When I first started selling jewelry, Hazy Days Creative Company was my moniker. It worked as a fun name during a season in my life when I was exploring the possibilities of making jewelry as a side gig.
When I decided to start a real website and really commit to selling my handmade items, however, I wanted to rebrand, redesign, and rename my creative outlet...and that's how Kalmia Handmade came to be.
The word "kalmia" holds two meanings for my company. First, it's part of the real name for Mountain Laurel, a beautiful flowering bush that is easy to find in my native region of western North Carolina. Mountain Laurel blooms in late spring/early summer and is a signature plant of our region.
Beautiful, isn't it? My mom uses pieces of mountain laurel in bouquets she makes for special occasions, and I always think they steal the show from the other blooms in the vase.
The second meaning behind Kalmia connects to my family's story. My mom's parents owned a motor court in Highlands, NC that was called Kalmia Court. My mom and her two sisters grew up at Kalmia Court, so I have heard stories of guests and the cottages, and what life was like in their family-owned business all of my life. Sadly, Kalmia Court isn't there anymore, but I chose to use this name as a memory to the way things once were in my hometown.
And by the way, I've heard a few different pronunciations, but in my family, we say "kalmyuh".
Thanks for reading -- more to come!