Monday, May 17, 2010

G33Kmade

About eight years ago, I started working in sales and marketing with Avon. I also started selling stuff on the Internet years and years ago, and as everyone knows, a single year in "technology time" -- well, that's a LOOOONG time. I started in online sales way back in the day on Ebay. So successfully as a matter of fact, I even had a PayPal account of mine hacked (previous account that was quickly terminated, of course). I always thought that if a person was interested in hacking your PayPal account, well, you must be one hell of a seller. *bows*

Now, my house is nearly paid off and I own seven cars. My inked skin alone is worth over $10,000. I am happily married with two wonderful kids . . . sounds idyllic and so easy right?

Well, the first of those two wonderful kids was the result of that guy I'm happily married to knocking me up while we were in high school. And all of my cars? Well, none some of them dont actually "run," but if you ask my husband he says "technically" you *could* get them around the block...at least once. Maybe. I never made it to college, and I've had my battles with drug abuse, I have run away, and I wasted a lot of my life being selfish. And while I've been successful at what I've done, my husband always paid the bills, so there was no threat of failing.

Over the last year and a half, I have literally changed my life around. I wrote a post for GeekGirlsNetwork which puts it pretty well and without all of the drama of the I-had-it-worse-than-you bullshit. I am not looking for pity, just for folks to join me in celebration. Anyway, I have wanted for a long time to incorporate my personal life with my "business" life. I feel like I have always been fighting between choosing to be professional vs. being fun. Being professional equaling fitting the mold and doing things the same way everyone else does, and being fun meaning, well, being me! My major problem is I can't even imagine being one of those fake people who puts on a stupid facade and hides who they really are from the rest of the world. (Go read that link if you have no clue what I am talking about.

I think a lot of us are really afraid to admit we are lame. It is SO easy to be whatever you want. Thank you World Wide Web. But I digress.

My point is that in this past year and a half I started accepting who I was. I didn't avoid it, I rolled around in it, and slowly but surely, who I was online began to match who I was IRL. It has the most amazing transformation I have ever been through. Twitter especially helped me not only feel out what it would be like being myself but also in helping me realize I like who I am.

And it keeps getting better!

Today, I landed my first purchase order with ThinkGeek.com! And they were the ones who contacted ME! *squuueee!* I got an email from them expressing interest back on April 23rd, 2010. I nearly passed out.

And it still keeps getting better! (I know - you all might want to catch your breath and pace yourself, cuz this next one is HUGE!)

Guess what Lesley and I made?

THIS!!!! ---> G33Kmade

In a very literal story of one thing leading to another G33kmade is a celebration of us REAL AND ORIGINAL artist/crafter/parents/children/clowns/notreallyclonwsRORYisafraidofclowns/friends/whinersandmoaners-type folks. We create things. We are driven. We do not care what ANYONE thinks of our obsession with perfect. What we create with our hands is a reflection of who we are, of WHAT we are. Many of us started by creating things for friends and family, and whether we did it because we cared or because we were short on cash and couldn't actually *buy* people things like normal people has nothing to do with it. Our creations are and continue to be the stories of what we have LIVED and DREAMED.

MY POINT... G33kmade is a celebration of real people. Of what we make. Of what we obsess about. Not only the what we made, but how we made it, and if you're lucky (and we happen to know) why we made it.

I'm so excited, I'm all tingly! <3

8 comments:

Phineas Delgado said...

Allow me to step out of my "fan boy" costume for a moment an express my real thoughts. This is from the heart:

I haven't known you guys very long, and I couldn't craft my way out of a paper bag with 3 razorblades, a pair of scissors and a blowtorch. I craft with words, which some would say is similarly daunting and difficult. I've never really been at a loss for them, and I always have found kind ones for you.

What I lack is confidence. I don't have anyone in my every day life that I trust is telling me the truth about my work. You and Leslie are a big part of the reason I continued writing HSFFU, and why I want to take that project to the next level. I admire you greatly, as a person, and more as a friend.

One day, I'll share more of my personal person with you all, but until then, I will continue to admire you from afar as your number 2 fan boy (with all due love and respect).

Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth.

Until then.

Lesley @GEEKSOAP said...

Awwwe I seriously heart you guys! PhineasDelgado... really, I adore HSFFU and I think you're AWESOME. I mean it when I say you should totally do a book. (I want a signed copy!)

We are super, super excited about G33Kmade and love and appreciate your support, PD! <3 <3

Kylee Lane said...

PhineasDelgado YES! Ah! Please please write something for G33Kmade if you aren't toooo busy (and find time even if you ARE toooo busy...) We want the site to grow with the contributors! ♥

Lesley @GEEKSOAP said...

YES! It's like Kylee and I are one mind sometime...(hence G33Kmade being born!) PD, PLEASE write something for G33Kmade - we'd LOVE it! And like Kylee said, we want the site to grow with contributors!

An Ally By Any other name Wouldn't Be Ally said...

That's beautiful. Rock on!

Geekwithsoul said...

Kylee, what you and Lesley have started is a wonderful and definitively generous act. You guys are doing something out of the love you have for what you do and the people like you who do it - I can't wait to see how it grows and develops!

Lesley @GEEKSOAP said...

Awwwe thanks, Jason! Seriously there's just so much love. It's awesome. :)

Amy said...

Kylee - this is amazing, cool, and inspiring. You guys rock for putting this site together, and I am looking forward to hopefully contributing some tutorials and being part of a huge g33k crafting community. It's gonna be big. I can tell. :D

And a PO from ThinkGeek. Dude. How awesome is that??