Customized Creations was founded in 1988.
While coaching my daughter's
soccer team, I decided soccer name buttons would make great end-of-the-season
gifts. Unfortunately, the least expensive supplier I found wanted almost $7.00 each
for buttons with individual
names.
With sixteen girls on the team, that was just over $100 for end-of-the-season
gifts - a bit rich for my blood.
Then a guy set me up with a button machine and a bunch of button parts.
The next thing you know, the girls on the soccer team are yelling "Thank you
Mr. Fish," and I've got a part-time home business where I make (and sometimes
sell) buttons.
About
ten years later,
my wife's multiple sclerosis reached a point where she couldn't be
left alone for more than a few hours at a time. To care for her and
and also try to keep our creditors happy, our family decided to make Customized
Creations a full-time business and our sole source of income.
That's Paula in
the picture on the right.
This shouldn't be considered an endorsement by anyone on the list,
but our satisfied customers (many of whom have been repeat customers
for many years) include companies like Arthur Andersen, CNN, Golden
Books, HBO, Lockheed Martin,
Missouri House of Representatives, Old Navy, St. Jude Medical Center, the US
Navy, U.S. Space Camp, hundreds of reunion committees, and thousands of individuals.
Paula had a chronic-progressive form of multiple sclerosis. As we
worked to build Customized Creations, Paula's physical and mental condition
slowly and steadily deteriorated. While the disease kept her from doing
things the rest of us take for granted (like standing, walking, writing,
and reading), it didn''t affected her spirit or her attitude - day in and
day out, Paula had an upbeat, positive outlook on life.
We live in central Ohio. Paula and I both graduated from Whitehall
Yearling High School in 1971. While we weren't "high school
sweethearts," we
did go to the senior prom together. Paula attended Marshall University
for a couple of years before transferring to the X-ray technology school
of Riverside Hospital
here in Columbus. I went to Ohio State University.
Paula
and I married in 1974. We have three wonderful kids, Chris, Brian and Sarah. The
picture of them on the left is from a long, long time ago... probably 1984. Cute
kids, huh? They take after their mom in that department.
I'd post the kids' ages here, but then I'd have to remember to update
this page every time one of them had a birthday.
To make things as simple as
possible for me,
if you're really interested in their current ages you'll need to do
a wee bit of math and subtract their birth years from the current year. Chris was
born
in 1977, Brian in 1978, and Sarah was born in 1980.
The picture below was taken in 2002 at my mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary
part. The picture includes Chris' wife, Carrie (in the blue dress, standing between
me and Chris), and Sarah's fiancee, TJ (standing on the far left, next to Sarah).
That is Brian on the far right and Paula in the front row.
Paula looks a bit tired
because the picture was taken shortly after Chris and Carrie wheeled
her out on the dance floor and danced a significant part of the night away.
Paula died suddenly and unexpectedly in February, 2003
- two days after her 50th birthday. To say she is sorely missed doesn't even
come close to conveying
how we feel about losing her. After much thought and consideration, I've decided
to continue operating Customized Creations. You can find more information about
Paula at www.PaulaFish.com
Welp, that's probably way more than you cared to know about our family
business. If
you're a real glutton for punishment and want to see even more info about us.
wander on over to my personal web site, www.robfish.com
I hope you enjoy your visit to our web site. Both my mortgage
company and I will be very happy if you find some stuff to order.
If you have any questions or are looking for something you can't find on the
site, please either scroll down
and click on the "Contact Us" link or give me a call. If you hear the
pitter patter of little kids in the background, it'll be the grandkids
keeping us company while we work.
Have a GREAT day!
Rob
