By Tiffany Pryce TIFFANY PRYCE – STAR Writer
When Kay-Ann Lindsay walked the halls of Garvey Maceo High School in Clarendon, she pictured her gifted hands preparing the dearly departed for their final goodbye.
But destiny had other plans, leading her to trade in cold marble tables for sewing machines and vibrant balloon garlands that breathe joy into the living.
“While I was in high school I wanted to be a mortician,” Lindsay shared with a laugh. “But after leaving school, my parents didn’t have financial support to send me to college. So I was sent to the Vere Technical High School to do other subjects, and that’s where I learnt the skill of fashion designing.”
Born at Lionel Town Hospital and raised in Salt River, Clarendon, Lindsay’s creativity bloomed when life forced her to pivot.
“I went to a HEART school where I did a level one course in fashion designing, after which I took off individually, doing my thing, bettering the craft. I made all types of fashion pieces, dresses, bikinis, or anything a client would request,” she explained. Yet her journey didn’t stop there.
“It’s years after, at home, I realised that I had a liking for balloons for decorating,” she recalled. Family birthdays became her training ground, where she honed her signature style of fabric drapes and balloon artistry.
“By practising, that is how I become talented in the field,” she said. Despite not becoming a mortician, Lindsay has no regrets.
“I love what I do and I realise that I have a passion for it. So I have no regrets so far,” she declared. Her business, Kay’s Lux Decor, now transforms birthdays, funerals, and baby showers into unforgettable experiences.
“A birthday is the day when you were established on this Earth. I believe it should stand out differently from every other occasion in your life. So I hold birthdays very dearly to my heart,” she shared. Still, the road isn’t always smooth.
“Most of the challenges that I have experienced as a seamstress is that like for graduations and specific occasions, I realised that I have less customers now because persons are shopping online,” she admitted. “For decor, one can get ready-made things, but I bring personalisation and life to any event I work on. It’s easy to get common decor online but it’s better when the scenery is altered to the preference of the client.” Supply issues in Jamaica can also be a hurdle.
“Jamaica doesn’t have all the items that customers need. But I always tell customers, if they know that they have an event coming up, like, prior a month, let me know so that I can order things online,” she advised.
Despite rising costs, she strives to keep prices fair, but admitted that it depends on what the customer needs.
“Balloon garlands are charged by the feet, so the specific balloon stands are at different price ranges. I believe that my prices are affordable,” she said. Clarendon may be her home base, but Lindsay also takes her services on the road.
“I enjoy what I do, so different people who have different requests, I am always open to bringing it to life,” she said.
“I didn’t have any doubts when I started out the business because I have a passion for it and decor is very demanding. I show my work on TikTok and Facebook and people find me there so the opportunity to create a clientele is there.”
She encouraged others with skilful hands who might struggle to turn talent into businesses to continue working and believing in themselves.
“If I know that a family member is having a birthday, I would make myself available to volunteer just to get my work out there, whether it’s a paying job or not,” she said.