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Show V TT B2 Wednesday, May 21,2003 Self-confiden- Emmiom creates national business ce By Maureen moihei ol six going to school lull tune, earning a degree on a full rule scholarship, and ending wiih a 1 75 CdA " Spencer Express Feature Writer was nol an idiot' Eyes flashing and head cocked, Robin OCiowley looks hack with I knew I May 21. Wed. O'Crowley. following Dana graduation, 10 a caieei year management began with VVal Mart. In three yeais, she and her family lived in Tennessee. Alabama. New Mexico. Tooele and Venial, Utah When the cmpoiale decision was made to send the laini ly to yet another location, Dana retired, choosing to not moe Irom 7, 353-417- 1. May22t rnurs. 1974. became the mother of twin girls Rachel and Rebecca. Tragically, Rebecca died ol Sudden Through the years, Rohm had dis coveted that she had an ability m decorative painting. While m ITovo, she studied with many ol the artists In 1975, she in 1975 and worked at a trout raising farm in Tennessee. Here, Joshua and Naomi joined the family, as did a second set of twins, Jessiciah and Jeremiah. In 082, Dana, Robin, and their five children headed back west, this time to Irovo and Danas renewed Bachelor Degree work in finance at Brigham Young University. Jacob was bom in Utah, shortly belore Rohm enrolled at Utah Valley Community College in 1985 seeking an Associate Degree in business. Hus mother of six was returning to college as a full time, year round business student! Robin worked part tune at a mall. the Dana was at teaching Missionary Training Center part time, and going to school full tune to complete Ins degree in finance. Babysitting was a carefully orchestrated dance of who was - home at what time,- and an occasional assignment of the chore to some of the older children. I low they studied remains a mystery. They both graduated with their degrees in 1987. Recalling their BYIJ years, Robin slows down her usual quick wilted and snappy speech, searching for just the right word. Life in Irovo was intense! An understatement hy tiny stan- dards. a Sampler" magame. In Vernal, she became acquainted Ailene and with Douglas Chnslenscn. Christensen's biother and Ins wile owned the highly recognized "Keeping Memones Alive" scrapbooking business which the industry recogmes as one ol the pioneers m memory book dealing. Robin attended an I.DS Womens Conference scrapbook class and her the interest blossomed. When her hie letail began Robin recently bought and opened her own retail business Robins appetite loi papas and supplies lead to liuslration "I just couldn't find the things (hat I liked," she recalls.-- as we' walk no her wholesale warehouse. That's when Robin beg;fn"flesign-inher own wholesale line ol paper At first, local punting outlets could meet her limited production demands, but cost on the bulk dial she needed for the national maiket she was beginning to tap, caused . g her to go to larger piniinig piesses in Price and along the Wasatch front. Hy now, Robin was confident in her own ideas. She lined a graphic designer to teach her how to devel- op her prototypes in vvalcrcolors. i S I'lu'ii'iiTlTiJ 781-013- Stacks M ,1m,' MMMwwMwymai MtkM Robin's original sticker designs await shipment around the u 6. Uii Granddaughter Chelsea shown in a patriotic theme, w y and then to use graphics programs on her computer to scan and adjust colois on her own. "I started with six designs using I i; Robin live colors," quickly 1 have 800 And now explains, pioducts of different types of Lpapa, vellym, ribbons, sjiersfbil slumped curdstock, die cuts..'! The " ' list gets longer. ?. ' y tryf 1 ? 01 z, 7 sunsets. When Robin and Dana went to Portugal to pick up son Jeremiah at the end of his LDS Mission, Robin The brothers recent reunion gave : Vs! May 23, Frl. t dif-leie- nt This is not a timid woman sharing her business growth. New additions to her inventory are specialty jxijtcrs from Italy, India and Taiwan. Leading the way thiough her warehouse, she enthusiastically holds up color coordinated papers, borders and sticker series that she has created to enhance the still growing demand for new ideas. "Here are the new dimensional looks, she says, thrusting a lightweight mesh that looks like a window screen into my hands, and continues with and the new glass beads and ribbons," another handful of creative potential comes my way. Somewhere in this blur of designing, Robin made the fateful decision to take a photography class through Utah State University Basin cam- 3. An informational meeting for livestock producers about the Nonfat Milk Program will be held at the Uintah County Extension office at 1 p.m.; phone,-7The meeting will include an important update regarding the liberalized interpretation of contracts to allow bartering. 8 WWT, really am a good photographer! Nol a brag, just fact. Her current line of 24 picture borders testily to her skills. When daughter Jessiciah married in Jamaica, it was mom who did the wedding photography stunning combining the bridal party with tropical backdrops, seashores and 1 of world. 1 Two of the O'Crowley brothers are serving in the Army at present. Robin a patriotic set of memory pages. 