FRENCH CAMP – Tucked away in a small room in her home on the campus of French Camp Academy, Tonya Barlow creates her monogrammed wooden and acrylic jewelry with some help from her family.
Containers of colorful beads and wooden chips can be found along with her engraving machine, where the necklace, bracelets and earrings are assembled.
“About a year and a half ago, I started monogramming wood,” Barlow, who started making jewelry several years ago, said.
The wooden and acrylic medallions and colorful beads used in necklaces and bracelets come in various shapes and sizes. The items are customized by the specification of the buyer.
Barlow is enjoying the success of her jewelry business but she says she keeps her priorities in line.
Barlow not only juggles her three sons, Kade, 6, Holt, 5, and Knox, 8 months, but she and her husband, Scott, are dorm parents to 11 teenage girls at FCA.
“We felt like the Lord was really leading us here” to be dorm parents, Barlow said. “That’s really a higher priority over the jewelry.”
Barlow said she is blessed to have a business that keeps her on her toes.
“It’s enough to keep me busy two to three days a week,” Barlow said. “I only work when my kids are in school from 8 to 3.”
Barlow said she was doing all the jewelry by herself but as business has grown her family has pitched in to help her.
Barlow and her sister, Tera Varner, have an assembly line of sorts in the workshop.
Her sister engraves while Barlow strings beads and attaches clasps.
After the orders are complete and placed in mailing envelopes, Barlow’s husband, Scott, picks them up and takes then to the post office.
“It’s a like a little factory,” Barlow said.
Barlow also does parties, where she shows her jewelry in homes and sells them to groups.
Her sister and mom, Denise McClurg, help out with the parties so that Barlow can spend time with her family and the dorm girls.
Even her dorm girls pitch in to help.
“At Christmas, I got really busy and had to get some helpers,” Barlow said. “I had to recruit a bunch of my girls and my family members just to get everything done in time.”
“As long as it’s not like that all the time I can handle it,” Barlow said. “It was crazy.”
She estimates at Christmas she did about 1,000 orders.
And the Web site, www.tonyabarlow.com, also brings the orders in.
Barlow said she has shipped to most of the Southeastern United States as well as New York and Wisconsin and hopes to reach all 50 states one day.
“My parents instilled in me a very good work ethic at a very young age,” Barlow said. “I think that’s why I can do it because I am very determined.”
Eleven stores carry Barlow’s jewelry, all are in Mississippi except for the one in Charleston, Mo.
Right now, Barlow is preparing for the Canton Flea Market. She said she plans to attend the Canton Flea Market twice and the Neshoba County Fair.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Leslie N. Dees
Barlow juggles family, dorm life and jewelry business at FCA home
- Local News
-
-
Water Alert Lifted
Possumneck - Carmack Water Association
-
Renovation begins
-
Veterans to be remembered at ‘Aisle’
Memorial Day will be highlighted Monday with the observance of the Aisle of Honor at Parkway Cemetery where 331 flags will be flown to honor deceased Veterans of Attala County.
-
Nail, Halderman qualify for race
Two have qualified with the Attala County Circuit Clerk Wanda Fancher for the office of Attala County Sheriff in the special election set this week for Nov. 6 by the board of supervisors.
-
Special election date set
Following the Attala Election Commission’s request to set the date for a special election, the Attala Board of Supervisors in its regular meeting on Monday morning set the date for Nov. 6.
-
Relay for Life brings in $50,000 despite rainy weather Friday
Closing ceremonies were held shortly after 5 o’clock Saturday morning at Hugh Ellard Park ending this year’s 12-hour Relay for Life , but not ending the drive for the American Cancer Society.
-
Classes of 2012 graduate Friday
Seniors at Kosciusko, Ethel, and McAdams High Schools will receive diplomas in final exercises Friday night beginning with Ethel at 6 o’clock, Kosciusko at 7, and McAdams at 8.
-
East wing of hospital opens to the public
The east win of Montfort Jones Memorial Hopsital opened May 11 after a short ribbon cutting and a few words were spoken by officials and community leaders.
-
Sniper rifle purchased for KPD
At the request of Kosciusko Police Chief R.J. Adams, the Kosciusko Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of a sniper rifle for the department during the May 1 board meeting.
-
City Arrests
The Kosciusko Police Department reports the following arrests:
– On Monday, James C. Erving, 60, was charged with disregard for traffic device, no proof of insurance and possession of liquor in a dry county on Highway 12 West by officer Jimmy Evans. - More Local News Headlines
-
Water Alert Lifted
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
Hurricane Forecast: 15 Named Storms Expected
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Search Intensifies for Missing Louisiana Woman
Bloomberg: Man Implicates Self in Etan Patz Case
NYPD: Person Implicated in Etan Patz Death
Raw Video: Fire on Nuke-powered Sub in Maine
Illegal Burn Suspected in Nevada Fire
Obama: 'We've Got More Work to Do'
Astrologers Predict Outcome of Presidential Race
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
FAMU Bandmates: Victim Volunteered to Be Hazed
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
Raw Video: Tornado Appears During Wedding
Raw Video: Passed Out Man Robbed
Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior
HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
