Our Story
Many have messaged me and asked who are you? What are you all about? What's your passion? What's the story behind Kicking Cowgirl Designs?
Well since you asked.
My name is Kimberly Dawn. My birthday is April 12th and a real cowgirl never tells her true age, so that's all you're getting! Thanks to my U.S. Mama and my Newfoundland Canadian Daddy, I'm blessed with dual citizenship. That's another tidbit that has come in very handy for me over the years!
I have learned that living a dream, having goals and making them happen, can be a reality even when things get in the way. But that's when it starts to happen... don't let anyone or anything steal your dreams,your goals.
My dream has always been to go to Africa, even as a young child. At 14 I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. What the nurses told me was so deflating, They were screaming "no you can't, you won't be able to do this, you can't do that". All I heard from my nurses while in the hospital for 2 weeks, was a lot of NO's cant's, that won't happen, your life has forever changed and you will need to set new goals, new hopes, new dreams. What my diabetes doctor told me was LIVE YOUR LIFE! Take care of yourself, eat properly, sleep, exercise, take your insulin on time and you can live a fulfilled life. Guess what folks... Yes, I have diabetes, but diabetes DOES NOT have me!
You will often find me snuggled up with my little Morkie "Maui Baby"
chillaxing, watching my favorite movie "Sweet Home Alabama" or find me out at the barn with Romeo my Friday night date. Romeo is a 16.2 Hand Standard Thoroughbred .Many times I am with my brother Michael We are two peas in a pod. We do everything together. Very seldom will you find us without the other. We can sit down and play phase 10 for days. Or spending time at LPC. Another place of my youth, that had a huge impact on me. Who knows you may even find me downtown Toronto feeding the homeless. Or jumping out of a plane. Or bungee jumping in the Nile.
Why am I so Western when I grew up in Toronto? That's simple, it's in my DNA. Mama grew up on a hobby farm in Cowboy Central, in the Central Valley of California! At 16 mama was the LaGrange RODEO Princess. As a little girl living in the big city of Toronto I was fascinated with Mama's cowboy boots, spurs, belt buckle,
her western suits and matching hats. I still love looking at mama's Rodeo pictures, parades or even attending different events as a Rodeo Princess. Looking into her life has allowed me to dream... which is what this Company is all about. Dream up something unique and I will help you to create it.
Still reading? Let me share a few of my favourite things:
My favourite place to be in Canada is at the cottage laying on the dock
soaking in the rays. My favorite CFL team is the Argo's...Favorite Baseball team is the Toronto Blue Jays, and I can be found there, wearing my cowboy boots and cowboy hat. You will find me at least once a year attending a Leafs games. Country Concerts... oh yeah you will find me there too! My favorite food is Mexican, which is at its finest, in California. My favorite shoes... Cowboy boots no less. My favorite colour is Red... My favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11 - read it! It's a powerful promise!
My favorite place in the US is in Central California at Grandma's house. Spending time at Grandma's during Christmas and summer holidays has meant Cowboy boots, Rodeo's and spending time on different farms visiting family and friends.One of my favorite birthdays was just two years ago, at Grandma's going to the Oakdale Rodeo. I watched my first calf being born when I was 10, not only did I watch, I was even able to help pull the calf out. Yep my arms were all the way up there! When I went back to school and shared this story with my little classmates in Toronto, they were grossed out by it and the girls screamed with horror. I on the other hand was in awe of witnessing this great event and being part of it.
My favorite place on earth... ready for this. Africa!!!! Check out the "Africa Love" section to read more.
Why Kicking Cowgirl Designs aka KCD? Well, that is something that has been in the works for years. My family is in the T-shirt Apparel business. Daddy has been doing this before I was even a twinkle in his eye. Over the years, we have printed T'shirts, for Star Wars, Betty Boop, Garfield, Dog the Bounty Hunter just to name a few. A few years ago, my daddy and I started working on KCD and then we landed the Duck Commander Line for Canada and KCD was kicked to the back burner. In 2014 Daddy and I got very serious about it once again. We started on our artwork and designs and this time I decided to kick the can for real and go live in 2015. Why finally now in 2015! That's simple, it all started with a phone call saying, Kimberly we need you to come to Uganda in May of this year. We need help and
this is what we need here in Uganda. I thought how on earth am I supposed to fund all these needs. Then something started kicking around in my head... KICKING COWGIRL DESIGNS! I could sell shirts with a portion of the proceeds going directly to "WE" for Africa. That way not only am I a part of it, but the people buying KCD will be a part of it as well. We are all working in unity on this project.
So that explains KCD's and remember with each item you purchase a proceed will be going to "WE" to help others, it's not just about you and I.
Thanking you for reading my story and please keep looking for updates on KCD, myself and Africa.
I hope by reading this you can see where my heart is. I would love to hear from you as well, so please continue posting pictures on our Facebook and Instagram of YOUR STORY in our Kicking Cowgirl Designs gear.
Kimberly Dawn