Hi! I’m Maggie! I’m a mom of three living in Naperville, IL, a suburb of Chicago.

I’m an art teacher and artist who dabbles in everything from wheel-thrown pottery to modern calligraphy. I’ve been making jewelry as long as I can remember, so when I was introduced to Threads Worldwide through my soccer teammate, Anna, my interest was immediately sparked. Then came the part about Threads being a community of women empowering women—locally and globally—through fair trade, artisan-made jewelry from around the world!

We were going on month four of COVID lockdowns, so, like many, I was looking for something to focus some time and energy on outside the walls of my house to help others. We were all experiencing the pandemic pendulum—swinging from immense grief and worry to immense gratitude—all in a day. I became a Fair Trade Partner in July, 2020 and it was the best decision I’ve (ever!) made.

I found that Threads slowed my pendulum, knowing I could make a tangible impact by doing something I love—connecting with women through handmade jewelry—on a schedule I create and while having tons of fun!

I am able to show my kids that my talents, values, and energy can funnel into meaningful work that doesn’t feel like work. I never thought my 9-year-old son would be excited about the sustainable materials used in our jewelry!”

They get to witness their mom being part of an awesome community of women from all over the country with shared values, a collaborative mindset and a central priority of empowering women!

For 11 months, I’ve been funneling my love of handmade jewelry, interest in different cultures, and creativity, into connecting with awesome women! I’ve even been able to design and install the garden of my dreams using the money I earned from Threads!

Threads has empowered me to empower other women—from donating a portion of my commission to organizations like In Her Shoes, Black Women’s Health Imperative and Every Mother Counts, to buying from other women doing their thing. I’ve gotten outside my comfort zone in so many ways and found really fun, meaningful work that aligns with my values in every way without the fear of failure thanks to the flexibility and rockstar women by my side!