Meet the Cottrill Family
Kat + Matt
From highschool sweethearts to parents of twins and now business partners, With Love and Grace was born out of Kat's love of pretty things and crafting. Frustrated by the endless hunt for the perfect hair accessory that never quite hit the mark—and the mounting costs—she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Carefully crafted in New Hamburg, Ontario, we meticulously handcraft each of our bows, bow ties, snap clips, headbands and scrunchies with boundless love and an eye for detail. What started as Kat's solo venture quickly blossomed into a true family business, with Matt diving in to help source materials, create designs, and package our lovely products.
Together, we’re more than just business partners; we’re a family dedicated to bringing accessories into your life that allow you to showcase your distinct personality at an affordable price. From our hearts to your hands, every piece is made with love and grace.
The inspirations behind With Love and Grace
Our little 'Gracie Bee' and 'No-No'
Our Purpose
Aside from wanting to provide you with affordable and stylish accessories for you and the littles in your life, we're big advocates for giving back whenever we can.
Every purchase gives back.
Because of the endless appreciation and support we have for the following two organizations:
10% of all sales will be donated to the Stratford General Hospital Special Care Nursery and the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation.
Read the full story of our "why" below.
Our 'Why'
At just over 35 weeks, Kat underwent an emergency c-section due to her preeclampsia and delivered Noah and Grace a month prematurely. Thankfully, Noah and Grace had minor complications, and spent mere days in the Stratford Special Care Nursery, but some parents aren't quite as fortunate. Noah and Grace were amongst two other sets of twins, and multiple singletons in a completely full nursery. The care we received while there was still beyond anything we could have imagined. The staff was attentive and incredibly kind while juggling a number of little ones in need of special care. The Special Care Nursery and the staff at the Stratford General Hospital will always have a special place in our hearts.
35 weeks may not feel 'early' or 'that preemie' - please never say that to a NICU/Preemie parent - but it is. As first time parents, we can't begin to tell you how difficult it was to watch our friends with children born days or weeks after our twins (though full-term or even over-due) hit milestones over a month before Noah and Grace. Developmentally, they were a month behind, and it weighed incredibly heavy on our hearts in the early months. After Noah had some health scares at 6 months old, the paediatrician assigned to his admittance told us that Noah need a cranial remodelling helmet. Because of multiple factors including being twins born prematurely, Noah and Grace both developed severe plageocephaly, and brachycephaly - they spent 6-12 months in fancy cranial remodelling helmets. This was another moment when Kat beat herself up about 'what could I have done differently?' ... the answer? Nothing. With a lot of support (and research to understand their situation better) we were able to stop treating their delayed development and helmet journeys as moments of heartache and failure, and focus on the little miracles they are, the wins they have every day, and how lucky we are to have our 'twinkies' in our lives. Now, our little 3-year olds are running with the pack and just as wild as all the other 3-year old preschoolers!