Open Works

The Boutique Life at Open Works

Open Works

The Boutique Life at Open Works

Number one perk of writing the Open Works newsletter is the opportunity to go around asking our talented members a bunch of questions about their work. Last week I had a chance to sit down and chat with Samantha Montgomery from The Boutique Life, one of our resident members.

The Boutique Life offers custom accessories that blend bold colors with a minimalist aesthetic to creating a line of staple pieces that stand out in all the right ways, while fitting seamlessly into your person style.

A lot of that bold color, or “color therapy” as Samantha calls it, comes from the West African textiles that she sources from her family in Ghana. The designs owe a lot to her life as a self described “city chick.” The gold bands, for example, come from her experience as an avid reader on public transit. Not wanting to drop bookmarks on the dirty floor, she made one that not only clings to your book, but can also be worn as a headband or choker.

One of the first things she shared with me was that she purchased a sewing machine in 2019 to finally get serious about learning how to sew. Yeah, that’s right, those stunning pieces are created by someone who’s only been at it for three years.

Now, it’s not the first time she has had a sewing machine. Samantha grew up admiring her mother’s talent at making and altering clothes, so when she was around 12 years old, she was given her first sewing machine. What Samantha said next really resonated with me, and with so many of stories I’ve heard from would be makers, artist, musicians, or creators of any kind.

“I wanted to be amazing immediately … and when it didn’t work out, I just kinda shoved it away. So it was something I alway meant to pick up over time, but I didn’t”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people talk about how, as a kid they used to, draw, play the violin, build models, or whatever else, and how much they want to pick it up again, but don’t because they don’t know where to start. So, it was so exciting to hear Samantha talk about getting over that hump and learning, and ultimately starting her own small business.

I hope anyone who’s been hesitating to take on learning that new skill, for whatever reason, get’s a chance to see what Samantha has built with The Boutique Life in just a few years.

You can find The Boutique Life weekly at the B&O Farmers Market on Thursdays, 4:30–7:30pm and Cross Street Farmers Market on Sunday, 10am–2pm.

shoptheboutiquelife.com/

@theboutiquelifebysdm

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Make it Happen at Open Works

Looking for something else? Open Works has all the tools and resources you need to bring an idea to life, learn a new skill, find a space for your new business and so much more.

Contact Us

1400 Greenmount Ave,
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 862-0424
info@openworksbmore.org

Hours of Operation

M-F 9am to 9pm
S-Su 9am to 5pm

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