By BRENDA PROTZ

 

CORRESPONDENT

 

Published Saturday, November 26, 2005

 

STONINGTON - Nichole Pugh designs diaper bags for the stars.

Her Web-based business, Bundles of Blossoms, features photos of Pugh with some of her better-known clients, such as Sharon Lawrence of "NYPD Blue." Most recently, Pugh designed a diaper bag of blue lame, black oriental ribbon and brown microsuede that will carry bottles and diapers for Sean Preston Federline, the infant son of Britney Spears and her husband, Kevin Federline.

With a yard full of toys and hunting equipment, Pugh's home in Stonington, a community of 1,000 eight miles northeast of Taylorville, doesn't appear to be the center of a high-fashion baby outfitter.

It also is a long way from 21/2 years ago, when Pugh nearly died as a result of complications during the birth of her third son, Charlie. She remembers the ordeal.

"I could hear the nurses saying, 'There's no pulse.' I could her my husband saying, 'Save my wife.' I don't know how we made it," Pugh said.

She watched a lot of television during her recovery, including the "Oprah Winfrey Show," which, she says, became an inspiration for her business.

"I was watching Oprah and she was talking about these moms that had became millionaires," Pugh said.

Pugh decided she, too, could make money at home, raise her kids and ease the demands on her husband. And with the family helping to care for her 82-year-old mother-in-law, Margaret, it made sense to have a business at home.

Pugh, 31, grew up in Stonington and attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale for two years before going to work briefly for Caterpillar. But her interest was in decorating, designing, makeup and related efforts.

After doing research online, she came up with her own line of soaps, which she sold on the Internet and at local gift shops. She eventually branched out by buying a turnkey Web site - for $30 - that led to establishment of "bundlesofblossoms.com."

The site, designed by a group of stay-at-home moms, cost $4,000 to set up. It offers a variety of upscale baby and children's clothing and accessories, such as a $6,000 baby crib. Also available are custom playhouses, built on site, that can include a second story, running water, and a wireless communications link to Mom in the main house.

There also are baby bibs, blankets, diaper bags, clothing and a new line of nursing equipment, all designed by Pugh. Another popular line of bibs, Divine Diner, is a collaboration between Pugh and another Stonington resident, Tonya Bowsher. Taylorville seamstress Catalina Jones sews the creations.

Pugh chooses the fabrics and designs the creations she sells, with help from Bowsher in the bib line.

Her products feature bright colors and luxury fabrics, like faux mink and chenille, and they appear to be catching on. She plans to display the line Dec. 2-3 at Taylorville Amenities on Main during the Holiday Home Tours.

In addition to Web sales, retail stores in California, Massachusetts and Chicago sell her products.

The Creative Coalition - a Hollywood-based social activist group - invited Pugh to showcase her wares at an Ultimate Gift Gala last year, where stars were allowed to shop based on how much money they donated to the organization.

Pugh wasn't paid to be there, but she said the nearly $20,000 in merchandise she gave away to promote herself was well worth it. Several stars went home with some of her pieces, including actor Gary Busey and actresses Valerie Harper, Daphne Zuninga and "ER's" Maura Tierney. "NYPD Blue's" Lawrence has several of her pieces now.

Pugh is marketing her business to Cracker Barrel stores among other potential customers and hopes to sell her story to Forbes magazine.

"I want them to recognize my name. Persistence is the big thing," said Pugh, adding that anyone considering a new business should be prepared to do what it takes.

They need to be prepared to work and not sleep. And they need to be prepared to put some money into it," she said.

Pugh won't discuss specific revenues, but says her business has done well for more than a year. She is constantly updating her Web site, and she looks for new and unique items she could bring into her line, as well as creating her own designs.

People don't grasp the concept of what I do. They hear 'Internet business' and think it's no big deal," she said. "But it's still work."

She also acknowledged her venture had its detractors.

"People just couldn't believe I had a boutique online. A crib company laughed at me once and said that when my company grew up, they might consider me," Pugh chortled. "And now, I don't carry their line."