Diane Bruce, owner of Creative Keepsakes, Inc., is wearing a peasant blouse constructed from the Lady’s Gown Robe pattern (#p198). She is holding a jumper constructed from the Buckle Jumper pattern (#p109) which has a detachable bib. (Bib instructions are a free download from this site.) Smocking design is Easy Daisy (#64).

History and Future Plans of Creative Keepsakes, Inc.
In 1981, Creative Keepsakes published the first of its product line: four smocking design plates. The original plan was simply to publish smocking designs in the fall and spring of each year. As the base of customers grew, comments & suggestions were expressed and Creative Keepsakes began to grow.

First additions to the line of products were garment patterns and smocking instructional booklets. As time went on, instructional materials for items that could coordinate with many of the smocking products were added. Hair bows, or even tote bags, could be constructed to accent smocked garment.

Creative Keepsakes, Inc. has now grown to include over 70 smocking design plates, a variety of garment patterns (both for children and adults), and six instructional booklets. A new format for smocking design plates was introduced in 2001. Designs in this "Classic Collection" include multiple variations of the design as well as photographs of smocked garments that have incorporated some of these variations. Machine Embroidery designs are also becoming a part of the line of products.

Current plans are to continue publishing new smocking products and to expand our line of machine embroidery designs (emphasizing artwork that coordinates with our smocking line). Garment pattern ideas (including some which incorporate machine heirloom sewing techniques) are on the testing table. Because of the busy schedules of many Creative Keepsakes' customers, an emphasis on "quick and easy" patterns is always a major focus.

About Diane
Diane Bruce has been the owner of Creative Keepsakes since 1981 and she has done the major portion of the design work. She has a BSE in Elementary Education and an MSE in Special Education. In her "pre-smocking" years, she taught elementary school in Arkansas and also worked as a reading specialist in the Learning Development Center at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock.

Diane began creating smocking designs for her children when they were young. Caterpillars (for Courtnay), clowns (for Clint) and turtles (for Tanner) were among the earliest smocking designs. In addition to her many years of design work for Creative Keepsakes, Diane created a collection of quilted projects that was published by Leisure Arts in 2004. The items in this instructional leaflet, Quilts and Totes for Little Folks (# LA 3650), coordinate with many of her smocking designs. Diane has also designed children's clothing patterns (# 3710 and # 3662) for Simplicity Pattern Company.

On a more personal note...
In 1986, after living in Arkansas all of her life, Diane and family moved to Dallas to take advantage of a business opportunity for her husband. They adjusted quickly and were happy living there, yet remained close to their Arkansas connections. In the years that followed that move, Creative Keepsakes continued to grow, Diane's children became adults and she reports that life was full of blessings. Like most families, they also had their share of sad times. She says that their faith and the support of family and friends carried all of them through the sad days. Those situations sometimes slowed the growth of Creative Keepsakes, but the love of design remained a part of Diane's life. The handwork and sewing activities often provided a source of relaxation and comfort during some of the more difficult times. Diane's hope is that the use of her patterns & needlework designs might do the same for others when they find themselves in need of a diversion from the stresses that are often a part of life.

Diane now resides in Hot Springs, AR. Those three children, for whom she loved to smock so many years ago, have continued to make her a very proud mother. Courtnay returned to AR to complete a degree at the University of AR. She now lives in Dallas, but continues to provides much help & support to Creative Keepsakes work. Always being familiar with the latest trends, her ideas and suggestions often provide the beginnings of a new product. Clint graduated from the Naval Academy in 1997, became a Navy SEAL, and until fall of 2003, he defended our country in that capacity. A few years later, after doing some rescue work during Hurricane Katrina, he was reminded of how rewarding he found that type of work. Soon after his return from Louisiana, he began a security consulting and training business, Trident Response Group, which is based in Dallas. Tanner graduated from OK State University in 2002 and is now a living and working in Ft Worth. He has become a great promoter of his mom's work as he seems to frequently meet ladies that, after hearing his name, remember smocking turtles named for a boy named Tanner. He skillfully uses those occasions to promote the latest Creative Keepsakes products!

Two wonderful daughters-in-law and four precious "grandgirls" are now a part of Diane's family. She proudly reports that all the girls have added abundantly to the joy and blessings of the Bruce family and that the grandgirls have been the primary inspiration for all of the more recent Creative Keepsakes projects. Because of the girls, she says her passion for design is stronger than ever. Because of the girls, Creative Keepsakes can do nothing but...continue to grow.

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