About

   My love for sewing and designing started as a child growing up in Texas where my grandmother spent endless hours teaching my sister and me to sew.  She taught me that if you can sew with a needle and thread you can make almost anything.  The foundation and influence on my ability and desire to create something from nothing had formed.   Although I focused my education and career on obtaining a masters in Social Work, all along the way I continued to design or sew.  After having our first child, my husband’s career had us moving every few years. My focus shifted from working with children to raising our family, with unique projects on the side, whether it was “Heart Hug Pillows” for heart patients after my niece’s heart surgery, or fulfilling special requests from family (especially my ever creative sister) and friends.  After moving back to Minneapolis, we settled near Lake Minnetonka in a community that inspired a nautical flare.   Soon thereafter, my precious mom passed away after 12 months of fighting the battle of her life with pancreatic cancer.   The devastation of that loss was a major turning point in my life on many fronts.  Within a month, I purchased an embroidery machine knowing this was what she would have wanted me to have and I started to really focus on my creativity.  Little did I know that what started out as my own version of grief therapy would turn into a joyful hobby for family, friends, and neighbors looking for custom and unique items. Before I knew it, I had expanded from handmaking simple gifts and custom sewing projects to embroidering. Eventually, through the generous donation of a retired sail that had seen the waters of Lake Minnetonka, I started creating custom and unique sailcloth accessories.  With unexpected success, thanks to our unique and quaint neighborhood store, along with social media, it then became clear it was time to officially form my business.   Merging my southern heritage of traditional charm with the nautical inspiration that comes from living by the lake – By the Lake MKB Designs was formed.  Fast forward to 2022; after diving into some digitizing classes for the past few years, I am expanding my business to include my own hand drawn embroidery designs for embroiderers. These digital files are available over at MKB Embroidery Designs