I've always enjoyed crafting and creating useful and beautiful things from scraps or scratch - turning a bag of yarn into an aphgan for a gift, sewing a few pieces of fabric into dresses for our girls or a sport jacket for our son, adding a new look to our breakfast room or bedroom - this was my idea of living! When constant back pain forced me to leave a job I loved at age 52, it wasn't long before I gathered together my creative thoughts and found a brand new reason to love life on the flip side of 50! I had already accumulated a treasury of resources for my new love - Kalico Kards - handmade greeting cards I created with fabric designs and handprinted messages that "warm the heart and tickle the spirit" - especially the spirit in those livin' life on the flip side of 50. The back pain was no longer a problem as long as it wasn't getting all my attention. The truth is, I get lost in a timeless state of joy and contentment when creating Kalico Kards! It wasn't long before I'd created my first display of handmade cards for our local YMCA's craft show. Upon hearing the encouraging remarks and compliments Kalico Kards received, I decided to increase the display and how many craft shows I did every year. You're gonna love Kalico Kards - our craft show customers call them "keepers" - because they want to keep them for themselves instead of sending them! And when they do send them their loved ones "keep" them - they don't throw them out like other cards.
About a year and a half ago - 16 years after Kalico Kards first made their appearance, my youngest daughter encouraged me to open a website and sell them on the worldwide web. At first the idea was overwhelming - I didn't know the first thing about a computer, or the internet and to learn at my age seemed ridiculous! It took about 6 months to find my way around - there were times of frustration and lots of stretching myself beyond what I thought were my limits, trials and errors and many phone calls with questions to anyone who would help me, including my sweet host Designer 218 - but I did it! I was able to take more than 500 digital photos of cards and their handprinted messages and load them all with descriptions onto my Kalico Kards website at www.kalicokards.com ! Along with the cards there were gifts also - gift pouches of Kalico Kards and framed personalized Kalico Kards I call "Kalico Keepsakes" - gifts for loved ones for special occasions - i.e. a baptism, a wedding, anniversary, graduation, etc. - and there were customized gift baskets also, 7 of them for any occasion and I gathered these items also - each includes either a giftpouch of Kalico Kards or a personalized Kalico Keepsake, taking pictures of each and loading them onto the website with descriptions and lists of all their items.
I thought that after putting all the items on the website store, I was finished! Boy was I wrong! I was under the impression that the customers would be there when my website was opened - but how would anyone know it existed without their being informed. So I purchased a book- "Web Marketing for dummies" - and learned about marketing and linking and how to find keywords - and then other websites with those same keywords to link to, which is a process that is ongoing!
Every morning I open my emailbox excitedly looking for an encouraging word - for emails telling me I have an order or with comments or encouraging words. The ones received are usually heartwarming and motivating and renew my confidense - so I'd love to hear from you! That's the reason for my blog. Thanks for hearing me - now it's your turn. Visit my website and tell me what you think - I'd love to hear from you. Any input is appreciated!
One card in particular describes my philosophy about living on the flip side of 50 and aging - "it's a matter of mind - if you don't mind, it doesn't matter"! You will find "Kate" bearing this message in the birthday category at www.kalicokards.com plus lots of other warm, witty and wise greetings that you can have personalized with their name and shipped to your home free.
Special orders are never a problem at Kalico Kards -we love to say it for you and our motto is "we aim to please"!
Lovin' life on the flip side of 50 has all to do with your participation in life - what we need along the way will be provided as we go. There's no shortage of creativity- life IS creative as you participate - no matter what age we are, and it's only enjoyed when we participate!
Sincerely
The kardlady
