Stella Maris began in the most humble of places…my dining room table.
Years ago, I wanted to create Halloween costumes for my older girls. There was just one little problem: I didn’t know how to sew.
But I had an idea in my head, a vision of what I wanted to create, and I was determined to figure it out. So I learned as I went. I made mistakes, tried again, taught myself new techniques, and slowly began turning the things I imagined into something I could actually hold in my hands.
What started as a mom creating something special for her own children eventually grew into something I never could have imagined.
Today, I’m a wife, a mother of seven, a homeschool mom, and the designer behind Stella Maris Collection. Life is wonderfully full, often a little chaotic, and woven through all of it is this incredible opportunity to create.
I am deeply grateful to God for the life He has given me and for blessing me with the gift of creativity. I truly believe this gift was meant to be shared, and I never take for granted that I get to do something I love while creating pieces that become part of someone else’s memories.
Every Dress Has a Story
That has always been at the heart of Stella Maris.
I love taking an idea, a character, a memory, or even the most challenging theme and asking myself, “How can I turn this into a dress?” In fact, the more challenging the theme, the more I love it.
I obsess over the little details—the unexpected touches, the fabrics, the movement, the fullness of the skirt, and those special elements that make you look twice. I want every Stella Maris design to feel like it has its own personality and its own story to tell.
But the most meaningful part comes after the designing is finished.
It’s seeing a child open her Stella Maris box.
It’s watching her eyes light up when she sees her dress for the first time. It’s the twirls, the smiles, the photos, the theme-park memories, the birthdays, the holidays, and the ordinary days that suddenly feel a little more magical.
Those moments are why I continue to create.
And to those of you who have been here since those early days, when Stella Maris was just beginning and to every family who has joined us along the way: thank you.
Thank you for believing in my designs, for sharing your children’s special moments with me, for following along as this little dream has grown, and for allowing Stella Maris to become a tiny part of your family’s story.
I will never forget where this began: a mom, a dining room table, a few Halloween costumes, and absolutely no idea what I was doing!
God has taken that small beginning and blessed it beyond anything I could have imagined.
And I cannot wait to see what story we create next.
With love and gratitude,
Melissa
Founder & Designer, Stella Maris Collection