Small Business Spotlight :: Daisy al'Ahmad Daisymade Paper Arts

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” Romans 5:3-5

Daisy (47),  is a Wichita-native artisan paper-crafter, who has the unique ability to turn her interests into income!  Since she was a teenager, Daisy has been constantly running some sort of business.  Her Christian faith has become an integral part of who she is, and how she runs her business. 

“Because I have suffered from chronic pain and illness for the last fifteen years, I have not been able to take on a more traditional working role.  So the ability to work from home and set my own hours is a huge blessing.”

“I believe that God has given me a real gift.  He knew that I would struggle with my health problems, and that I would need to have a home-based business, not just for income, but for my sanity.  I can be overwhelming, even depressing, to deal with chronic illness and pain.  I don’t think that I would have been able to cope with any of it without the Lord’s provision.  The artistic and motivational gifts that He has given me have empowered me to overcome the adversity that lie has thrown at me, and have turned tragedy into beautiful and significant gems of accomplishment, both artistically and financially.”

Even with a strong sense of purpose, things have not always been easy for Daisy.  She has had to sacrifice time spent with her family & ministry- but she feels strongly that she can use that trial as an opportunity to share her positivity. 

“I’ve surprised myself in my ability to adapt my product to suit the current market and still be effectively doing what I love.  I focus on constantly trying to improve my craft and my knowledge of business.”

Daisy hopes to eventually include more faith-based items in her shop- and eventually help her daughters to get involved, or mentor others who would like to work for themselves.  First she’s working on organization.  As a one-woman-show, she needs to be able to create products in a timely manner and organization will make that easier!

“I love what I do. Putting my art out there is an opportunity to reach out to the world instead of receding into myself.  I put a lot of love into each piece of art that I make.  I can actually be a very spiritual experience, as I focus on detail work, listening to praise and worship music, I feel like I’m sharing a part of who God made me with others.  I stick with it because I feel ‘called’ to.  It’s just one of the many ways I can reach out in love to a loveless world, one piece of art at a time.”

When Daisy isn’t working, on her business, she is thinking about her business!  She and her husband have been married for 23 years.  Together they have two daughters, Alice (21) who is married to Justin, and Sophia (140, who is a high school freshman and home schooled!  Daisy also co-parents three furbabies Mabel (a beagle), Savanah aka “Savvie” (a Jack Russell Terrior), and Achaelus (a Border Collie Mix).  She enjoys playing Candy Crush, reading, and writing.

“I’m extremely creative and imaginative, so it doesn’t take much for me to find an excuse to express those gifts in one form or another.  My mind and emotions need to be constantly in action.”

 

Daisy’s husband, Nasser,  is one of her greatest sources of inspiration.  Nasser converted to Christianity from Islam, and together they work to educated & equip their church to reach out in love to their Muslim neighbors, and to others who are different from them, without fear. 

“I’m deeply inspired by my husband, Nasser.  He is my biggest fan and that is a real encouragement to me.  He is the one that encourages me to pursue my heart’s dreams regardless of my physical circumstances.  He supports my decisions, ‘Ooohs’ and ‘awwws’ over my art, and never complains when I want or need to work in y studio for hours at a time.”

You can shop Daisy's current products, or contact her for custom pieces through her Etsy shop Daisymade Paper Arts!