Rentelov

I still carry around with me two things on my stethoscope; my RN charm and my cross charm. These two pieces are very special to me. I was gifted these when I graduated nursing school. The cross charm was given to me when I received the Nurturing the Nursing Profession Scholarship. When I was President of my school's student nurses association, we volunteered to help this scholarship fundraiser annually. The organizer of this scholarship was such a kind soul and remembered me when I would volunteer. In addition to the scholarship, she also gifted me my stethoscope charm and a great big hug. The RN charm was given to me at my pinning ceremony. A pinning ceremony for a nurse is a right of passage to transition from student to healthcare professional. For some, this ceremony is more important than the actual graduation ceremony itself! In addition to being pinned from an RN, three awards were given out to students. Two were chosen by faculty, and one was voted upon by the student's...

I'm obsessed with how absolutely adorable these headbands are. One of my coworkers suggested that I add headbands to my shop. So I did some research and I found the most amazing fabric to make Turban Inspired Knit Headbands . Saying that this fabric is soft doesn't describe how buttery soft and smooth it truly is. It's so comfortable that the Turban Inspired Knit Headband can be worn for long hours at work, working out, or practicing yoga yet stylish enough to wear out for all occasions. I usually have a big problem with most headbands where it slides all over or is too tight and doesn't look quite right. However, after making these, I wore the Turban Inspired Knit Headband in snake print yesterday to go hiking with my husband and it was so comfortable that I forgot I was even wearing one! 

I am part of a Facebook group online called "Sewing Room Ideas." My dream space would be a cute sewing space or rather a "she shed" for sewing in the middle of a garden with large windows and a cute little patio for drinking tea or coffee and relaxing. Much like Jane's sewing oasis in Reading, in the UK which was featured on Tilly And The Buttons The seamstresses in my "Sewing Room Ideas" Facebook group have some of the most drool worthy spaces. I applaud their proudly displayed trophy rooms. I always imagine what kind of wonderful creations are made in these spaces. There are so many creative ideas for sewing spaces, and I love to see what people come up with. So it gave me an idea. Why not show where all of the Rentelov creations are made?! My sewing space is small, but it certainly shows you that small spaces can have a very large imagination. My 2.5' x 2.5' table has been plenty enough surface area to fit both my Shark sewing machine and my...

I cannot express how absolutely elated I am about Rentelov's new look! I collaborated with the very talented graphic designer Jasmine from Jasmine Allan Design and gave Rentelov a fresh new design. I wanted to keep with the palm trees but also have a more contemporary "clean lines" look. In addition, I also wanted to add in some gold with the charcoal grey. Well, Jasmine did just that! She created a design board that is absolutely perfect for what I wanted Rentelov to look like. Here's the before: Here's the new face of Rentelov:

I just received some very exciting news for Rentelov today! A few week ago, it was suggested to me by one of my customers to apply to Amazon Handmade. This is an exclusive group of verified handmade artisans to have the honor of selling their items on Amazon. Well, guess who is now an official Amazon Handmade Artisan?! Rentelov! I just had to share the news before finishing up the process. Will post more as we get up and running on AMAZON!

Since opening the Etsy online shop, I began to think about all the places Rentelov items have gone thus far. In just a few short weeks, Rentelov scrub caps and face masks have traveled all over the USA! I have had some wonderful conversations with our customers on how much they love their scrub caps. This is the greatest part about having a small business. The ability to chat with healthcare heroes all over the globe and discover their own personal stories. My recent customer I was chatting back and forth with currently works on a pediatric COVID-19 unit. She was very excited about receiving her Marvel super hero scrub cap to wear when taking care of her young patients. It made all of the medical equipment and PPE we wear not so scary for these little ones. I loved reading her story and knowing that Rentelov can help make these scary times not so scary for both our patients and the healthcare workers themselves. So far, Rentelov has reached 11 different states!

One of the things I mulled over in my mind before opening my Etsy shop was what to actually call my new small business! I wanted it to be personal and short. Something that could easily fit on a small label. That's when the idea for a name came from one of my many favorite front porch conversations. Our front porch is small and cozy. A place that I enjoy having my morning coffee with my family. My husband and I enjoy sitting out there and having conversations and relaxing. One evening, we began a discussion about our last names. My maiden name is Johnson which is a pretty typical and common last name. However, when my family immigrated from Norway, they changed it to Johnson from Johanns to diminish the prejudice that immigrants faced then and unfortunately still face today. My husband then began discussing his family background about the origin of his- and now our- last name. My mother-in-law is a genealogy guru of sorts. She loves to dive deep into the family history and uncover...

Amy Butler is another fabric designer I have an absolute fabric crush on. The bright, whimsical, and spectacular fabric designs bring a childlike sense of sophistication and excitement to any finished sewing project. This fabric designer is slightly different than my typical go-to modern designers that I tend to favor. However, there is just something about each and every piece that catches the eye. I used to love making my daughters clothing when she was a little girl with prints from Amy Butler. I even made my own nightgown to bring to the hospital when I was pregnant with my oldest son from the Amy Butler Love Bali Gate in Periwinkle shown above. It will always hold a special place in my heart when I see it. Surgical Scrub Cap- Mod Bouffant Scrub Cap- Amy Butler Bali Gate Periwinkle http://www.amybutlerdesign.com

Another staple and longtime love of mine are the fabric designs from Robert Kaufman. I began to fall in love with this designer back in 2009 when I started my children's boutique clothing business Ella Minnow Pea Boutique. The adorable yet modern feel of this designer gave a whole new element and feel to my children's clothing and accessories. As an OBGYN RN working on a postpartum floor with Mommies and their newborn babies, I instantly wanted to incorporate this into my surgical scrub caps . It helped to curb the scariness of the PPE (personal protective equipment) for my patients, and add a fun child-like appeal into the hospital. Fabric: Urban Zoologie Bermuda Owls by Anne Kelle , Dr. Seuss ABC , Urban Zoologie Dinosaurs , Urban Zoologie Flamingos https://www.robertkaufman.com/

Recently, I discovered a love for the beautiful clean lines and artsy feel of Art Gallery Fabrics. Their line of gorgeous designer fabrics has been a delightful addition to my modernized bouffant surgical scrub caps . I have used three fabric designs thus far and have received raving reviews of how absolutely gorgeous, soft, and lightweight this fabric is. The superior thread count and fine weave transforms this premium cotton into a truly soft and smooth touch. The colors stay vibrant wash after wash and will certainly be an added staple to my scrub cap line. *Art Gallery Fabrics- Pine Lullaby Rediscovered Etchings Mist Black/White/Teal, West Palm Beach Treasures Luminescent, Coquet Bouquet from Joie de Vivre, Summer Side Bongalow Blood Moonrise www.artgalleryfabrics.com

I'm so excited about my new shop in ETSY! www.etsy.com/shop/rentelov I am a mom and an RN with a passion for people and sewing. When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Ohio, I decided to sew a scrub cap for myself to keep my hair covered while I worked. My husband liked it so much, he asked me to make him one. Then my coworkers wanted them. Before I knew it, I was making scrub caps for RNs, PCAs, RTs, EVS workers, physicians, dentists, etc. all over my hospital, surrounding hospitals, and healthcare providers in different parts of the state. I loved helping to provide coverage for my coworkers and healthcare workers in my community so much that I decided to bring my skills and love for sewing to Etsy. Photo credit: Kellogg Photography Columbus, Ohio https://www.briankellogg.com/