Some businesses begin with a carefully written business plan. Others grow from life’s unexpected turns.
For Angela Cherico, founder of Crafting Combat, creativity became a new way to move forward after major changes in her life. A Marine Corps veteran and mother, Cherico says creating gave her a sense of purpose when many of the activities she once enjoyed were no longer possible.
Crafting Combat began organically. After creating handmade gifts for her daughter, family, and friends, people repeatedly asked if her creations were for sale. When she participated in her first community event, she needed a business name, and Crafting Combat was born. For Cherico, the name represents much more than crafting. It reflects choosing to create instead of giving up and finding purpose through life’s challenges.
Creativity has been part of Cherico’s life since childhood. She remembers spending Friday nights painting ceramics, making personalized gifts for loved ones, later enjoying woodworking in middle school, and discovering photography while serving in the Marine Corps. Today she enjoys learning new techniques rather than focusing on one specific craft.
That variety is reflected in what she creates. Crafting Combat offers seasonal décor, wreaths, ornaments, personalized gifts, resin pieces, custom designs, miniature scenes, and other handmade creations. She especially enjoys whimsical miniature terrariums, fairy-inspired scenes, and incorporating soft fairy lights into her work because they inspire imagination and wonder.
Rather than having one bestselling item, Cherico says people are often drawn to pieces that feel personal. Many of her favorite creations have been handmade gifts created with a specific person in mind, something she says has been true since she was a child.
Cherico credits her military service with teaching her discipline, courage, adaptability, and perseverance. She says those same qualities helped her navigate years of health challenges after serving two deployments in Iraq. Her experiences also strengthened her desire to continue serving fellow veterans in new ways.
Helping veterans remains at the heart of Crafting Combat’s mission. After receiving support through Purple Heart Homes and Patriot Military Family Foundation several years ago, Cherico wanted to find ways to give back. She now uses her creativity to raise awareness, connect veterans with resources, and support organizations serving the veteran community.
One organization especially meaningful to her is Burn Pits 360. Cherico says the organization’s mission resonates with her own experiences. She also shared that raffle baskets at a recent event were created to help raise funds for FIREWATCH, a documentary about Burn Pits 360 and the impact of toxic exposure on veterans and their families.
Although Crafting Combat is still growing, Cherico hopes every purchase helps support a larger mission by allowing her to continue creating donated items, attending community events, raising awareness, connecting veterans with resources, and supporting veteran organizations.
Personalized pieces remain some of her favorite projects. One creation especially meaningful to her was a surprise gift made for LOV Thrift to recognize the organization’s work supporting veterans.
Running a handmade business has presented its own learning curve. While creating comes naturally, Cherico says learning pricing, bookkeeping, marketing, inventory, vendor events, and other aspects of business ownership has been an entirely different challenge.
When it comes to finding inspiration, Cherico says ideas can come from almost anywhere. Her daughter has inspired many of her creations, and she enjoys experimenting with new materials, techniques, and designs until something unexpected comes together.
One of her favorite community experiences so far was participating in the recent Purple Heart Homes event. Looking ahead, she hopes to partner with local businesses that might display and sell Crafting Combat pieces while helping introduce more people to veteran resources and causes.
For first-time shoppers, Cherico prefers helping people discover the item that naturally catches their attention rather than recommending a single product.
Perhaps her proudest accomplishment is simply taking the first step. Cherico says launching Crafting Combat represented believing there was still something worth building. Today, she hopes every handmade creation brings joy, reminds people they are seen, and reflects the hope that continues to inspire her work.
Looking ahead, Cherico says Crafting Combat is about far more than handmade crafts. Her goal is to continue creating joy, supporting veterans, connecting people with resources, and building something meaningful one idea, one connection, and one opportunity at a time.
