Ali, Creative & Merchandising

I had lived in 6 different states by the time I was 13 years old. My family landed in Michigan as I was starting middle school and we've been here ever since. I've been designing jewelry since I was a little girl. I've always loved the different colors and textures, especially those of natural gemstones. I finished my degree in architecture at The University of Michigan in 2001. I guess it was the structured nature of architecture that didn't really work for me, because I never pursued a career in it. I've never been much for structure - I'm one of those beaders that likes to dump out all of my beads and design as I go. The year I graduated from Michigan, Kevin and I started Lima Beads and never looked back. On May 24 of this year (2008) our first child was born. Her name is Payton Clara and I can barely even remember my life before her and I don't want to! I am having so much fun with her that I can hardly wait for each new day to begin.

My title at Lima Beads is "Creative Director and Co-Founder". From the products we carry to the visuals on the Lima Beads web site, to our magazine ads - it's my job to make sure everything works toward what we're trying to accomplish creatively. When someone looks at one of our magazine ads or visits our web site, I want them to feel what a fun, energetic place Lima Beads is. When they shop our products, I want them to feel our unshakable commitment to quality, consistency and "freshness". That's my job!

My favorite thing about being part of the Lima Beads team is that I would do this for free (and did for a long time!). I've always been creative and I get to channel that energy into something I love. We get to run Lima Beads the right way, with a commitment to the quality of our beads and the happiness of our customers. We don't have to compromise, we can strive for perfection and if you ask anyone around here, they'll tell you that perfection is exactly what I'm looking for

Ali's Other Photos