I need to say a special thank you to my family, friends, customers, and fellow craft show cohorts … It's been a huge adjustment these past two years.  Losing Duane to that horrible disease and then refocusing my attention on our treasured handcrafted business has been the hardest thing I think I will ever have to do.  He is still here though among the angels we treasure, and forever in our hearts.  I thank you all for standing with me.   God Bless each of you!

Duane was active duty military when we moved from Michigan to Virginia Beach and, like many fellow navy wives I began teaching/working as the director of a local Day Care Center.

The transition to our wood crafting began one Christmas season as a means of making gifts for our family.  Kira, our niece, was given the very first piece, a "John Deere" green and yellow easel.  A few years later, our wooden "Snow Dollies" were scooped up and our first craft show followed shortly after.  Before I knew what was happening we sold everything, including all of our Christmas presents for the family that year.  Happily our hobbies were transforming into a business.

Initially named KADUBU, a blending of our names, (Kathryn, Duane, Burch) we began filling special orders for different products coming to us through consignment.  Duane continued turning out bowl racks, quilt ladders, cabinets and lamps of our own often teased me the "if it was standing still I would paint it."  It is still true today as I paint on whatever surface I can find including wood, paper mache3, glass, tin or anything else that strikes my fancy.

In 2001 we changed our name to The Cobbles Shop, Ltd.  Traveling to craft shows around the country, our wares were greeted with excitement and enthusiasm.  We loved seeing new places, meeting new vendors and greeting new customers as we watched our business blossom and grow.

When Duane returned to sea duty I became interested in "trash to treasure," a way of helping the environment by recycling other people's junk into functional pieces of art.  WE had everyone on the lookout for great old used merchandise that Duane could refurbish and I could paint in our Primitive Folk Art Style.  My Uncles keep me us well spupplie3d with coal for snowmen faces, my best friend Roxanne has a knack for finding that perfect piece and my mother has an eye for uncovering one more enamel pan in which to display my cookie cutters.  

God Bless You.

Kathryn