My Story
Hi, I'm Ivona! I’ve been living in Vancouver, Canada for the past five years, but I grew up in beautiful Croatia. As an immigrant and a lifelong creative, my journey has been anything but ordinary.
Since childhood, I’ve always been a crafty soul. My first love was painting and drawing—anything that let me express myself through color and form. I got into sewing at an early age, often trying to hand-stitch clothes for myself or “redesign” old garments with scissors. Looking back, a lot of those creations were hilariously bad—my mom definitely didn’t let me wear most of them after I’d chopped up T-shirts (oops!).
I went on to study pedagogy and art history—fields I truly loved. During that time, life took me in a more academic direction, and I stepped away from my creative side for a while. But a few years ago, something shifted. I felt called back to my roots. I began painting again, picked up sewing with more intention, and even learned how to crochet. It felt like my true self was finally coming back to life.
Now, through Winter Tree Design, I combine the crafts I love most—crocheting, sewing, and occasionally painting—to create beautiful, meaningful, handmade pieces. I’m so grateful to be doing what I love and sharing it with others!