Interview - CandyDoll Couture

Dotted with Hearts got to interview the very talented Emma of

Candy Doll Couture!

Q. Tell us a little about yourself and CandyDoll Couture

Hi! I'm Emma, owner of CandyDoll Couture. I am 23 years old and love anything Kawaii! I have always had an interest in arts and crafts ever since I was a little girl and decided to study Art and Design at college. I then went onto studying Textiles which is where I found my love for sewing and print! When I was 17 I started buying in band t-shirts and reconstructing them into cute dresses and tops with contrasting fabrics. I then moved onto Jewellery making. I found out about Fimo (Polymer clay) and discovered all the amazing things you could do with it which is where I began to come up with quirky, colourful charms and pendants.
I started CandyDoll Couture officially in 2008 on Etsy.com. I felt there was a gap in the market in the UK for Kawaii and Lolita jewellery and decided to come up with pieces that were inspired from childhood characters such as Hello Kitty and Barbie. I then started sourcing charms from Japan and China, mixing these with kitsch and handmade charms made by me. In 2009 I decided to leave Etsy and set up my dot com. Etsy is a great place to showcase your creations and find unique items but I felt that I wanted to take my business further and be in complete control of my website.

Q. Where in the world are you based?

I live in the North East of England, dreaming of one day moving to New York!

Q. What made you get into crafting?

My grandmother is a knitter and seamstress so I was brought up with the crafts. I used to sit with her and make plush toys and miniature clothes for my Barbies. I also loved drawing and would constantly make cards for my family members! Then, when I was at college I had the best Art tutor. She always encouraged me to push the boundaries and try new things. She really helped me to discover what it was I really wanted to do.

Q. What are your favourite items to make? Do you make custom pieces?

My favourite items to make are the fimo food such as the Marshmallow charm bracelet and glittery Cupcake bracelets. I also love making little purses, which I have recently started adding to the site! I plan to make some make-up bags and Ipod cases also.

Q. What are your most popular items?

The rainbow and clouds kawaii felt brooch is very popular, along with the dead bunny phone charm. My cute greetings cards are also popular at craft fairs!

Q. Do you wear your pieces yourself?

I do. I tend to make things and then decide I must keep this one, and that one, as I love them so much! I normally wear my hair clips and bracelets.

Q. Who or what is your inspiration?

Japanese street fashion is my main inspiration. I love all the different styles such as Decora, Lolita, Visual Kei etc. I love the FRUiTS books by Shoichi Aoki and also the Gothic and Lolita Bibles. My favourite designers are Betsey Johnson and Tarina Tarantino. I also love Doe Deere (aka LimeCrime) and Shrinkle too!

Q. Do you have any advice or tips for anyone else thinking about selling there own crafts?

All I would say is just to follow your heart and do what you love. The best thing to do as well if you are selling your crafts online is to build up a network and promote, promote, promote your wares! Carry your business cards with you everywhere, you never know who you might meet!

Q. Where would you like to see yourself in five years time?

I would love to eventually sell my screen printed fabric and t-shirts, stock my items in various boutiques and open my own bricks and mortar shop!

You can find Candy Doll Couture on the following sites...

http://www.candydollcouture.com

http://www.candydollcouture.blogspot.com

http://www.twitter.com/candydollshop

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/CandyDoll-Couture/183514012429

Interview - Lily's Emporium

Interview with Lily of Lily's Emporium!

Q. Tell us a little about you and Lily's Emporium

I myself am Lily, a girl that doesn't take anything seriously! I established Lily's Emporium in January 2010 when I finally plucked up the courage to spread my work across the web. I make anything! Jewellery, hats, cuffs, pillows, paintings, cosplay costumes and accessories... people ask me to make stuff and I try to make it for them!

Q. Where in the world are you based?

I'm based in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. I'm a city girl!

Q. What made you start crafting and making jewellery?

I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. When I was really young I'd rip up my Barbie's old clothes then sew parts together and make them new outfits. I only recently started making jewellery this year, but I've been sewing and knitting since as far back as I can remember. I love it, it's something I can get lost in and just forget about the world for a while.

Q. What are your favourite pieces to make?

I love making jewellery that I've always wanted to see! I can remember searching everywhere for a Pokemon necklace and when I started the Emporium I was like, "you know what, I'll make it for myself!!". Necklaces are my favourite items to make, although I love making new rings and hats too!

Q. What are your most popular items on your website?

My pikachu hats! They're cheap, good quality and are SO comfortable, I've just sold my last one again; this is the third batch of them! Another thing I've always wanted yet never found one I liked until I made it!

