Attic Babies ~ Threadie Hettie

DRUMRIGHT Marty Maschino's formula for success is a mixture of self-confidence, perseverance and a positive attitude.

Maschino, who has been named Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Oklahoma by the U.S. Small Business Administration, is owner and manager of Attic Babies Inc., a company that manufactures fabric dolls and decorative wood items which she designs.

The value of hard work and a positive attitude came to her at a very early age, Maschino said.

"My mother died when I was 5, and for about three years, I was raised by a very caring Scottish aunt who believed you could do whatever you wanted to and that nothing could get in your way if you really wanted to do it," she said.

"Later, I went back to live with my dad. He had never remarried, and I had a younger sister, so I started taking care of a house when I was in fourth grade. When people talk about overcoming adversity, I don't know what adversity means. To me, anything that happened, happened things weren't problems, just day-to-day living."

Maschino's professional success didn't happen overnight. She had a 19-year history of selling her designs at craft fairs.

"When my husband went into military service, I kind of wanted something to fill my time on weekends. That was when craft shows were just getting popular," she said. "The first things I made were from painted, antiqued pieces of wood, cardboard paper towel spools, papier mâché and dried flowers.

"I made about 25 items, took them to a craft show and people just jumped at them. I made $52 in two days, which wasn't bad back then. I enjoyed the show and being out among people, too. From then on, I was bitten by the craft festival bug."

Maschino continued to frequent craft shows, coming up with a new design about every six months. During this time, she also was working, keeping house and raising a family.

The idea for Attic Babies developed after she and her family moved to the Cushing area in 1985.

"I was starting to go to shows almost every weekend, and I needed something I could carry around easily, because I was pregnant with my fourth child," she said.

"Fabric has always been easy to work with and easy to move around.

I had been selling to the public for a long time, and I knew what they liked. And of course, I had been making dolls for years. I wanted something that looked old, something that looked like it had been loved and cared for. That's how the idea for Attic Babies developed."

Her big breakthrough came when a representative took several of her Attic Babies to the Dallas gift market, Maschino said.

"I knew the wholesale markets were good if you had a good idea, but I didn't dream we'd do as well as we did," she said. "Our first market made $15,000 in three days for an unknown person, that's not bad."

The product also has changed. Since Maggie May, the first simple rag doll, Attic Babies have become much more intricate.

All the dolls, which are considered decorative items rather than toys, are hand-made and stained to create an antique appearance. The overall effect is a worn, tattered look that hints at decades of storage in an old trunk.

Each baby is dressed differently and christened with a name like Sweet Emaline, Tilly Toodles, Granny Grunt, Sassy Cassy or Yankee Doodle Debbie. They range from 12 inches to life-size.

Maschino's products have grown to include wooden Attic Babies, whimsical stuffed animals and dozens of props, such as rocking horses, chairs and sleds. Her next addition will be a cosmetic line, which will include items like bubble bath, toothpaste and moisturizing cream.

Her family has increased, too. She is now the mother of five, but she still takes everything in stride. And her success formula actually has one other ingredient.

"When you love what you do," she said, "that's when you're successful."