The 5Ws

I'm Kylie. I grew up here in the 77084 zip code. I graduated in 2004 (are you already doing the math on my age?) with hopes of going to school to be an early childhood teacher. My plans changed when I made the decision to go into our family logistics business, but I eventually made it back to the whole working with kids.

I am married to Mark, mom to three kids ages 5-11 and I jumped into the homeschooling world about a year and a half ago. It was not something I had planned on doing, but after a series of happenings, we made the decision together as a family. I have honestly loved homeschooling. The ease of scheduling, the freedom to teach different levels of subjects to each child and also make memories in between. Some people will understand it, but some will think I'm nuts.

But as I have grown into the person I am today, I have learned how important it is to not judge someone by their choices. I am so grateful that we have all choices when it comes to our kids. While some thrive in certain scenarios, others don't. While some families live to a certain schedule, others can't.

You do you. But with kindness and grace.

What the heck am I doing here? It seems like a lot sometimes.

I slowly began creating the concept of Doodle's Creative Studio after homeschooling for a few months. My dining room table and playroom was becoming a collective of things, especially when we jumped into any type of art or craft. Naturally, I am a tidy person, and yes there is a difference between tidy and clean. I wish I enjoyed cleaning more sometimes! I thrive when things are in their place, but I also saw how much joy my kids were having when they were creating. I worked really hard at learning to let go of tidy, but ultimately it continued to weigh on my mind. I thought, if it was weighing on my mind, it must be on others too.

I started out selling homemade playdoh mats, beaded bracelets and little art kits to build a foundation for a new business, not knowing where it would take me. And honestly, it didn't take me very far, financially. However, it continued to grow in my heart (and my daughter's).

I explored the idea of renting our neighborhood recreation center for sessions. While this was possible, it was very difficult to find a consistent schedule and availability, along with a lot of red tape when it comes to conducting business and what not. We even held an open house at our recreation center. It was a blast. We had a great turn out, many friends and family, as well as a few newcomers came to let their kids create.

I ultimately made a huge decision. I was going to find a way to open a studio of my own. I have dabbled in various ways to make money on the side throughout motherhood, but nothing like this. It was a very scary decision, and I am still scared every day. I took a huge risk for my family, as well as myself.

On March 1st, I got the key to our studio. We spent the first few weeks trying to get everything set into motion. We added tables and chairs, some acoustic tiling to the walls, desks and printer, sofas for the parent lounge, etc. Slowly but surely it came together into something I am super proud of.

Today, we offer creative hours for kids in the area. They are super casual, low commitment opportunities for your kids to get creative at our art table. In addition to this, I have opened up Friday's for other homeschoolers to come in and be a part of our program. We blend reading with arts and crafts (our original motto!). We also expanded to offer opportunities for the adults to create. We have a monthly book club, craft & chat sessions and even scrapbooking.

It is a slow grow, but it is growing.

We are nestled right in between the Katy, Bear Creek and Cypress area. We are technically Houston, but are zoned to Katy ISD and Cypress is just a few lights away.

Our location is unique because we are tucked away in a small area, close to home for many. You often have to go on up to the highway 6 area or further into Katy or Cypress to find a creative outlet for your kids.

We are in located in a suite among some business center buildings. It is a smaller, cozy space that is perfect for our goal: inviting small groups of kids in to create. We cap all of our children's sessions at 8, to keep the [organized] chaos minimal and the experience maximum.

We have an art room, a reading room, a small kitchenette and a parent room. When you pull into the parking lot, we are in the first building on your left, Suite D. We hope to see you one day.

When is this for you? We offer creative hours for children aged 3-12, as well as opportunities for adults to connect. So ultimately, we have something for you!

Creative hours are currently offered Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings. This may change as the impending school year evolves, but we will always make time for Saturday classes and after school sessions as we learn more about our customers availability.

Our homeschool program has two different ages groups and both sessions are offered on Friday's. Friday's tend to be the day that has worked for most of our families.

Our adult programs take place in the evenings, mostly during the week, to avoid interrupting any weekend plans.

You can find all of our available sessions and times on our website.

Ay, this is a big one. It is multi-tiered too.

1) My kids. They deserve it all. They deserve something to be proud of, and a mom that dreams. If I have learned anything from homeschooling, it is that they are always watching and listening. We were going to build a business together, as a family. They were going to see the ups and downs and of course become a part of something bigger.

2) Financially. Yes, I hope to be able to turn this into an actual business that could make money for my family. This, however, is going to be much harder than the previous. I continue to work hard and make the best choices I can, but it is a slow grow.

3) Me. As a mom of three, it has been a long time since I have done something for myself. It's hard to dream when you're a mom. You set aside "you," sometimes. Unintentionally, but it is natural. I slowly started realizing over time that I wasn't as happy as I could be (and hoped to be). I decided it was time for me to move on from choosing one or the other. I made it my goal to try and have both.