This business is a continuation of a business I had while living in Australia. We returned to the United States (our native land) in 1998, after living in Australia for 8 years. The business started in Australia towards the end of 1994, so, since returning to update this page is rare, I'll leave the math up to you.

Since returning from Australia, we have added items of more interest to Americans (it's such a relief to have customers who know what this stuff is). I am highly dedicated to delivering only the highest quality items out there. I am also drawn to seek out the hard to find items, and to create unique kits with economical quality always in mind. We are constantly adding new kits and supplies to satisfy your needs, so keep coming back to see all the continual changes we make.

Hello, my name is Kathy O'Connell. Just so you know, this information used to always be here before I updated the website to the new shopping system. I guess I just forgot to copy it over when I made all the other changes, so this is old news, but well worth keeping you informed of. I have always tried to maintain a personal touch with my customers and always intend to, and this page is one way for me to continue to do this.

For those who are curious, I will tell you a little of my family background. I was raised white, but have always carried the "memories" of my ancestors as well as many physical traits and, of course, the talent and love for crafts made in the old way. I do have some Irish and English blood as well, but have never felt any connection with them. It has always been my Indian heritage that makes me proud to be me. My family always thought we were of Cherokee decent, which may be possible since I found my Great Grandmothers full name in the Doyles Roll, but that same lady also told my uncle on her death bed another tribal name which he can not remember exactly. He said it started with an "O" and had a weird sound like it had a "J" in it somewhere. This, as well as the fact that our family is mostly from the Ohio area, leads me to believe we have at least some Ojibwa ancestors, or perhaps she was telling him a Tribal word instead of a word for her Nation. If it is important that I find all the answers to my exact heritage, then they will become available to me. But, in the meantime, please know that I am Indian in my heart and in at least a portion of my blood and I walk the "Red Road" to the best of my ability on a daily basis.

My hope for this site is that it will help my people in whatever way it presents itself. One way I know I am doing this so far is by sharing what I know through the FREE MEMBERSHIP area. The INSPIRATIONAL page also has links to other Indian artists to assist them in their craft. If you have any further ways you think this site may be able to help people, please feel free to contact me to let me know.

There has been a lot of people curious about the unpredictable family illness I felt I should inform my customers of due to the delay it was causing in getting orders out. First, I want to thank each of you who has expressed their condolances or who has sent us their prayers. We sincerely appreciate it very much. In return, I thought I owed you an update on where things are, as well as what it is basically about.
My husband was a 3-term volunteer in the Vietnam war as a Medic, a true hero. But he has paid for it ever since with PTSD, for starters. In these later years, the affects of Agent Orange and other war related influences has developed into several multi-layered ailments. I do not think I should go into the details of his ailments, since that is his personal business. But as my loyal customer, I feel I should inform you how this will affect this business, and thereby, how this will affect your orders placed with this business.
Even though these problems will never go away, we are learning how to level them out and make life manageable for us both. My work load has definitely increased, however, since I am having to take on responsibilities I used to be able to count on him for. Also, on occassion, I may have to drive him to doctors in Oklahoma City (100 mile drive) or elsewhere for tests. Furthermore, I used to be able to hire help for my business, which is not affordable anymore, at least not for now.
All this has resulted in processing orders in a different way. Rather than getting right on it and getting them out within a couple days of receiving them, I am processing numerous orders all at once in a couple of lots a week. This way, I can achieve more in less time. What this means to you, is how long it will take to receive your order depends on when you place it, as well as what you order. Mail usually goes out on Tuesday or Wednesday and Friday, but does NOT include orders placed on that day or even the day before. For example, if you place your order on a Thursday, it will probably go in the mail the following Tuesday or Wednesday and take about 3 business days to reach you. Orders placed Sunday will usually also go out on the same day as those placed on Thursday, so those orders are received quicker than the orders placed 3 days earlier. Also, some orders could get pushed to the next shipment day when packing or assembly of ordered items is required. I do those orders last so that most people will get their orders quicker.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are in need of something quickly, please let me know by leaving me a note in the COMMENTS field when checking out. I always try to put priorities at the top of my pile, and that includes orders requiring packing and/or assembly. Again, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patience and understanding, as well as for your support as a loyal customer.