Lindenwood Magazine - Spring 2018: Connecting to Alumni and Friends

Lindenwood University ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 11 CAMPUS NEWS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT UPCOMING EVENTS LINDENWOOD SPORTS ALUMNI EVENTS AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES LINDENWOOD Spring 2018 What started out as a last-minute DIY project for her daughter’s baby photos has launched Lindenwood alumna Teneka Moore (’06) into the bright lights of Hollywood. In 2012, Moore glued some rhinestones to her daughter Taylor’s pacifier for a photoshoot. When Moore showed her friends the photos, they noticed the glittering pacifier and wanted their own blinged-out gear. That was the beginning of TaylorMade Bling Embellishments. Not long after, the requests started mounting and Moore graduated from Michael’s and Hobby Lobby to an official Swarovski crystal distributor. A special request in 2014 truly set this business administration and human resources graduate on her way to stardom. That order was for a crystallized Starbucks cup. Once the completed tumbler was posted on social media, Moore was flooded with requests for cups, including a request from Jennifer Lopez’s manicurist. She wanted to order a custom Starbucks cup for J. Lo’s birthday. The pop icon loved her cup and has been photographed with the Swarovski crystal-encrusted cup on numerous occasions. The cup’s popularity has led to a line of special-edition cups for the upcoming new season of Lopez’s show, World of Dance , starting this summer. “It’s so exciting to see my handiwork in front of big names and on World of Dance !” Moore said. “It’s nothing short of a blessing that people are as excited about the craft as I am.” When Moore puts her glue gun down, she picks up her full-time position as a recruiting manager at a local company, where she uses the education she gained during her undergraduate time at Lindenwood. As for her plans for the future, Moore hopes to continue growing her business while encouraging young female entrepreneurs to follow their passions. Those who want their own blinged-out gear may submit requests to TaylorMade Bling Embellishments at embellishme12@gmail.com . It’s so exciting to see my handiwork in front of big names and on World of Dance !” Teneka Moore “ ALL ABOUT THE BLING DIY PROJECT GROWS INTO VIRAL SENSATION by BAILEY KINNEY