About me
Hello, and welcome. Some background about me. All my life, I've been involved in creating, sewing and crafting.
Sitting by my mother when I was barely old enough to hold a needle and thread,
I learned by her side. One important aspect of life, I believe,
is that learning is
paramount - the more one learns the better -- which was something
I learned from my dad. He believed you were never to old to learn.
On his 94th birthday, he requested a digital movie camera and within a
few short weeks, taught himself how to use it. I enjoyed hearing the
enthusiasm and joy in his voice when he would accomplish something like this
and begin to take movies. Both quite creative: my mother was a talented seamstress
who made all my clothes in high school and who taught me so most of my
clothing in the early years of my working life were hand made by me. I
considered myself one of the best dressed kids in school and at work.
My
dad was a patternmaker with the Steelworkers who took pieces of wood and
created 'patterns' of pieces later to be made into steel parts for elevators
and escalators. My family was far from rich, in fact, quite poor
--- but I never felt poor. For Christmas one year I asked for a Barbie
doll, a dollhouse, a wood closet with hangers and clothes for the doll.
I never thought "Santa" would not give me these things even though at the
time my dad was laid off for a short bit due to a strike going on.
Christmas morning, the dollhouse, the closet, the clothing, and the hangers
were under the tree along with a Barbie. My parents only purchased the
Barbie. The rest was all hand made. Dad made the hangers by
cutting our regular wire hangers into smaller ones. Dresses, coats,
hats and other essentials my mother sewed and created. Dad made the
dollhouse and the furniture as well using pieces of wood from work that
would have been thrown away. The rugs, linoleum and other items within
the dollhouse were found on his walks home from work where rug stores may
have been discarding pieces they sold from their installations. Years
later, I realized how special these items were and I felt thankful my
parents spent the time and energy in doing this. It is difficult to
grow up in this environment and not have creativity or the appreciation for
something hand made not be realized.
Because of that upbringing, I was destined
to always have a creative edge to everything I did. My favorite smells
are fresh new fabric and the scent of someone sanding wood - when I think of
my childhood I think of these wonderful smells that always swirled around my
everyday living. While I sewed my
own clothing and made pillows for my room and apartments, I did not really
get into the crafting or sales of crafting until 1982. Newly
married my husband and I wanted to start a family. However, after two
miscarriages and a need to focus on something other than having a child (it
became almost obsessive with me). To distract me, my
sister in law suggested I go with her and create some items to sell at a local church
bazaar. Since I was always sewing and crafting for myself anyway, I took some of my baby items, Christmas ornaments
and other handmade wares and went to
the show with her. Much to my surprise, I sold what I made. That
was the defining moment and Kalico Crafts was born. I already had a full time job,
but I needed this hobby or business or whatever it was for myself. I began small, selling at local church and lawn shows
in my town, then branching out to larger shows as I learned how to secure
tables, advertise and understand how the business worked.
Two years,
countless shows and private sales later, I was blessed with a healthy son.
In 1986, my husbands job relocated us to move to a Midwest state from the
east coast and shortly thereafter, I was blessed with another healthy son.
Even with the blessings of my boys, the transition for me was difficult.
I left a strong support system of family and friends, retired from a 20 year career and a niche
in an area I was familiar. To acclimate to everything and secure my
children in their new schools and environment, the business had to be disbanded...temporarily...
for I knew in my heart I would go back again someday. Once the
children were settled and we had a comfortable system in place, I realized
that I needed to do something for myself. I knew few people in this new state
and none
with little children in my area. Since I did not have a job at the
time, it was difficult to make new friends. I felt isolated. So,
turning to my old true friend, I decided to start
crafting again. It would serve the purpose of continuing to allow me
to be home with my children which I wanted to do and also to have a small
piece of separateness for myself, a means to socialize and perhaps make a
small income for the family kitty as well. I started to look for options and do some craft shows again. Within a
few months , I had
re-opened my business, this time joining two production companies and doing home sales.
I kept the original Kalico Crafts
name and added a sub company, KCandCompany, the latter when I was doing consignment sales.
I enjoyed this ride until 1995, when I needed to return to
the workforce in preparation for my husband possibly losing his job.
My children were 9 and 11 at the time and benefits were paramount in our
lives so I ventured out in the corporate world again...temporarily...and would
return to my business when we were out of the woods. Thankfully,
my husband
did not lose his job but was moved from one department to another. My 'temporary'
job turned out to be an opportunity of a lifetime. I was able to work
in Human Resources and found I loved this field, then moving into other
areas within the company. I was further able to
achieve a lifelong dream of returning to college and achieving a bachelor's
degree in Business Management and MIS (at 50 years old mind you) and
continue on to receive a Masters in Psychology, specializing in I/O.
For 13 years I enjoyed working at this company with the thought of someday
going back into my crafting when I retired again. With that
thought in the back of my mind throughout those years, I started to purchase
higher end sewing machines, a long arm machine, craft books and patterns and
built up an area that would eventually be my 'office' with all the required
tools and machines I needed for my business start up.
In March of this
year, on April 1st (no one thought I was going to go thinking I would say
April Fools I'm kidding, but I was not because I knew what was waiting for
me at home!), I officially 'retired" from the corporate world and ventured
downstairs to the basement where all the machines, fabric and notions had
been
accumulating. It took awhile, a few months, before I organized
my area and felt the creative juices flow again. I had forgotten what
that was like to use the right side of my brain. But now, I feel like
I'm eating, breathing and sleeping creativity. It really is quite
enjoyable. To that end, I am having my first home show in many years
at my home.
Since so much has changed in 15 years I'm finding opening an e-store is the
best way to go or sell through Etsy or Ebay or another 'mall' type
establishment. So, while creating for the home show, I'm learning how
to create web pages, find domain names, find a web host and was literally
thrown in the internet world by immersion. This web page is Phase I.
Learning how to create a simple page like this first, go live and see how to
make changes and updates. Phase II is to go live with the business.
I am working on those pages now but it is rough going. Much to learn.
While all this is new to me and I will be updating and
changing my web pages as I learn more, I value any and all comments and
suggestions you may have both complementary and critical for I believe this is how one
grows. I will gladly give back information and words of wisdom as I
learn myself. I hope you enjoy visiting this site and eventually my e-business site, find items that bring you
as much joy using as they do me making. Until then, be Well. Marilyne
P.S. In case you are wondering about the KC initials,
my original company letters Kalico Crafts were taken for the e-business.
Kalico was created because my beloved cat Muffin was with me during the
miscarriages and move away which was difficult. She was my rock and my
friend at the time. Muffin was a Calico cat, hence the reason I chose Kalico. Another business was already established using the C so I had
to improvise and use the K. With the internet I found Kalico Crafts
and KC&Company were already taken as domain names and had to once again
improvise. Keeping the theme of the KC, Crafts by KC and KC's Creative
Corner were born to continue the 27 years of the business name.
To contact me:
Email:
craftsbykcandc@gmail.com