Fort Worth Influencer Tapped by Ceramics Force MacKenzie-Childs to Design Dreamy New Collection — Katey McFarlan Jumps Right In

If you’re into home decor and ceramics, you may already be a fan of MacKenzie-Childs’ bold designs. Based in Aurora, New York, the company has been designing and manufacturing hand-decorated ceramic and enamel tableware, furniture and home and garden accessories for more than 40 years. The pieces — especially the hand-painted checkerboard patterns, some with ruffly edges — are whimsical and eminently giftable. Now, for the first time ever the highly collected ceramics brand is teaming up with a Fort Worth tastemaker and influencer to spin off its inaugural capsule collection.

The exclusive new MacKenzie-Childs x Katey McFarlan Ceramic Collection launches this week. The first three items include a bud vase ($148), a spoon rest ($88) and a berry bowl ($78). They will be available for purchase beginning this Tuesday, September 12 on the MacKenzie-Childs website and in its Aurora, New York retail store.

Katey McFarlan is the Fort Worth-based blogger behind Chronicles of Frivolity (COF for short). This is the first limited-edition ceramic collection created outside of the MacKenzie-Childs design family and it appears to be a match made in heaven.

“It was really a dream come true meeting (MacKenzie-Childs creative director and chief business officer) Rebecca Proctor,” McFarlan tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “For me, your home is so important.

“It’s been a back-and-forth process, designing this inaugural capsule collection. It kind of feels like Christmas. I’m so excited.”

“The hope is that this collection will get expanded in coming years, so people can add to it over time,” Little Voice PR spokesperson Ali Karsch says. She calls the collection a perfect fit.

McFarlan launched her COF blog back in 2016. Later, she attended Camp MacKenzie-Childs in Aurora in 2018. That event lets personalities and influencers get a behind-the-scenes tour of the MacKenzie-Childs design process.

“The Capsule Collection series is a celebration of artistic collaboration, storytelling and exceptional design, and it’s an honor for us to introduce the series with Katey McFarlan, a lifelong supporter of the brand,” Proctor says in a statement.

McFarlan’s love for MacKenize-Childs dates back to her childhood. Her dad started giving her mom one of MacKenzie-Childs’ piece every year for Christmas and as she watched that collection grow, so did her admiration for the brand’s iconic craftsmanship.

Katey McFarlan’s Inspiration

Before seeing her pieces brought to life by the artists at MacKenzie-Childs’ New York factory, McFarlan began by exploring the possibilities and working with her sister Kirsten, who is a graphic designer, on the initial sketches.

The colors were chosen a bit by crowd sourcing, with McFarlan asking her followers to share the colors they cherished the most. You’ll notice three distinct colors the most ― pink, green and blue.

“We used a newer sponge painting technique (which reminds me of my own children), along with traditional checks,” McFarlan notes. “I incorporated lattice in the design. A nod to my children’s flower garden, as well as my mother and both of my grandmothers’ love of gardening.

“The women in my life gave me a love of home and hosting. And all of my blogs include a butterfly. I see it as a symbol of my children growing and spreading their wings.”

Each piece is not only beautiful, it’s functional. In the coming months, McFarlan plans to decorate using the pieces on her own blog, to show how versatile they are. The bud vase can hold more than just flowers. Think paintbrushes or pencils. The berry bowl can store bracelets or makeup too. After years of shopping and collecting MacKenzie-Childs, Katey McFarlan is thrilled to offer a new set for fans to build their own collections around.

“Each silhouette is representative of memories with my mom Gigi and my grandmothers Meme and Nana,” she says. “I’m excited to see how my readers confidently and thoughtfully add the pieces to their space.”

The collection is now available to purchase. Collectors can choose from the bud vase, the spoon rest, or the berry bowl. It’s also available as a three-piece set for $298.

With any luck, more special pieces with a Fort Worth touch will follow.