As I sit here on the sofa in a rental unit in Saint Thomas overlooking Magen’s Bay on the Northside, preparing to begin my remote job at 9 am designing cosmetic packaging for retailers TJ Maxx or spend my weekends designing Goose Creek candles sold at Walmart and a skincare line for Dr. Dee, I can’t help but to wonder why I stopped selling my own merchandise. Back in the day I used to have to invest a lot of money into printing graphic tees and making jewelry to start my own line, but these days everything can be made to order online.

My name isn’t a brand anyone recognizes, but my designs have been sold on store shelves for decades. With merchandise primarily made in China, my job is greatly impacted by the trade war. However most of my online store includes merchandise made or printed in the US, which is why prices are much higher than mass produced goods.

Almost everything in my Saint Thomas shop can be personalized for your trip. All items are made to order and cannot be returned unless damaged. Shipping rates are included in the retail price to prevent you from having to pay to ship items produced from multiple vendors.

If you’re on the island already, save time and space buying souvenirs and purchase merchandise created by a designer who gets credit for their work instead of a massive corporate owned company that doesn’t have a brand story.

This is my story. I love to travel, and living in the Caribbean for nearly a year has fulfilled a lifelong dream. I may not have grown up to become a marine biologist or dolphin trainer, but as a graphic and packaging designer I love to create merchandise for stores. I don’t know how long my boyfriend and I will be living on Saint Thomas, but when it’s time to leave I’m sure get the chance to explore a new part of the world to add to my repertoire.