I am in the process of booking more home shows and getting into a few brick and mortar boutiques so I need to write "My Story" as a presentation. I went back and read my very first blog here on Carlykins to see how much of a "story" I had written. "3 kids" was the first thing I saw and immediately started laughing knowing back then I thought that was "a lot"!! HA HA HA HA
We are now on 12 years of marriage and SIX KIDS!!! I better not have 4 more kids to write about in 4 years!! HA HA HA HA
OK so here we go.
Hello, my name is Merideth Dillard. I was born and raised right outside DC in Bethesda, Md. I am daughter to Kay and Gary Beane and sibling to 4 crazy characters. I am the wife to my best friend, Clay Dillard and we have been married for 12 years. I am a stay at home mom to 6 kids, 2 dogs, 2 hamsters and a cat!! HA-HA Jacob is my one and only son and the oldest of our 6. Carly is my second child but first daughter. She is almost 10!! WOW!!
I started this business when Carly was a newborn. She came out with this preciously adorable HUGE head and NO HAIR!! She honestly looked like a line backer!! I would dress her up in all pink and lay pink blankets on her etc....... But while we were out and about I would still constantly be asked
"Boy or Girl?"!!
Oh it would infuriate me!!
I bought headbands from the store to put on her but her precious head was so big the bands would leave marks around her head. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I remember my mom making scrunchies when one of my sisters was in college. As a teen I helped a time or two with putting the scrunchies together. It all came back to me very quickly of how she made them. So I made them the same way just with a wider elastic and added a bow to the middle and VOILÀ!! Carlykins was started.
When I look back to my very first ones I chuckle. They were seriously SO SIMPLE. Honestly a large scrunchie with a bow!! I would put them on Carly every time we went out and before long friends were asking for them for the same reasons I was making them. Before long friends suggested selling them and really pushed me to sell. My sister Karen made me Business cards and told me about eBay! Carlykins was OFF & AWAY!! It was never the same since eBay was introduced!! I sold on eBay for the longest time and they actually helped pay bills when we did not have a pay check coming in.
Things sure have changed since 2007!! We have grown as a business right along with Carly. We now offer baby items and young girl items as well as a few college age items for my nieces!! I have switched from eBay to Etsy and have my own boutique on Etsy.
Through Etsy I have gone WORLDWIDE!! I have shipped items as far away as China, Italy and Australia!! I also sell a lot here at home and have friends constantly coming by to grab an item or two and even clients that schedule times to come by and create their own and purchase!
Things sure have changed and gone way further then I ever imagined!
Thank you God for giving me the skills!!! Without your gifts to me I would not be able to have this Business.
Thank you Clay for being my biggest cheerleader!! Without your support and love through it all I would not be where I am today!!
Thank you to all my friends for pushing me and supporting me!!!
I am so blessed!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
