A Spirit of Exploration
My spirit of exploration started when I was about 5 years old on my family’s farm in western Kentucky. The youngest of five, I had 86 acres to roam, large oak trees to climb, and a lake to fish in. But my most vivid memory was one summer day when I decided to dig a tunnel to China. If everything went according to plan, I could slip away for adventures during the day and be home in time for dinner at night. Well, as you might expect those day trips to the Middle Kingdom never materialized, but my desire to explore never faded.
Shortly after graduating college with an accounting degree, I learned of a job opportunity which sounded both challenging and adventurous. It was quite unlike any work I had ever done, or for that matter, any work any other person I ever knew had done. This job allowed me to use my accounting skills to investigate white collar crimes.
A Flair for Fashion
During a 27 year career I travelled far and wide, from across the US, to the Far East, to remote islands in the South Pacific. I went scuba diving in paradises like Palau and Yap, and swam with whale sharks in Southern Leyte. I explored the religious monuments of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and rode horses across the grasslands of Inner Mongolia.
Wearable Beauty
Along the way I discovered, quite by chance, incredible pure cashmeres, shimmeringly beautiful silks, and breath-taking golden South Sea pearls. I, like most women, couldn’t afford all of these luxuries. But I learned you don’t need a closet full of luxury to set you apart. What you need are a few extra-special accessories of high quality, then everything you wear looks stunning.
What I didn’t realize as I journeyed through life and career was how well those chance encounters with some of Nature’s most alluring offspring was preparing me to do what I love most…exploring the world for wearable beauty.
Today, I am the proud owner of Cashmere & Pearls, a business designed to do just that. After all, if you can have only one scarf, it should be cashmere. If you can have only one necklace, it should be pearls.