Hello all you buzzers out there! I was truly excited to recently chat with this amazing lady!
Please meet- Kristy Kay – Soup to Nuts & Bolts:
Hi Kristy Kay, thanks for buzzing with us!
1. Saw your description was “All Things Home From Building to Baking”so rather like “Bob The Builder” meets Martha Stewart?
I love that, and yes, that’s a great way to put it. Growing up the daughter of a builder,
I learned how to “just do it yourself” well before anyone knew what “DIY” was. Fast forward
to this amazing woman named Martha who redefined entertaining and cooking -
as a high school student, I was hosting dinner parties making elegant six course meals
out of her magazines and books (formal dress required of course!).
Combine that background with some formal education, event and interior
design experience, and it was only natural to combine all of these
passions and interests – and here I am today Kristy Kay – Soup to Nuts
and Bolts.
2. Speaking of THE Martha Stewart, did I hear you worked for/with her?
I did, the best way I could figure to really learn more from her was
to work for her and the amazing world she was building. She owned a
high end registry company called “The Wedding List” with a location in
Boston. I managed the special order merchandising and spent my days
amidst the most amazing tabletop, silver and high end gifts.
3. I love the line in your bio which reads “If I was stranded on a
desert island, it would be a toss between bringing my drill or stand
mixer” lol! You have so many unique skills, what do you say when folks
ask you the question “What do you do?”
Goodness, that’s actually my least favorite question because I can’t
seem to answer it without making people look at me like I’m from
another planet! But the truth is, I love making things. Whether it’s
giving new life to a tag sale find, or trying my hand at the most
elaborate recipe I can find to make an amazing dessert. It’s the
challenge. I’m a busy wife and working mother and who isn’t looking
to make their world more beautiful and elegant? And, the pride of
doing that yourself is the best part.
4. Please tell our audience how you got started and who were your
biggest influencers?
I started out long ago as a child with arts and crafts. My earliest
memories are coloring beautiful sketches of a bowl of fruit I’d have
my father draw for me, over and over. He was an amazing artist that
only we knew about. As time went on, I was always his helper in
various building projects or things around the house. We also had a
large Greek family and my mother always had a houseful, whether formal
or casual, she was always hosting doing everything herself. So
influencers were my parents for sure. I learned how to be creative,
whether it was through arts and crafts, cooking and entertaining or
building. Then, later was definitely Martha Stewart – she enabled her
audience to create an elegance into all aspects of your life – food,
gifts, everything. I knew I needed to find a way to bring all of this
together – building to baking! After earning a BA in Communications
(interning at a TV station), I returned for Interior Design. At that
time, women weren’t common in the building arena, but certainly in the
decorating space. My first job after college was for Martha Stewart
and then I went on to work as an event planner in the wedding
industry. During all of this, I was always entertaining and a
passionate home cook. I hosted endless gatherings, events and holidays
and was honored to be constantly asked to create special favors and
gifts for family and friends’ events too.
5. You are such a beautiful and inspiring lady, are people surprised
to see you holding a drill – building, and did you get any flack for
being a woman in that field?
Yes, I definitely get confused looks – the funniest was when a
client’s husband came home to see me in his living room up on a ladder
with my drill installing shelving in my tool belt – and oh yes, I was
SEVEN months pregnant. Working with tradesman on many of my
renovation projects was at times a challenge but one that I actually
enjoyed. It always turned a few heads when I’d show up onsite and
start the demo process myself. On the job site and working amidst
various tradespeople, often times the immediate perception was one
of the typical “she’s a woman, what can she possibly know about
BUILDING?!?” They’d quickly learn that I actually knew quite a bit,
but, I wanted their opinions and more importantly, wanted to work in a
collaborative way. This helped immensely in earning respect as a
designer and in essence, their “co-worker”.
6. What are some of your goals in 2012 and beyond and where can
people find you? Any Kristy Kay words of wisdom or inspiration you’d
like to leave our buzzers with?
My goals for 2012 and beyond are definitely to show others the “here’s
how” for your home, your life, your world! Whether it’s a building or
renovation project, or putting on an impressive dinner party. Maybe
it’s just having the confidence to install those curtain rods that are
still sitting in their box. You can do it yourself and I’m going to
show you how. We live in a world of massive home improvement stores,
amazing design centers, craft stores etc – but what do you really do
with all of that? or think of this way, what CAN you do with all of
that?!?!
I’d love for everyone to have that little bit of confidence where
they’re not afraid to try that paint color, pick up a power tool, test
that fancy French recipe – you can do it, and I’m there with you.
Let’s Make it simple. Make it elegant, Make it yourself!
You can find me at www.KristyKay.com,
Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/kristykaystnb/
or my Facebook page, Kristy Kay – Soup to Nuts and Bolts
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=518417291#!/pages/Kristy-Kay-Soup-to-Nuts-Bolts/289833711063063
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