Kimberly modeling an adult hat.

I have known Kimberly or Kimmy, KC (as I used to call her) since she was born. That’s ’cause she is the daughter of one of my favourite boy cousins Charles 🙂 Yes…I crushed haaaaard on him. Her parents, Charles Longsworth and Lisa Williams Longsworth Macias got married in Belize City, late one Friday evening and somewhere in some dusty old file cabinet is my signature as a witness on their marriage certificate. It is no wonder that Kimberly would become artistic when she grew up. Her “home” was Mom’s Triangle Inn on Handyside St., Belize City. Her pets were kitties and snakes (yes, snakes) with names like Whiskey and Brandy. Funny enough, both her grandmothers made their living by owning eateries. Elma’s has been in Belmopan since I could remember traveling on the bus. I couldn’t wait to jump off and grab a meat pie and ice cream from Auntie Elm’s. As a matter of fact, when I went to Belmopan this past March, I went and got my meatpies and the last conch fritter left. (Thanks Melito Zabaneh for letting me have it :))

I used to race home from SJC Sixth Form for lunch at Mom’s. Kimmy loved ice and fries so by the end of lunch, that high chair was a delish sloppy mess of dripping ketchup. Then I would put her in the sink and wash her off and get her ready for her noon nap…everyday like clock work. One of her favourite things to do was put her mouth right over the faucet and drink the water out of the tap 🙂 Well now Kimmy is a wife and mother of two adorable boys. She lives in California and has launched a charming business called KCB Custom Crochet.

Kimberly credits her grandma Elma Onofre for teaching her a basic chain when she was 7. I received a similar lesson from my grandmother Dorothy Longsworth too. But unlike me, Kimmy was very excited by this particular form of making clothes so she persisted and got her grandma to teach her much more than  basic techniques. At just 20, she has created her own business making the most adorable hats for babies and adults. I bought quite a few as Christmas gifts last year and everyone loved them. I asked her what inspires her everyday ans she said “My sons.” And I believe it! You should see the cute dragon hats she made for them!

One day I was brainstorming ways of spreading breast cancer awareness in support of our First Lady, Kim Simplis Barrow as well as my friend Raquel Battle, President and Founder of  The BlissfulSage Foundation http://www.blissfulsage.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1 when a little ding sounded. Why not ask Kimmy to make some pink hats that people could absolutely love wearing or giving as gifts AND still be promoting awareness at the same time????

SOoooooo, one month later, Twocanview and KCB Custom Crochet are launching an effort to raise funds and turn the spotlight on the fight against the devastation that breast cancer visits upon its victims and their families. https://twocanview.com/2012/05/09/buy-a-beanie-and-support-breast-cancer-awareness-kim-for-kim/  For every hat she sells, she will donate $5 in Kim Simplis Barrow’s name to the Belize Cancer Center Dangriga. We encourage everyone to please join us in this effort and if you just want to donate $$$ without making a purchase, please do! One one okra full up basket!!!!! Here’s an idea: those involved in fundraisers, buy a bunch of these to give away to your supporters!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.355307514529895.79321.162552987138683&type=3

Please check out her other hats for sale too! They are soooooo kiuuuute! And if you have something specific you want her to design for you, she loves to collaborate with her clients on those kinds of projects. Just a thought: give out some beanies as favours at your toddler’s next birthday party. Can you imagine a bunch of lil dragons running around? or kitty cats? awwwwwwww…..She also makes purses and hair accessories. https://www.facebook.com/pages/KCB-Custom-Crochet/162552987138683

Dragon hats Kim made for her sons.