Kim of Finishing Touches

Although Kim was born in Omaha, Nebraska, her family moved to Phoenix, Arizona when Kim was 5 years old.  She has remained there ever since.

Asked about her education, Kim laughs, "I didn't know what I wanted to be when I 'grew up' so I only went as far as getting an AA.  But I got it with Honors and High Distinction so at least I did it right!"

Kim's work experience includes a lot of retail and restaurant experience.  For the last  3 1/2 years she has worked for American Express and hopes to be with them for a long time.  Prior to working for Amex, however, Kim worked in and managed a bead store for nearly 8 years.  "I started out making people sized jewelry but don't do much of that anymore." She notes, "I also taught beading classes at the store and I have carried that experience into the classes I teach at conventions."  For awhile, Kim was non too happy to reveal what she did for a living. When she'd mention she had a website where she creates and sells doll jewelry, people would either be immediately interested or start rolling their eyes.  When she went on to tell them that she also managed a bead store, Kim was confronted with looks that clearly stated, "Yeah, but what is your REAL job." As Kim saw it, between the 50-70 hours a week she worked between the two jobs, she HAD a real job!

Kim began her doll collection with Barbie®.  "I, like so many, started out collecting Barbie." Kim states, "I don't remember which one though.  The weird thing is; I NEVER displayed them.  I lived alone but they all just went into the closet after I bought them. Now, that just seems so wrong!  I don't dare count how many dolls I currently own.  I still have lots of Gene® dolls but my focus has shifted to the Tyler® girls.  I can still design retro styled jewelry but I can also create trendy, up to the minute jewelry for them too.

Kim started creating jewelry designs for Barbie about 7 or 8 years ago.  "I started with Gene shortly after that.  I attended the Hollywood Gene convention and knew I had found my niche.  Gene designer Joan Greene approached me there about designing for Ashton-Drake! My sales at that convention shocked and delighted me.  It was a wonderful experience!"

Kim opened up her website, www.thefinishingtouches.com, in June 1998.

Kim does some custom work but doing so depends upon both her available time and her inclination.  As the sole support of her household, Kim relies on the income and benefits she receives from working for Amex and has no plans to design jewelry exclusively.  This suits her well, though, as she loves her business just the way it is.

Kim finds inspiration for her designs everywhere. "I love looking at Miriam Haskell's designs," she notes, "but I also love InStyle magazine for inspiration!" A quick web search revealed that Miriam Haskell is a designer from the 1920's whose jewelry company continues to this day.  Her designs began with flowers and animals, often asymmetrical designs that were noted by their intricate detail.

As well as her extensive background in beading, Kim notes that she also benefits by the world's largest gem show appearing in Tucson, Arizona each February!

Kim rarely sketches out her designs, noting that she is not good at drawing.  While she doesn't have any formal return policy, she has rarely had to deal with returns. "If someone receives something and the color isn't quite right they usually like it so much  that they keep it anyways and order something else for what they originally had in mind." she states, "Color matching can be tough when everyone looks at a different monitor with different settings."

Kim doesn't really advertise her website.  Basically, she does monthly website updates and emails her customer list when the updates are published.  The time Kim spends per week on her jewelry business varies considerably.  Normally, she devotes about 10 hours per week to her business when she is between busy times.  Right before a convention, however, she works up to 40 hours a week (not including her full time job with Amex!)  Kim has attended the Gene Convention for about 6 years.  Next year, she plans to attend some of the Tonner events.

Besides doll collecting, bead collecting and beading, Kim also has a collection of mini teddy bears and other animals, most of which are 2 inches or smaller.  She also enjoys working in her small garden and hiking the local mountains when the weather is good.

Having found a happy balance in her life between her Amex career and her jewelry business, Kim simply hopes to maintain the status quo for the future!