We started "Tuma Textiles and Gifts" when Jessica, my 25 year old daughter and I moved to Olive Branch, Mississippi from Louisville, Kentucky, to be with my new husband. Jessica had suffered her third brain tumor (Craniopharyngiomas) in 2009, which left her mostly blind with other complications that prevented her from "gainful employment". She had been designing wallets and purses from duct tape a
nd enjoyed the compliments on her creations. When she sold her first one, she was thrilled and spent hours designing new ones. It gave her a sense of purpose but she also wanted to make an income. I was also unemployed and she inspired me to start making things too. In addition to making a little money, we decided if we ever made a profit, we would make a donation every year to one of the charities that helped pay for her medical bills. At first we made things that we knew how to make, from what we had around the house. She did duct tape, and jewelry, and I learned new crafts from the internet. The name: "Tuma Textiles and Gifts" came from how she pronounced the word: "tumor" (from the movie: "Kindegarten Cop", Jessica always pronounced it: "tuma"). We soon had a small inventory and started selling to friends and family. Tuma Textiles had only just begun, when Jessica suddenly passed away from complications of her recurring craniopharyngiomas. I felt I had to continue what she started. The mission is now multi-layered, to keep Jessica's memory alive and to share her creative generous spirit.
