It started with boundless creativity, the spelling of a name, and a woman in love with nature.
This endless creativity is a trait that has been with me for as long as I can remember. Being surrounded with a family who embraced artistic abilities and continuously supported me throughout
There is always a moment in life when a wave of passion rushes over you as you’ve come across the one thing you know you want to do for the rest of your life. For me, it wasn’t just one single thing, but rather a path that would lead me on this incredible journey of helping others flourish and thrive. I credit my love and ever-growing talent of creativity to my family and my education. As far back as I can remember I have been drawn to design and art. From mini advertisements for make believe products to asking others, “what should I draw?” and then whipping up the first thing that came to mind. The dynamic pallet of wondrous ideas and a true love for imagineering new concepts have only grown stronger with time and a continued education.
Now the answer to the question we receive most often: What does “TenLeaf” mean? It’s simply based around the spelling of my name, Kristen, and my Grandmother’s love for God’s green earth. When I’m asked to spell my name I reply, “I’m a ‘ten’ not a ‘tin’.” Hence, the “ten” in “TenLeaf.” Now the same year I started this company was also the same year my Grandmother passed away. In her passing, I accepted several pieces of jewelry that were in the shape of a leaf. The pins I have serve as a reminder of those who have taught me throughout my life and what I have learned.
Although she taught me the importance of the English language; spelling, vocabulary, the basic necessities of a well educated individual, it’s ironic that what stands out to me the most is not her fondness of her favorite color, or how she was always in the kitchen baking mouth-watering desserts, but her love of nature. The weekends at Grandma’s were full of discovery. Playing in the woods, in the backyard under the apple trees, in the tree house my grandfather built for me, making “mud-pies” after a good rain, or making ice cream out of fresh snow, Cooking, She had more plants in her home than I could count, yet on Saturdays if I was at Grandma’s I would water the plants and wipe the dust from each individual leaf on every potted sprig and full-grown shrub. You would think because I handled them so much I would have been able to remember the number of plants, but to a ten year old, it was a jungle. So to me,