Kelly Lightfoot cherishes acting upon her creative, giving spirit! She and her husband Andrew started Matchstick Websites eight years ago. Together they build websites. Kelly launched her own company, Ampersand in 2009, to offer clients branding and graphic design, not long after graduating from UCM and working for a boutique design firm in Kansas City.
“Andrew decided to leave his corporate software job, teach himself WordPress and we were off!” Kelly explained. “We build a handful of new sites yearly and manage nearly 40 websites monthly. We like to say we ‘build simple sites that burn bright.’ In fact, this year we won our second Philly Award through Non-Profit Connect for the Youth Volunteer Corp site we built.”
Her passion for creating jewelry was a natural extension of her life hobbies, including watercolor painting, scrapbooking and knitting. So, when she picked up a DIY clay earring kit in the spring of 2022, she found her niche! She loved it so much she bought more clay, made more earrings and soon had over 100 pairs.
“Friends offered to buy them, so I decided to host a trunk show at my house. It astounded me that I was making art and able to sell it!” she smiled. “I couldn’t figure out how my new venture fit into my business, and while praying one morning I sensed God saying, ‘I will provide for your needs through Matchstick, and I want you to give all the profits from The Lightfoot Collection away.’ This was such an eloquent solution because it allowed me to pursue the joy of creating art while supporting non-profits, both locally and abroad.”
Since January 2023, they have donated every dollar of profit to charities…$17,478.22! The valued organizations receiving support include foster families in KC through Foster Light, Bible translation in Papua New Guinea through Wycliff, young women facing unplanned pregnancies through Resource Health, refugee families in the urban core through Agape Pamoja and several other organizations.
The Lightfoot Collection has harnessed the power of generosity allowing hundreds to be a part of giving, while also enjoying locally handmade earrings. Every pair is a tiny work of art.
Her earrings are crafted with polymer clay, and she uses tools like tiny cookie cutters, and then bakes them in her toaster oven. No two are identical, with colorful designs and themes.
“Moving into 2024, my focus is on small pop-up shows hosted by local businesses. When I’m able to ‘pop in’ to a corporate office or small business, everyone there gets the convenience of shopping while knowing their purchases are going right back to help their neighbors in need,” she expressed. “We also sell online.”
She and Andrew met at a local Lee’s Summit church 14 years ago and she expressed her love of working together with him, her best friend. Their daughter Mae is seven and the constant spark in their days, adding, “She loves to make her own earrings alongside me, and we see her creativity exuded in her silly, made-up songs, spontaneous dance moves and humor!”
Visit thelightfootcollection.com, matchstickwebsites.com for more information. For regular promotions and pop-up show info via text, text EARRINGS to 816-494-2333.
