Here’s to you, #84

How a legacy made before me shaped who I am and the business I've built.

To most people, Bill Battle was #84, coach, and a longtime leader at the University of Alabama. To me, he was Craw.

He shaped me into who I am in more ways than he ever knew, and a little piece of Made by Mary Scott belongs to him.

Growing up with Craw
Some of my best childhood memories were on the Friday night dates he used to take my brother and me on. We would go eat dinner, go to Chuck-E-Cheese, or anywhere else the wind took us. Those moments were so fun, but they showed me that my grandfather was there for us in every season.

The start of my business
He was there for the big moments too. When I started Made by Mary Scott, Craw helped me open my first business bank account. He gave me entrepreneurial advice and made me feel like I could conquer the world. He was even the face of my very first gameday button. He was my rock, the person I could go to for anything.

What he taught me
He gave me guidance. He gave me a tough time sometimes. Then he never failed to tell me how proud he was of me and how much he loved me. I try to bring the same care to my work today: showing up, paying attention to the details, and making people feel like they matter.

Carrying his legacy
For the last three and a half years of his life, I lived close to him. That was the sweetest gift. I got to see him often, and those moments became the foundation of some of my most cherished memories. Craw passed away in November 2024. So many friends, family members, players and teammates shared how much of a light he was in their lives. That showed me that the biggest part of his legacy is how he treated people. I promise that my future family will know his stories, his wisdom, his humor, his kindness, and his strength.

I'm so thankful I grew up with Craw in my life. Everything I make, I make with a little of what he taught me.

From One Button to Made by Mary Scott

In the fall of 2021, I was a freshman at the University of Alabama with a great idea for a gameday button and a dorm room to make it in. I didn't have a business plan, a logo, or a brand name. I just wanted something that felt personal to wear on gameday.

That one button taught me something I still use in everything I make: people don't want something generic. They want something that feels like it was made for them.

Following what people asked for.
Once my friends saw the buttons, they started asking what else I could make. Could I paint a banner for a birthday? Design stickers for a party? Take photos at a graduation? Every "could you…?" became a new offering. Today Made by Mary Scott includes hand painted banners, custom party decor, photography, content creation for weddings and brands, and so much more.

What school added
I graduated in 2025 with a degree in Hospitality Management, with a concentration in Events. That degree taught me to think about the whole experience, not just one item. Now I'm finishing an MBA focused on digital and social marketing, so I'm learning how to help a brand tell its story, too.

What hasn't changed
Every project still starts the same way- with a conversation about what you're imagining. Then I design around it, sometimes a mockup first, and I make it by hand. Big idea or small detail, it should feel like yours.

More blessings than I could have planned
I never could have planned any of this. The Lord has blessed me with opportunities I would never have imagined when I made that first button, and with so many people I've met along the way: clients who trusted me with their weddings, graduations and celebrations, friends who cheered me on, and mentors who taught me. I don't take any of it for granted. Every order, every session and every "could you make this for me?" is a gift, and I want to do it with care.