How Winged Panda Came to Be

By Tiffany | Winged Panda

Every small business has an origin story. Some are born from years of careful planning, business degrees, and spreadsheets. Mine started with a pandemic, a desire to keep people connected, and my husband calling me a clumsy panda.

Let me explain.

It Started with COVID

Like many people, when COVID hit, I suddenly found myself with a different kind of life. The world got quiet. People stopped gathering. The things we all took for granted, seeing coworkers, getting together with friends, celebrating milestones in person, all of it disappeared almost overnight.

I hated that feeling of disconnection. I kept thinking about how to bring people together, even when we couldn't physically be in the same room.

Crafting was my answer.

I started teaching virtual painting classes as a way to create those shared moments people were missing. A group of coworkers who couldn't have their usual team lunch could still spend an hour together making something with their hands, laughing at their mistakes, and walking away with something they were actually proud of.

It worked. People loved it. And I loved doing it.

The Creativity Myth

Here's something I kept hearing over and over again when I'd invite people to join a class:

"Oh, I'm not creative."

It drove me a little crazy, honestly. Because I genuinely believe that's not true — not for anyone. What most people mean when they say they're not creative is that they haven't found the right thing yet. The right medium. The right project. The right level of difficulty to start with.

Painting with stencils? That's a great place to start. It removes the intimidation of a blank canvas and lets people experience the joy of making something beautiful without needing any prior skill.

When I'd see someone go from "I can't do this" at the start of a session to "wait, did I actually just make that?" at the end, that was the moment I knew this was something worth building.

Winged Panda Crafts was born from that belief: everyone is creative; they just need a place to start.

Why "Winged Panda"?

I get asked this a lot, and honestly, it's one of my favorite stories to tell.

My husband has this theory about me. He says I'm clumsy like a panda, which, fair, and that I have a love of sweets that rivals a hummingbird's love of nectar. Put those two things together, and you get... a Winged Panda.

I could have gone with something more polished. Something more "business-y." But Winged Panda felt like me. Warm, a little quirky, and not taking itself too seriously. That's exactly the energy I want every class and every product to have.

How the Shop Happened

The virtual team-building classes were going well. I was teaching, people were making things, and I was having the time of my life doing it.

Then something interesting started happening.

People who knew me, friends, family, coworkers, started asking if they could buy the things I was making for them as gifts. Mugs, canvases, personalized keepsakes. Things I was already making with love and just giving away.

I hadn't planned on having a shop. But the demand was right there in front of me, so I listened to it.

The Winged Panda shop was born out of that organic ask, real people wanting real products I was already making. It's still very much a part of the business today, alongside the virtual team building events.

Where We Are Today

Winged Panda Crafts has grown into something I'm really proud of. We offer:

• Virtual Team Building Events — live guided painting workshops with kits shipped directly to your team's doors, perfect for remote teams, company retreats, and employee appreciation events

• A handcrafted shop — finished products made with care and shipped to your door

• A growing YouTube channel — free Cricut tutorials for anyone who wants to learn how to make their own crafts at home
  

It's still just me, running this alongside my 9-5, hiking trails on weekends, and yes, still being a little clumsy.

But that's kind of the whole point. Winged Panda was never meant to be perfect. It was meant to be real, warm, and a place where people feel welcome, no matter their skill level.

Want to Be Part of the Story?

If you're curious about booking a virtual team building event for your company, I'd love to chat. You can learn more and reach out on my Virtual Team Building page.

If you're a crafter looking to start your Cricut journey, check out my YouTube channel for free step-by-step tutorials, or browse my 10 Easy Cricut Projects for Beginners post.

And if you just want to say hi — I'm always around. 🐼