Good Neighbor Podcast: Auburn and Opelika

Ep.#108: Curated Living + Co.

• Susannah Hodges at Village Centre Press

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 12:37

We talk with Tama Ward of Curated Living and Company about turning a love of vintage goods and needlepoint into an online shop, local classes, and a fast-growing stitchers’ community. Her path from military moves to curated coziness shows how to pivot, build connection, and grow with purpose.

• what curated living and company offers across vintage goods and needlepoint supplies
• the military family journey shaping home style and secondhand savvy
• moving from booth sales to online, pop-ups and markets
• launching and growing the auburn needlepoint club
• teaching needlepoint 101 and 102 for beginners
• why unique, cozy, one-of-a-kind items matter
• lessons on pivoting, flexibility and following traction
• local classes hosted at stitch therapy in auburn
• where to find the shop and contact details

curatedlivingandco.com


SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Susanna Hodges.

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome. And with me is Tamma Ward, and she is with Curated Living and Company. Welcome.

SPEAKER_02:

Great. Thank you. Thanks for having me, Susanna.

SPEAKER_01:

Tell me a little bit about Curated Living and Company.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, Curated Living and Company is an online retail shop for vintage goods. And we have just expanded into the world of Needlepoint canvases and supplies. I'm also an educator, and I teach Needlepoint classes 101 and now 102.

SPEAKER_01:

Excellent. Tell me a little bit about your journey. How did you get into Needlepoint and into your company? Curated Living in Company.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, to know about my company is to know just a little bit more about my story. I'm originally from Mobile, married my high school sweetheart, and we graduated from Auburn University in the night in the late 90s. He took a commission in the Marine Corps and flew harriers. And I became an educator, a business owner, and a mom of four great kids. And we did military life for 20 years. As you can imagine, we moved quite a bit.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's a lot of moving.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. So creating not just a pretty home, but creating a home that um was cozy and comfortable for my children, creating tradition. That is just something that we had to do on a regular basis. And you know, you don't realize what you're doing at the time, but um you are kind of creating your own style and um creating um you know a life for you and your kids. So, you know, as you can imagine, we are moving a lot and you're wanting to decorate a lot, and um just being able to do that on a regular basis, uh, secondhand shopping became really important for us. Um just became something that was fun for us to do, and um we were just able um yeah, to recreate that home everywhere you went, right? Right. Um, so kind of fast forward, um, we my husband retired in uh 2018 um from the Marine Corps, and we just kind of needed a next step, and we were lucky enough that Auburn became that next step for us to raise our family and um just didn't know exactly what I was gonna do at that point. Um and so when we got here, um I was a substitute teacher for a little while and was just really looking for a more creative uh journey and um uh thrift shopping, estate sales, that was just always something that kind of um scratched an itch. And um I really enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. And before you know it, you know, my husband is um asking me what we are going to do with all of this stuff after um I had uh really done all of the decorating that you know we needed to do. Um, so I opened my first little um uh booth at Angel's Antiques and did that for about two years. Um loved it, but just really missed out on the community aspect of it and the interaction with the customer. Um, it just was very transactional. So um I made the decision to close the booth about a year ago and move strictly to online sales. Um, I've been doing that now, well, I guess now almost a year, um, and just doing some pop-ups and some markets and um having a great time with that. And um then just recently, I guess about six months ago, um, with a friend, we you know have been needlepointing just you know that was has been my hobby for years, um, and just looking for other needle pointers in our community. Um, and we started Auburn Needlepoint Club, and um that grew really quickly. And um if you know needlepointers, they are always looking for supplies and new canvases. And um, unfortunately, you know, we don't have a local needlepoint shop here in Auburn. So just as a way to service um that community, we expanded curated Living and Co. um into the world of needlepoint. So we now offer um a curated selection of um canvases and supplies, and um that is we're expanding that offering um really each month as we get new inventory in.

