Silk Diaries

Silk Diaries We hand-dye silk as a self soother for stress and anxiety to empower women in the workplace.

I posted this on my lil LinkedIn profile, but after contemplation I felt it was worthy to post here too, as I don’t feel...
07/29/2021

I posted this on my lil LinkedIn profile, but after contemplation I felt it was worthy to post here too, as I don’t feel I have been vulnerable and transparent enough regarding this facet of my life.

This is a photo of me on my first day at IBM
—FIVE years ago!

Coming from a family that thought my full potential lied solely within the realm of marriage and children, from two rejections into the design program at UNT, from leaving all I had ever known to leap across the U.S. to attend SCAD, from many all-nighters and double shifts serving tables, I eventually graduated SCAD Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Graphic Design and a solidified job offer from IBM. I am so proud that I continued to believe in myself and never gave up. There aren’t enough words to express how emotional I am as I look back on how much I have grown from that shy, but eager, early-career professional.

Thank you to all of my incredible friends, professors, leaders, and mentors that guided (and sometimes carried!) me through the highs and lows of this journey. You are so special to me. And thank you IBM for creating space and opportunity for young talent. The first 5 years of my career have been an amazing, fruitful, and fulfilling experience. I learned more than I ever could have imagined.

I’m so excited to see what the next 5 years will bring. If I can offer any piece of advice, it would be to never give up and never settle. Even if it feels like you’re so far off from what you truly want, or if it feels as if what you want is completely unattainable or abstract. There is always a way. Keep trying and believing.

Silk Diaries, and the community, empathy, and presence we created together, helped make this possible. I love you all in so many ways and through that love I have learned to accept and empower all parts of me. My deepest hope is that you can learn to love all of the parts of you too.

xoxo ky

07/16/2021

My new studio mate, Iris, would like you to believe that she’s helping. But really she’s scouting for something to sneak off with 🐾

07/15/2021

In loving memory 🤍

My sweet grandmother passed away last week and my heart has been incredibly achey. From a very young age, she instilled ...
07/15/2021

My sweet grandmother passed away last week and my heart has been incredibly achey.

From a very young age, she instilled my love for art, creativity, problem solving, and curiosity. I grew up tackling puzzles with her, beading jewelry, playing marbles, sewing, and watching her paint incredible oil landscapes.

She was a lover, dedicated to her family and to providing education to children with Happy Hill Farm. She was the reason I was able to attend my dream college, when all else was working against me.

But she was also a fighter, surviving Polio as small child and enduring physical therapy to regain her strength. She would never back down from her intuition or voice. I am so lucky and grateful to have had her spirit in my life.

Many of you know I have been struggling with my creativity and inspiration. But transforming her funeral flowers into silk heirlooms for my family has been reminding me what I love so much about this process. She gifted this talent to me, and I know she would never want me to give up. I even bought myself a sewing machine after many years being out of practice, knowing she would be so proud of me for making my own clothing line by hand.

While she may be gone in this physical life, she is still giving, loving, and looking over me in many ways.

I love you Maw Maw. I promise I will keep going, for you 🤍

I’d be lying if I said the world hasn’t beat me down. If I said the pandemic didn’t suck the life out of me, if I said i...
06/16/2021

I’d be lying if I said the world hasn’t beat me down. If I said the pandemic didn’t suck the life out of me, if I said it didn’t make me gain weight and abandon myself, leaving me once again uncomfortable and frozen inside my skin—after all the work I had put into finding and defining myself.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t lost half of my energy, if I said working full time and running a small business was still thoroughly exhilarating and still something I felt I had energy for.

I’d be lying if I said I knew where I was going. Because I dont. But what I do know is that I don’t want to quit. I know I want to feel strong in my skin again. I want to feel confident, and fierce. I want to go out without feeling like I need to make myself small or less worthy because I lost myself—momentarily—in the midst of the past year and a half.

There is no set timeline for becoming or refinding or reinventing yourself. You can be who you want to be, but you must show up authentically, you must start somewhere, you must face the interactions you avoid in order to grow.

This is me facing an identity relapse head on. But this is also me saying cheers to possiblity of becoming better again. Cheers to the possibility of what Silk Diaries will become. And a final cheers to a sentiment a friend expressed to me: “f**k the deadlines, your ability dictates what gets done”.

I’m not going anywhere, but I am taking it one day at a time 🤍

06/01/2021

〰️running a little behind but still showing up 〰️

I have news to share that has been heavy on my heart, but is also driving the inspiration for the new collection, Back to the Basics.

My lease expires this month at and while it’s bittersweet, I have to let you all know that I will be moving my natural dye practice back into my home. Broad Studios was one of the best adventures of my life and I’m so grateful to have created, hosted, and taught with such inspiring and lovely women. Broad Studios redefined the meaning of community for me. It was so fulfilling to be with all of you and and to feel accepted and welcome, that I felt like I needed to do all of things, and make all of things I could possibly squeeze in so that I didn’t lose sight of it. Ultimately, I ran myself into the ground. I’m hoping this change of pace allows me to regain my passion and purpose for naturally dyeing and Silk Diaries.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to support me, see me, and hold my hand—despite my absence. You are everything to me.

Back to the Basics is inspired by the pure, innocent joy I felt the first day I experienced the beauty of natural dyeing. I’m using the same dye materials and I can feel myself wearing the same smile. I hope you feel innocently beautiful and joyful if you choose to buy a piece from this collection.

It shouldn’t be much longer. Thank you for holding on. I’m excited to take this new ride with you all.

xoxo km

05/08/2021

I’m baaaack! 😂

🌸y’all!🌸 First market appearance in the past year!! with my friends and .co — and a handful of other makers — this week...
05/07/2021

🌸y’all!🌸 First market appearance in the past year!! with my friends and .co — and a handful of other makers — this weekend! ✨ I’m so grateful to be fully vaccinated and in the position to begin easing back in public pop ups. I’ll have lots of Darla scarves and I’d love to see your sweet face (in a mask!) 🤍 Saturday, Noon–4pm 🤍 xoxo

〰️ color inspiration for the next collection From the Taylor System of Color Harmony N.Y. 1924
05/05/2021

〰️ color inspiration for the next collection

From the Taylor System of Color Harmony N.Y. 1924

got some fresh fleurs to play with thanks to — which means a shop update is coming soon (once water is restored)! 💐 in ...
02/21/2021

got some fresh fleurs to play with thanks to — which means a shop update is coming soon (once water is restored)! 💐 in the mean time, please donate to the recovery of our people in our beloved city through and ❤️

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