What have you been up to since you graduated?
College wasn't in the plans for me, so I hit the road running with jobs. Discovered that I enjoyed working with people so found myself a Front Desk Clerk for the new Holiday Inn Holidome. Fun job. Front here progressed to Front office Mgr. Then Director of Sales for Ramada Inns in Tucson. Not bad for not going to college. I was blessed with common sense. That got me thru a lot. Met my husband in 1882, married in June 1983. Continued to work until I had our first son Tyler. Became a stay at home Mom to Tyler and Tawnie. Paul worked for UPS as center mgr. We were hugely into lake trips with the family and friends, taking our jet skis. To this day our children still refer to that as the best time. Motorhomes have been a big part of that too. Paul Left UPS after 17 years, the corporate grind got too much. A door opened and we took it. Friends thought we were crazy.
We purchased Van Kirk Furnishings which makes copper plated furniture and house hold decor. All Paul wanted was a welder, we joked. He got 3 and a whole machine shop. Took over a successful wholesale company and went retail thru showing at upscale art festivals. We've never advertised, only thru word of mouth. We purchased Nine Hills Ceramics Studio to compliment our furniture line. This was something that I could do, create and have fun with clay. Paul handled the machine shop. Nine Hills Ceramic Studio makes functional art. We have 4 employees that have been with us since the start. I'm a late bloomer at discovering artistic talents. I thoroughly enjoy making things, challenging myself to learn new techniques and explore different mediums. We've been recognized at art festivals as featured artists, featured in newspapers, won best of our categories at the art festivals we've participated in. We are truly blessed to have customers come to us to design a furniture piece for them, pieces that will go into their home. Humbles me all the time. God has blessed us with not only being able to work with our hands but to have the patience and ability to listen to our customers. Last year Paul work was chosen by the Arizona Highways Holiday Magazine, he showed 3 of his pieces and this year we both are in the 2017 Holiday Magazine issue. We are in for a fabulous ride. Along with our stores and now the magazine, we participate in 33 high end Art Festivals a year in AZ (mainly in the Phoenix area, some in Tucson) CO and NM.
This is hard work. Not for everyone but we make it work. Have a comfortable motorhome to travel in while we are away from home.
We are blessed to have our daughter and granddaughter which live with us to take care of our beautiful labs, 3 cats and tortoise.
Life's turned out the way God panned for me. With the person of my dreams to share this bumpy, adventurous, rewarding journey we call life.
It's never too late to start over, we did. We are blessed, life is great!
