We had the good fortune of connecting with Niah Willis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Niah, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Charleston, SC but grew up in a military family and we lived mainly on the east coast. I spent a lot of my childhood moving from place to place having to connect with new people on a regular basis. I believe this became a huge part of who I am today. I love to meet to people and connect with others in different places and spaces, really flourishing love for hospitality. I was always cooking with my mom in the kitchen and setting up for get togethers, and eventually became the baker of the family. I merged my love for baking with my love for crafts to create, Handcrafted with Love, gift sets that have baked goods from my former business Sweet’RN Honey Bakery and Gift Sets from the launch of my new business Handcrafted with Love by Niah.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The vision behind my business was taking the two things that I was so passionate about and merging them into something that can touch others they way it inspires me. My love for crafts mixed with my
loved for baking , inspired me to merge my previous business , Sweet’ RN Honey Bakery
(https://g.page/SweetRNhoney_Bakery?share ) with a craft business that would make gifts for many
occasions . As a mom and a preschool teacher I felt like I was always doing one or the other, well and
this was all after 10 years of being a nurse, hints the name of my bakery Sweet’RN Honey Bakery
(Sweeter than Honey) . I felt like the years I was nursing , I always wanted to be crafting or baking, or
planning the next office party just so I could bake and put together some gift baskets for the office and I
loved to see the impact it had, the smiles, the enjoyment . So one day when I was making valentines gift
sets for my son’s preschool class, I decided it was time to walk away for nursing for good and take a part
time job teaching so that I could launch my business . The business would be a focus on inspirational
gifts that included cups, bags, gift boxes , limited edition paintings and of course the favorites from my
bakery, cookies! Within one hour of posting a painting , someone messaged me immediately to buy it,
they said it would be the best gift for a friend of their that needed the encouragement. Then another,
inspired by a ballerina as a dancer. Then when gifts sets were brought to birthdays, people would be in
awe, that each item was personalized or handcrafted, from the card to the journals, they felt like they
had something special. It was that moment that I knew that this was finally it, I was where I needed to
be, doing what I loved, sharing what I loved, and giving people a little piece of love through creative gifts
. Pieces can be purchased individually or as a gift set . The gift boxes range from birthday boxes to yoga
boxes, each with an inspiration message inside the box lid. The gift sets are in a Royal Blue box and the
collection is called “The Blu Box” Luxury Gift Sets. Other handcrafted gifts include custom coasters,
paintings, and cards for different occasions. The idea of the business is a gift shop of inspirational gifts
and artwork, each piece made with you in mind “Handcrafted with Love” . So I now a Mama, that’s a
Preschool teacher, that is the owner of a business where I spend every evening doing what I love,
making gifts for others in the form of crafts and cookies. I could not be happier, and even though I am
just starting, I know that something great is going to come from it, because everything I do, I do it from
the heart, thinking if I had this, or if I received this gift, how would I feel ? If I were a mama getting this
spa box, would I get the feeling that I were having a spa day or if I were a friend getting a surprise
birthday box would I feel that special feeling you get when you think, wow , someone thought of me
today and I feel loved. That’s what I want others to feel when I send out each box or each gift, which is
why they are all tagged with handcrafted with love. Every night in my garage as I work on each one, its
when them in mind, its with the working mom, the single dad, the friend on the other side of the
country , that gets it and feels I am indeed loved.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Some of my favorite spots around the Atlanta area to visit with my friends are 5 Church Midtown, a must for when they first get into town for dinner. One of my go to places for Happy Hour and fun, which is also the place I met my husband, is Yard House Atlantic Station so that is always a go to because it’s always held that special nostalgia aspect for me. Afterwards, we typically do a little shopping or have ice cream at Kilwins Atantic Stations, especially the Almond Joy combo of the toasted coconut and chocolate in a fresh waffle cone. Now when it comes to spots to hang out for family fun and entertainment as a toddler mom with my best friends, we are always look for places like the Georgia Aquarium one of our favorites. As far as a great vibe for socializing with people, walking around Ponce City Market and catching a local live cover band performance is always a treat midweek, while enjoying King of Pops.

A hidden gem that is perfect for date night or drinks that has the most amazing , flavor packed  ox tails and blueberry cornbread , is Ms. Icey’s Kitchen and Bar. The restaurant itself is always a great vibe .

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mother, Kathleen Johnson, who has always believed in me and has been there for me through the good times and bad. I have had serious ups and downs with my health most of my life since I was born, but my mother, despite almost losing me, always believed that I was here for a purpose. I remember the day she bought my first Easy Bake oven and I ruined the cookies, she said it would be ok and that we can try again, I was about 6 years old. I never stopped “trying again” from that day forward. Even though I graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Nursing, shortly after graduation I attempted to launch my first business, a catering business and with the support of friends.  I did small events and weddings and even though it did not become what I thought it should be, my mom continued to believe in my gifts and talents. Then one day my catering venture became, Sweet’RN Honey Bakery, in Washington, D.C. Ran by myself and my husband as a family owned and operated online bakery .  One of my most memorable moments were when I sold cakes to what I would have never guessed then was the daughter of a Fox News Anchor and being asked to have a private pop up   at Graduate  Annapolis Hotel! From there upon moving back to Atlanta, the kick start to relaunching the bakery was postponed and during that time I did some self reflection. Where did I see this going and did this truly represent all that I felt I was called to do? Was this representative of the spark my mom saw in me?  I thought back to my days of painting and crafting with her and felt the desire to rebrand and merge into Handcrafted with Love by Niah. I wanted to make it personal in using my name because each item would truly come from the heart, which was inspired by the love that my mother poured out over me and the potential she saw in me.  She has always been my greatest fan, from the hospital bed when I wanted to give up to the business table, when I thought I could never make it.  I always reflected and remember that day sitting with her and my Easy Bake oven, when she said to me “it’s ok we can always try again Niah”.

Website: https://etsy.me/3cgfY8p

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handcraftedbyniah/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tehnniah-willis-bsn-rn-cdces-88640997

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085514348949&is_tour_dismissed=true

Other: https://mnmwilliscreations.wixsite.com/handcraftedwlove https://g.page/r/CQd2qR-1nkhcEBA

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