In the beginning it was a single-head machine stashed in a bedroom. And an inventory of hats parked in the dining room...who eats there, anyway? Through the course of time, I began taking over more and more of the house until we finally had to move to a new one so I could build a special addition just for all my "stuff". In the year 2000, when we ran out of space there, we had to buy a commercial building in beautiful downtown Walsenburg (where's that??) so I could live in my business instead of running the business out of my home. Which is really the same thing, isn't it?

By that time, I had increased my capacity to two single-head machines and a four-head, and they ran me ragged keeping up with all of them for many years. In the spring of 2007, I sold my four-head in order to bring things down in scale, and enable me to spend the cash for a laser engraver/cutter machine. Now, what am I going to do with that? I have no idea and will worry about that later, I guess. It's fun to play with, and I've found all kinds of things to burn up since I got it. Nothing is sacred around here when I have a new toy.

My husband, Dennis, managed to help out as a salesman and delivery man for over ten years, in addition to his full-time job with the Colorado Department of Transportation. When he retired from the CDOT he began working as a jailer for our local sheriff - (want to see some inmate artwork?) - and has such an odd schedule that he's had to drop the running around for me. Now, everything more or less comes in and goes out by way of UPS, thanks to this website. So...when you contact illustrated apparel, you're going to get the one and only "hatlady".

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks!
Janet Valdez

(wanna see me?)