Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayleen Thomason.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kayleen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
A year ago, I had never used a saw in my life. Ever. There were several projects in my home that I wanted to complete and my husband was the king of the power tools. I didn’t even know where to start.
My husband works really hard at his job, and most days he works overtime. I also have a job working from home and managing our 4 kiddos. I wanted to learn how to do a few small things around the house, but we just didn’t have the time. I was frustrated with the fact that we had all these tools in my garage and I didn’t know how to use any of them. One afternoon when we had a down moment, I walked him out to the garage and asked him to show me how to use the miter saw. Holy moly I couldn’t believe how much fun it was! I was addicted from that day forward. I have so many things I want to try! It makes me excited when I get a new idea and I cannot WAIT to get into the garage and tackle it. My favorite part is when my 3 and 5 year old munchkin patrol come out to help me. You should see all the wooden towers they have wood glued together. I love sharing this time with them. <3
At one point, I decided to start using social media to post what I was working on. The positive response was shocking to me. It started with a few upholstery jobs, then led to furniture making, doggie kennels, cat houses, gifts, seasonal decor, basically anything with a side of art. You can send me an idea and I can help design it and bring it to life. I love to re-purpose antiques and jewelry. I love to paint. Jobs have started coming in and I am learning as I go. I hope it stays busy!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This has all happened very quickly, but it has been a little bumpy. I have been in customer service for over a decade, but it is VERY different when it is your personal designs and work. Everyone has a bad day here and there, and you have to know when to take a step back and re-evaluate what is going on. The other interesting aspect has been the fact that I never imagined it would take off like this. I am constantly working on my time management skills.
I had to protect the suddenly growing business, and I knew absolutely nothing about LLC’s or insurance or filing taxes. Goodness. I have taken a crash course. My background is in Public Health so this isn’t something I have been exposed to before. I have had to find some mentors to give me some much-needed advice so that I can walk this out.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Braided Sweet Grass is a company based on creation. If you have ever had a design idea stuck in your head, and didn’t exactly know how to bring it life, then you could call me!
The majority of the customers I work with have seen a few things they like, but need help getting from A to Z. I can bring them in and design custom pieces to suit their needs. The other thing I seem to do a lot of is up-cycling or recreation of older items. I have had several customers bring me antique furniture, chairs, tables, etc and ask me to fix them up!
This isn’t just a paint job though, I can upholster, take everything apart, and put it back together in fun new ways. I love it when customers give me some artistic freedom to create. Some amazing pieces have come from customers who give me a general concept and then just let me run with it. I am definitely just getting started.
What were you like growing up?
Country is a good word for this question. I grew up on land out in Burleson. This is when Burleson was country. It has really boomed now, but it didn’t use to be like that. My family was close and we were very active. Growing up I was the oldest of 3 siblings, and when my Father remarried I became the oldest of 5 siblings. I look back and think that I was definitely a stubborn, driven person. Ha! I spent my time singing in a band at church, playing piano, gardening, playing tennis, driving my Chevy pickup, and dreaming about being a doctor someday. I was a tad on the tom-boy side. I loved to travel and loved to EAT (still do). I loved living out in the country. I miss it a lot. I still say things like “I need to go into town to get groceries”. My husband has to remind me that Kroger is less than 2 minutes down the street. *Facepalm*
Contact Info:
- Email: braidedsweetgrasstx@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braidedsweetgrass/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/braidedsweetgrass/
Image Credit:
Richard Ebenhack, Nicole Schiel
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