789-835- 11 pus. Robin's designs begin with her original watercolors. Her graphic arts skills let her customize color and placement until she is satisfied. TOTS meets in the Conference Room of the Vernal City Building, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, call Gwen Peterson at An open house is from 1 1 :30 am. to 12:30 ; . p.m. Vernal Rotary Club meets at noon in die 7-Ranch Cafe. Golden Age Center offers a low impact exercise class at 10:30 a.m. (Continued on all Tuesdays and Thursdays) Planting flowering .baskets and planter on Main St. and Volunteers Cobblerock Park, should contact Bloom Master at Trucks deliver full palettes of original papers and stickers for Robin to have prepared for shipments around the world. there, especially the gi lei! Hetty the tune the Headman. Hy O'Crowleys came to Venial, she had developed a furniture panning business maiketed in the "Cnuntiy Christensens olleied space, her business 3-- D D, Venial was pretty proud of myself 3-- 5, jierson.il rty. "I he doc k now began ticking until the business woild would begin to rccogme the name ol Robin Growing up in a military family. moved and Robin DeMmq.i freand lnends schools changed she Horn in Delaware, quently, school from in high graduated with mediocre grades Chicago Following high school, the petite, introverted teenager went to Ricks College m Idaho where she met Dana O'Crowley. They mairied in Infant Death Syndiome. The O'Crowleys left school Uintah County Library has story time on every Wednesday at 10:30 No kinderand 11:30 for ages summer. the session during garten Basin Barrel Series jackpot to be held at die Huffman arena in Ft Duchesne: Sign up by 6:30, run at 7 p.m. The barrel divisions are and Peewee. Youth Open 4-Come join die fun! For more information, contact Moreen at 646-339or Suzzanne at 722-58Marie at No longer quiet and mtroveiled. earning her Associates Degiee was the tinning point of her hie, and her justillahlc pride on the change college made in her public school evaluation of her self worth Robin's outburst is uncharacteristic and unexpected I Community CatenCar J Community dance at the Golden Age Center at 8:30 to 10:30 pm., every Friday, All ages are welcome Kay's Band provides the music, 155 S. 100 W Uintah ' Basin Motorsports Association will host a motocross faceat the Honda Hills btek. WtH be at 6:30' p.m, Sigri-iip- s (races and practice will be on Sal and Sun.) May 24, - Set ; Motocross race the Honda Hills track, hosted by the Uintah ' z' Basin , , Motorsports Association. Sign-up- s 6:30 - 8 a.m. Practice at 9 and racing at 10 am. (continued on Sunday, May 25th). c ts Most of her successful line of scrapbook papers begin in Robin's painting studio. i i Radio KVEL on Radio Reading at 6 pm. The secret word and the thawings for free books continue along with great stories for kids NOTE the day change for Reading " . Radio. f Golden Age Center offers a low impact exercise class at 10:30 a.m. (Continued on all Tuesdays and t:y270Ttss. f- - Robin's skilled photography has joined the inventory of unique scrapbooking supplies. Thnndays) feels that she got a little over zealous in picture taking she returned with 40 rolls of Film, some of which is not develojved yet. love architecture, cathedrals, carved stonework and jveasants...," I her voice trails off. just can that believe could build they hardly all that back then. Now perched on her stool in her painting studio, Robin reminisces that in the opening three years of her wholesale business, she travelled all over the country. She still attends the major artcraft trade shows with her products each year. Today, there are 65 sales representatives handling her lines and over 1,300 accounts in the United Slates, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, England, France and Australia. All of this beehive of production was being bandied out of the OCrowIcys Maeser home until she announced that she wanted her house back. Today, truckloads of paper are regularly delivered to her nearby warehouse. She has six employees. The Robin's Nest has joined other corporations finding international marketing from Vernal to be a very practical means of doing business. About five years ago, Dana survived a gruelling head-o- n automobile accident which required a long recovery. It was one month after he had stopped working for t, 1 and he was returning home with their first inventory load for their retail venture. Undaunted, Robin held on to hope I just for their future together. have always felt that the Lord is going to bless you," she quietly recalls. Daughter Rachel now lives in Salt Lake with her daughter. Josh is in the Army and lives in Alaska with his wife and three children. Naomi died when she was 8. Jeremiah is recently married and is serving in the Army in Germany. Jessiciah is in Delaware working as a registered nurse. Jacob recently returned to live in Vernal. The years have given Robin and Dana many unique memories, some pleasant, some devastating. Six years ago, Robin determined to get all of her scrapbook memories caught up. The woman who has become a mover and a shaker in the scrapbook industry lets a big smile cross her face as she bravely states, You have my jrermission to tell everyone...Im NOT caught up. The road to success hasnt been traveled without some serious sacrifice and heartache. But for the quiet little girt who wondered if she was smart, the journey so far has been well worth 1 it. Uintah Basin Chess Club meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Hall, Kingsbury Community Everyone it welcome to attend. ' Uintah County Library and the Robins , Nest will host Scrapbooking from 6:30 to 8 p.m. - V.y 2 Thurs. U2ATC graduation High School at 7 p.m. at Union May30,FrL Uintah High School Graduation at 5:33 ca the Football Field. Setksr cat 21 follow grad' uation. j ' J'jr.2 2, i Vocation Eihlc School for kids age 4 through 6th grade will be held at Grace Baptist Church, 3316 S. 2500 E., from 9 am. to noon. School will continue until June 6 2 7,$zt ) Jeste fcsse Scenario, a paint bail event, will be held at Massey $15, Meadow, ell day. Ec?y fc cc2 bye at L details. 729-40- 45 nr- frwn Ccx 1020, Crr.zll lzrO'or.zLccm or cal! Wal-Mar- TI mssu. POOR |