothing such as dresses, pajamas, headbands, tutus and tutu dresses, and they make adult accessories like stretch lace boot cuffs and hairpins and clips. Davis and Kennedy-Palma also do paintings of just about any and every kind, but especially enjoy doing silhouettes and abstract works of art.
“We also upcycle old wood boards from wine barrels and barns into all sorts of signs and home decor,” Kennedy-Palma said. “We have a pretty full line of all-natural bath and body products that include men and women’s body washes and face washes, acne control scrubs, sugar and salt scrubs, beard balm, headache salve and lip balm.”
The 2 Crafty Sisters also make all-natural catnip toys, as well as home-baked dog treats that are actually good for dogs. Kennedy-Palma said they also make jewelry, ranging from bracelets to earrings and necklaces.
“Then there are the ‘odds and ends’ projects that have included making signs for bathroom, kitchens and front porches, Harry Potter wands, fruit/veggie or bathroom vanity stands from upcycled antique china, jewelry holders, wedding dress sashes, wedding decor, boutonnieres and bouquets,” Kennedy-Palma said. “You name it, we have probably done it or at least tried to.”
During this Christmas gift-giving season, Kennedy-Palma said they have been selling a lot of Harry Potter wands, bath and body products, boot cuffs and children’s clothing. She said their catnip toys are also popular, as are the “No Soliciting” signs they make.
Customers can also order custom items from 2 Crafty Sisters, and Kennedy-Palma said that even if something isn’t shown on their Etsy site and Facebook page, customers can always ask about a project.
“It is always best if you can give us a visual and depending on the availability of materials and the time it takes to complete the project, we can give a price and timeframe estimate,” Kennedy-Palma said. “We try to be fair and competitive. Usually, most projects take about a week to complete, depending on the availability of materials.”
Although Davis and Kennedy-Palma are not actually blood sisters, the two are sister-in-laws, as their husbands, CJ and Mike, are brothers who served together in the U.S. Military. Amy and CJ have two children, an 11-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son, and Rhonda and Mike have three children, a 20-year-old son, a 16-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old daughter.
“We have been busy supporting our households while they (our husbands) have been away on deployments and other active duty responsibilities, and now that both of our husbands have retired from the military, we have a little more time to do the things we want to do, which is craft together and connect with our community,” Kennedy-Palma said.
Anyone wishing to look through the different craft items and products that 2 Crafty Sisters have for sale can visit their space in Urban Basics, which is located at 209 E. Main St., in Battle Ground; visit their Etsy site or visit their Facebook page.
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