Hi, I'm Leslie. I'm the human behind Leslie Makes Stuff: book lover, maker, collector of creative side quests, and firm believer that a little magic and a questionable sense of humor make life more interesting.
Some people pick a niche. I apparently picked all my favorite things and invited them to live in the same shop. Grab an iced coffee and make yourself at home.
School buses, motherhood, and maker-brain
My day job is driving a school bus. I'm also a mom, so this little creative business gets squeezed into the spaces between work, family, and the usual real-life chaos. It's not a perfectly styled studio where every project goes according to plan. It's a whole lot of figuring things out, making things work, and occasionally wondering how I started three new projects while finishing none of the first two.
When I'm not on the bus or doing mom things, I'm usually reading, designing, crafting, or tinkering with my 3D printer. I love fantasy and LitRPG, cozy witchy aesthetics, odd little details, and the kind of book or fandom reference that makes someone across the room say, “WAIT. I get that.”
And yes, there are cats. They contribute almost nothing to production, but they are very committed to supervising.
Why I make this stuff
I like making things that feel personal, even if the reason they speak to you is delightfully specific. Sometimes it's an imaginary bookshop you wish you could step into. Sometimes it's a sarcastic shirt about surviving the day. Sometimes it's a design that captures a favorite story or reminds you that being a work in progress is still worth celebrating.
My style wanders from cozy cottage witch to nerdy chaos goblin, with occasional sentimental detours. I don't see much reason to choose between them. Real people contain multitudes, and mine happen to involve books, crafts, cats, and iced coffee.
A small shop with a real person behind it
I create and curate the designs and run the shop myself. Apparel is made to order by printing partners after you purchase, rather than pulled from shelves of ready-made inventory. I do my best to make product details, colors, sizing, and fulfillment options clear, because I'd rather you know what you're getting than have to guess.
Have a question or an issue with an order? Get in touch. You'll be reaching out to the person who actually cares about this little corner of the internet.
Find your particular flavor of weird
- The Shoppes of 1692 — vintage-inspired imaginary shops, moonlit curiosities, and witchy charm.
- Dungeon Crawler Carl Inspired Designs — wonderfully chaotic, unofficial LitRPG fan-inspired designs.
- Fresh From the Chaos — the newest ideas to escape my brain and become actual products.
- Ships Internationally — options set up for international fulfillment.
For new projects, behind-the-scenes rambling, and the occasional creative rabbit hole, stop by Behind the Chaos.
Thanks for being here. Stay cozy, stay curious, and stay a little chaotic.
— Leslie