SPEAKER_01:

It's kind of a you know, it's a it's an old art needlepoint, and um it requires, you know, some skill to do. I have a uh a uh a great aunt that would uh needlepoint. And so yeah, it is it's it's a it definitely is a skill that you have to learn and get better at. And I'm looking at your website right now and all of your curated things, and uh I think that's a great name for what you do, curated, because you you're going out and finding those things that that you can't find on Amazon or Target, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Right, right. It is definitely um, they're definitely one of a kind items. Yes. Um, when people come into my home, um, you know, the thing that they really talk about is number one, that it's cozy, which is the biggest compliment you could ever get. And um that, you know, they've never seen this particular thing or this lamp or um this certain object. So I just really love the uniqueness and the one and be kind um nature of shopping secondhand and um shopping vintage in antiques.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, that's uh it's a great website. It's uh curatedliving and co.com. And we'll talk about that later, but I wanted to get that out there for anybody that's like wants to go or take a look while we're talking here. Uh, but let's talk about you for a minute. What do you like to do for fun when you're not needlepointing or curating things for us to see?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, I'm one of those people who took my hobbies and turned it into my business. Yes. Um, my husband and I, we love to travel. Um, we are not quite empty nesters yet, but um we have had lots of opportunity to travel. Um he's still a pilot, and um, so I've been able to go on some trips with him, and we just have had some incredible opportunities to travel and visit friends. We have military friends um all over the world actually. So um just taking advantage of that and traveling. Um, but it also lends back into my business. Um, I'm always on the hunt wherever we are, whether it's in um Europe or Canada or um anywhere across the US. Um, I'm always trying to find ways of stuffing more things in my luggage. Well, I'm glad. It travels so well. And um, I just love that um it gives me something to do, you know, with my hands um while we're on an airplane or a train or a car, um, that you know, I'm able to produce something and it just brings such joy to do that.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, you know, one of the reasons I do this podcast is to encourage people to do exactly what you did. Uh, make a business out of something you love to do. And uh so when you're starting a business, there's always challenges you have to overcome. So tell me a little about some of the things you had to overcome either personally or business-wise, that made you stronger or your business stronger.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, um, I think it's just having the courage to know when to pivot. Um, because you don't always have um that affirmation that you're looking for. Um, and sometimes you just have to jump in the pond and swim around and see what you find. Um, and then it's not always what you're expecting. So being open to new opportunities, um, being open to new uh friendships and relationships and networking, um, I think that just really helps.

SPEAKER_01:

Um because I know I found out that you know things don't always go as planned, you know. And you have to have that flexibility to go, well, this didn't work out the way I thought it would, but it seems to be leaning in this direction, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

And uh so you have to go into business knowing that it's okay if your plans change, and sometimes it actually works out better if you are flexible that way.

SPEAKER_02:

I think so. Um, I think some of the best things happen after you've been disappointed.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

So um just really being able to lean into what that next thing is. Um, expanding into needlepoint was not on my radar. Um, it was just a hobby that I really love to do. Um, but that is become such a juggernaut um the past couple of months, and we're really excited to see where that takes us. And yeah, I just love that it pairs so nicely with vintage and antiques. It does. And um, it really informs um a lot of my style as far as what I'm curating for canvases and for those tools, and just brings a uniqueness to the um to the market.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, what's one thing you wish people knew about your company um and what you do that they may not realize?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so even though I'm an online retail company, I am popping up all over town in in-person spaces. So uh we will have a few more pop-up shopping opportunities. Um the um the classes uh do happen in person here in town at Stitch Therapy, which is another great creator space um sewing shop. And um Debbie there has been so gracious to host uh the Needlepoint Club and Curated Living for those classes. She has a beautiful space there. Um so you know, needlepoint is not just a hobby, it's also a community, and it's a great way to meet friends and um just be together with other fellow stitchers.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, how can people find out more about you and maybe get involved in some needlepoint?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so um uh Instagram is really where we show up most. Um, we are at Curated Living and Co on Instagram, and we are also at Albert Needlepoint Club on Instagram. Um so messaging there is a great way. Um, the website is uh curatedlivingandco.com, and uh we have a contact form there so you can contact us on any of those three channels.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, thank you so much for joining me, Tim. I've enjoyed learning more about you and your company. It's been a pleasure. Thank you, Susanna.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Auburn. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpauburn.com. That's gnpauburn.com. Or call three three four four two nine seven four zero.