From Roadkill to "Best of North Port": Bone Boutique's Award-Winning Journey (An "Award of the People"!)

Wow, North Port! We are absolutely bursting with pride and gratitude this week! Here at Bone Boutique, we're still floating on cloud nine after bringing home FIVE incredible awards from the recent "Best of North Port" contest!

This isn't just a win for us; it's truly an "Award of the People," given by popular vote, and that makes it mean the world. Your overwhelming support led us to be recognized as:

• BEST OF THE BEST for Art/Antique/Collectables

• BEST OF THE BEST for Arts & Crafts

• BEST OF THE BEST for Boutique

• BEST OF THE BEST for Jewelry & Diamonds

• Finalist for Souvenirs

To say we’re proud is an understatement. But to truly understand why this feels so momentous, let us take you on a little journey – the unexpected, wild, and wonderful history of Bone Boutique.

The Accidental Entrepreneur: From Hobbyist to "Bone Queen"

You know, this whole adventure started not as a grand business plan, but as a genuine hobby. I was, and still am, a stone-cold hobbyist, dabbling in all sorts of crafts. My mother, a brilliant home economics teacher, instilled in me a love for making things and the satisfaction of selling them. I learned early on that handmade gifts were not only more thoughtful but also a godsend during the holidays – a time often synonymous with building up debt for "thoughtless gifts" that just get re-gifted or tucked away. Christmas, for me, was about kids, and without any of my own, I channeled that creative energy elsewhere.

Each year, I’d dream up new creations: decorated tennis shoes, homemade toiletries, ottomans, paintings, beaded fish, and all sorts of knick-knacks. I even once made a purse entirely from magazine pages! It definitely kept me out of trouble, building things instead of buying them.

The Bone Eureka Moment: When "Crazy" Became Genius

The real "bone thing" truly began with Phillip and me fossil hunting. We’d stumble upon bones and bring them home to identify. Phillip, with his keen eye for natural history, started to collect and curate skulls from animals he’d harvested for food. Then, one day, I saw a pair of earrings made from armadillo caudal bones. It hit me like a ton of bricks: I recognized the bone! And suddenly, I realized, these incredible, natural materials were all around us, right on the roadsides of North Port Florida.

Phillip, bless his heart, probably thought I was a little crazy at first. Who collects roadkill? But a quick dive into Florida law confirmed it – picking up roadkill is legal here! (please do not try this at home) And just like that, the universe handed us the perfect location for sun-bleaching and plenty of room to process our unique finds. What literally started as a way to make unique Christmas presents soon blossomed into a thriving art business that I've been incredibly fortunate to work at full-time since 2021. Every single job I ever held, from management to customer service, banking & construction, unknowingly trained me to run this very business, including our visual arts branch, Images of Therapy, with Phillip, who dabbled in painting back in college, so it all just... works!

A Dream Fulfilled: Art, Healing, and Community

We would have never thought in a million years that this would be my life – creating art from nature, honoring the cycle of life, and connecting with people through truly unique pieces. It's a dream fulfilled, one shared by millions of artists, to be able to make a living doing what you love, independent of traditional galleries and middlemen.

It has been a beautiful journey since we officially established Bone Boutique in 2017. That year was bittersweet, as my mother passed away. Art, especially the hands-on creation with bones, swooped in to save me, giving me a profound place to channel all that extra love and energy that needed somewhere to go.

And now, to receive these five "Best of North Port" awards, adding to the five from 2024 and two from 2023, plus the very honorable 2023 Rookie of the Year presented by the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce – you can truly see why I'm so incredibly proud. This is the biggest thank you our work could ever receive, especially from this great City of North Port.

We are eternally grateful for your continued support and enthusiasm.

Thank you for being part of the Bone Boutique family, and for helping us turn bones into award-winning art!

Best of North Port Awards & Rookie of the Year at the Moore Museum