Mompreneur

Marin mom Tina Fredericks, a culinary baker and certified pastry chef, has created a career for herself with Little Piggy Cupcakes, a business that supplies the tasty treats for birthday parties, baby showers, weddings and other events. You can purchase cupcakes, try a free sample, and meet Chef Tina at the Little Piggy Cupcakes booth at the Marin County Farmer's Market at the Civic Center in San Rafael (Sundays, 8 am to 1 pm). For more information, visit www.littlepiggycupcakes.com or call (415) 572-3483.

Marin mom and entrepreneur Marjun Biernath looked back to her native Germany when trying to find a business niche here in the US. She imports unique, handmade, and educational Kumquats puppets from Europe to sell to lucky families in both the Bay Area and throughout the country.

We asked Marjun to answer a few questions about herself, her family, her business, and Kumquats. You can learn more about Marjun and the complete line of Kumquats puppets by visiting www.kumquats-usa.com.

Marin photographer (and mom of a 10-month-old) Lindsay Clipner recently launched Dahlia Portrait, which blends classic portraiture with an editorial voice following the mom-to-be, child, or family. Lindsay is a former photo assistant in New York City, where she worked with, among others, renowned French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier and publications including Real Simple, More, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Parents Magazine.

As part of our Marin Mompreneur series, we asked Lindsay a few questions about herself, her photography, and living and working in Marin. You can learn more about Lindsay and Dahlia Portrait by visiting www.dahliaportrait.com.

Are you a Marin mom making and selling something extraordinary on Etsy? If so, tell us about it! We're looking for some local moms who sell their handcrafted products on Etsy for an upcoming feature on Marin Mommies. If you fit that description, please contact us and tell us about what you're doing.

We're specifically looking for Marin or Sonoma county residents who are creating items of interest to families, such as baby and children's clothing, toys, art, etc. Please tell us a bit about yourself, your work, and of course include a link to your home page on Etsy.

Marin mom and artist Colleen Proppé paints Marin County landscapes, as well as cycling scenes and commissioned portraits, all in her signature plein air style. Her work can be viewed in venues and exhibitions throughout the county, and on her website at www.cproppe.com. Colleen took some time to answer some questions about her art, her inspirations, and living in Marin.

Please tell us a little about yourself and your background. How did you get started in painting?

I was born near the University of Connecticut in 1968, where my father was studying for his doctorate in education, and my mother was a nurse. I started drawing and painting when I was 3 years old. My first portrait was of "The Banana Man" on Captain Kangaroo.

We had an easel outside in the summer, and my mom encouraged me with a great appreciation for my work. I imagine it kept me quiet and out of trouble!

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Marin mompreneur Stephanie Ziegler decided to ditch the corporate world and fulfill her dream of opening her own Pilates studio. The result of her efforts is Pilates Studio Tiburon, located in downtown Tiburon at 78 Main Street.

We asked Stephanie a few questions about her business, what led her to open her own studio, and living in Marin.

Please tell us a little about you and your background, and what inspired you to open your own Pilates studio?

My background has always had a focus on “helping others” with a health & fitness component. When my daughter, Skye, was born I wanted to be there with her as she grew. My career as a healthcare consultant had me traveling quite a bit. The companies I worked with spanned from eHealth start-ups to national health insurance companies to the Military Health System. I was going across the country in every direction. It was tearing me apart to be separated from Skye.
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Two Marin-based and mom-run businesses—Studio 4 Art and What's Cooking—have teamed together to present Soup—The Bowl that Keeps Feeding, a benefit to help fight childhood hunger in our community. The event takes place Sunday, November 15, 2009, from 11 am to 2 pm, at Fresh Starts Cooking School, located at 1385 N. Hamilton Parkway in Novato.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and include a meal of soup and bread as well as the bowl of your choice. All proceeds from Soup—The Bowl that Keeps Feeding will be donated to Homeward Bound of Marin's Emergency Family Shelter.

One of the unique features of this event has been the way it's gotten children involved in their community. The soup will be prepared by children from local schools under the guidance of What's Cooking, and the hand-thrown bowls have also been created by kids at Studio 4 Art.

Marin mompreneur Shannon Chiminiello has channeled her creativity to become a sought-after photographer for children and families throughout Marin. Her personal, photojournalistic style makes her subjects feel at ease and allows her to capture their natural emotions and personalities, creating not just a photograph, but the record of a real life moment, too. You can see more of her work at www.shannoncphotography.com.

We asked her a few questions about her background, her work, and why she loves taking photos of families.

Q: Please tell us about you and your background.

A: I grew up in Marin and went to college in Northern California where I earned my BA in psychology. In my previous life (before kids!) I was a human resources manager for two major pharmaceutical companies. I live in Novato, am married and the mother of two children, ages 2 and 4. After my first child was born I decided it was time to do something I loved that would allow a more flexible schedule. My business was born out of creativity, passion and hard work. I love what I do and I feel blessed to do be able to do it everyday! Really!
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