Mom of 2 Started Selling Dyed Rice from Her Kitchen, Then Made Over $6K in a Single Month (Exclusive)
Mom of 2 Started Selling Dyed Rice from Her Kitchen, Then Made Over $6K in a Single Month (Exclusive)
Ashley VegaThu, October 22, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC
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Juliana B’s shows off her sensory mix business, The Creative Mix Shop; Juliana BCredit: Juliana B. -
During the pandemic, Juliana B. dyed a batch of rice to entertain her toddler while caring for a 2-month-old baby, never expecting it to become a business
After selling her homemade sensory mixes on Facebook Marketplace and Etsy, the mom of two brought in more than $9,000 CAD ($6,300 USD) in sales in a single month
Since launching in 2021, Juliana has sold more than 10,000 sensory mixes and now helps other women start businesses of their own
With a 2-month-old baby, an 18-month-old toddler and nowhere to go during the pandemic, Juliana B. was desperate for something that would keep her little one entertained. She reached into her pantry, grabbed some rice and food coloring, and unknowingly came up with an idea that would eventually earn her thousands of dollars.
“I remember being honestly shocked that something from my pantry had bought me that much breathing room,” Juliana tells PEOPLE exclusively. Her toddler had spent more than an hour playing with the colorful rice, giving the busy mom a much-needed break.
At the time, Juliana had no plans to turn the homemade activity into a business, but she had always been interested in entrepreneurship. Curious whether other parents might want something similar, she listed a few bags of dyed rice on Facebook Marketplace and waited to see what happened.
One of Juliana B’s sensory mixes from The Creative Mix ShopCredit: Juliana B
The response was enough to convince her to keep experimenting with different colors and themes. “I don’t remember the exact amount of that first sale, but once I saw people taking an interest, I was hooked,” she recalls.
In a TikTok video recounting her unexpected business journey, Juliana explained how those early sales quickly led to requests for other sensory activities, including homemade Play-Doh kits. Before long, she was selling her creations to strangers and decided to take another chance by opening an Etsy shop.
She had no experience setting up an online store, but that didn’t stop her from trying. Three days after launching her Etsy shop, a stranger purchased one of her Play-Doh kits, marking another milestone for the mom working from her kitchen.
Five months later, around October or November 2021, Juliana reached a number she never could have imagined when she first poured rice into a sensory bin. Her business generated a little over $6,300 USD in sales in a single month.
“That was the moment I thought, ‘Wow, this could really blow up for me,’ “ she says. What began as a way to occupy her toddler had become a source of income while she stayed home with her children.
Juliana continued expanding her product line, adding playdough kits and other sensory play items alongside her original rice mixes. But by 2023, she realized that offering so many different products was pulling her attention away from what she enjoyed making most.
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She decided to simplify the business and focus exclusively on sensory mixes and fillers, a decision she says led to even greater growth. Since launching, Juliana has sold more than 10,000 sensory mixes and generated well over six figures in total sales, all while homeschooling her two daughters.
“I always say that when you put all your effort into one thing you’re truly passionate about, it’s only up from there,” she shares. Today, her work looks different from the early days of preparing and packing orders at her kitchen table.
A behind-the-scenes glimpse at Juliana B’s booming business, The Creative Mix ShopCredit: Juliana B
Instead, Juliana spends more time filming tutorials, developing sensory recipes and answering questions from women interested in starting similar businesses. She homeschools her daughters in the mornings and also makes time for fitness, another passion she shares on Instagram.
Her business has also prompted questions about using rice, a food staple, for children’s activities amid concerns about food insecurity. Juliana acknowledges those concerns and encourages parents to explore non-food alternatives if they prefer, while emphasizing that sensory play should always be supervised and reserved for children who no longer put objects in their mouths.
“I’m aware of food insecurity, and some people see what I do as a waste,” she says. “There’s no single right way to do sensory play; this is simply what has worked best for me and the people I serve.”
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Now, through her Sensory Makers community, Juliana hopes to help other women find opportunities similar to the one she discovered during the pandemic. She began teaching after receiving questions from people who wanted to know how she had built her business, remembering how difficult it had been to find guidance when she was starting out.
“I was a mom hoping to make a little money on the side while home with my young kids, and now helping so many women start their own dreams feels like a real full-circle moment,” she says. Her advice to anyone considering starting a business is simple: “Try not to look at what everyone else is doing, stay focused, and if you’re passionate about it, keep going and don’t give up.”
on People
Source: “AOL Money”
