The Woman Behind the Bee

A smiling woman with short, blonde hair and glasses, resting her head on her hand in a cafe or restaurant with artwork and wooden furniture in the background.
A cartoon illustration of a yellow bee with black stripes, antennae, wings, and stinger.

Nearly 35 Years in the Making

This site and the creations it features are labours of love nearly 35 years in the making. When I first envisioned Worker Bee Design as a freelance graphic-design entity in 1987, I was still working for other companies. When I retired as a graphic designer from Texas A&M University in 2013, I desired a way to continue constructing and distributing beautiful works — and with the benefit of my newfound freedom, I pivoted from high-tech design to hands-on creation.

The Stained Glass (and the Band-Aids)

It was around this time that I both discovered stained glass and began buying Band-Aids in bulk. The two happenings are not unrelated.

I am endlessly fascinated with the process of constructing intricate and ornate stained-glass pieces from simple glass, metal, and other natural materials that strike my fancy. I also love to do university, sports, and business logos in stained glass — message me with requests any time.

Browse the Shop

The Market, the Felting, and the Needles

I first visited Eugene, Oregon, and the city's renowned Saturday Market a few summers after retirement, and was instantly enchanted by the incredible jewelry creations on display. Before long I was thrilled to return to Saturday Market in the summer of 2018 as a vendor myself.

The felting? I learned that from my baby sister, along with some good advice. When I first poked myself with a savage-yet-effective felting needle, she simply said: "Carolyn, if you're not bleeding, you're not felting."

In the market seasons since, my booth has evolved to feature a rotating assortment of works across different mediums — but there's only so much space under an eight-foot canopy. So, here I am.

People walking along a street fair with white vendor tents, colorful artwork, and a large pink flowering tree, under a bright blue sky.
A craft or workspace with various tools, supplies, and equipment on a large table near a window, overlooking a backyard with trees. Items include scissors, tape, a camera, jars, wire, and stained glass pieces in a work-in-progress project.

The Studio

I work in a lovely little home studio right here in Eugene, and I'm never far from my computer — I still work in graphic design. I love to discuss my process, and if you have questions, I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I'm done bandaging my latest glass or felting wound.

Get in Touch
Colorful stained glass art panel with abstract geometric shapes in shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and black outlines.

Something Custom?

If you want me to make something custom — something you've craved, something you've discovered, click the link below to fill in my custom order form.

Custom Order

That's it, that's all I got.

I love to create things. I hope you like what I've made. Thank you for being here; it means a lot to me. And now, it's time I got back to work.

— Carolyn

This was a fun commission. The project came to me last year right before Holiday Market and my schedule wouldn't let me get it done in time for the client. Luckily for me he was willing to wait until this year. Apparently the mirror had been broken i

Also find me on Instagram @carolyns_beehive — you never know what will show up.