Q. Who or what is your inspiration?

I take inspiration from everything, mostly things I loved during my childhood. I get epiphanies when I'm talking to people and I'll say, "hold on, I just had a great idea...". Even whilst writing this I just had an amazing idea for a set of necklaces! I'm a total geek so I get inspiration from all the geeky little things I like. My main inspirations are my two passions in life: science and animals! I love the Japanese pop culture too, a lot of stuff inspired by these things are coming soon!

Q. Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time?

I'd like to be a bit more established in the crafting industry. As much as I love it, I never want it to be a full time job, it would take all the fun out of it. I want to be a scientist, but I'd never give up crafting for the world! It earns me some extra money during the summer and keeps me occupied when I'm bored! I love what my little hobby has become and I can't wait for it to grow, I want people to adore my jewellery and anticipate new creations from me. My greatest ambition for Lily's Emporium would be to have cute little high street boutiques stocking my jewellery or maybe even a shop of my own, but a girl can dream for the time being right?

You can find Lily's Emporium at...
Myspace - www.myspace.com/LilysEmporium
Etsy - www.lilysemporium.etsy.com
Blog - www.lilysemporiumofficial.blogspot.com
Bebo - www.bebo.com/LilysEmporium
Twitter - www.twitter.com/Lily_Lestrange

Interview - Temporary:Secretary

Dotted with Hearts got to interview Temporary:Secretary!

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself and Temporary:Secretary -

Temporary:Secretary (http://www.temporary-secretary.com/) started in early 2008. We have grown a lot as a brand since then. I began making things for friends and family. Then I sold a few pieces on eBay. I notched up a website by myself and decide to create a brand that would offer something special without the designer price tag. It is affordable yet exclusive. We produce things in small quantities, therefore, a slim chance that you will see someone else wearing the same jewellery. We want to make people feel like they own something special and unique, but also fashionable and wearable. We offer a huge range of styles, so there is something for everyone. The difference between shopping at Temporary:Secretary and the average high street is the experience. With every parcel we send out, we guarantee that the person that receives it will feel like it's Christmas! We adore our customers, every single one of them. Everything is gift wrapped; it is the personal touches that you don't get with high street.



Q. Where in the world are you based?

Temporary:Secretary started in Newcastle. That is where I went to uni at. I loved it. But at the moment, I am back in a little town in the north that I call home. It has a castle and a river, lots of charity shops and lots of cobbles! (Which is almost impossible to walk on if you're wearing heels!) An interesting fact for you is that Lewis Caroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, attended school here in Richmond in the 1840's. The school building is still used. It's very Gothic and the playground is the shape of a coffin. Very bizarre.


Q. What was it that made you start producing jewellery?

Temporary:Secretary was created shortly after I completed an internship at a fashion and accessories company. I studied Fashion Marketing at University and had always thought that once I graduated, I would try to get a job with a big snazzy fashion brand. I also studied fashion at college so for the total of six year, I did a lot of designing, pattern cutting, illustrating, styling, sewing - some examples of my work are on the blog. I love fashion in every way and I wouldn't have had it any other way! So anyway, I had a few work placements and it made me take my head out of the clouds to realise what I could learn about myself and what was really right for me. Because I had started the business during university, I didn't take it seriously - It didn't really start out as a jewellery brand, I didn't find a direction to go in to at first. I played around with garments and making skirts, sourcing vintage items. It was extra pocket money for doing something I love. It has been the best job ever, and although I did a lot of pondering after my time at uni had finished, I am glad to find my feet and decided to carry on doing this after graduation. 2010 has been an exciting year for Temporary:Secretary, let's just hope it carries on getting better and better!



Q. What are your favourite pieces to make?

There are a few but my favourite product to make is the Keep Calm and Carry On pendants, they come in 6 different colours and they look great when it all comes together as a finished product. Similarly, the doll face necklaces are fun to make. I love name necklaces and I've got 4 of them! But I thought "what about face necklaces! That could work!". There are 24 doll faces to choose from so hopefully, everyone can find one that looks like them. Another fun product to make is the cupcake charm bracelets. My favourite is the gold - it makes the cute cupcake charms stand out so much more than the silver.


Q. What are your most popular items?

It is definitely the Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz products. One of our very first products launched on the website was Welcome to Wonderland necklace, it is one of our best sellers, along with our Alice bracelets which have been featured in Heat and Look magazine. The Wizard of Oz necklaces are popular too, it is the little ruby slippers that I love making. They are originally silver but i glitter them to give it that classic Wizard Of Oz magical sparkle! The glitter goes absolutely everywhere and I see red glitter about for weeks! But it's definitely worth it.



Q. Do you have any new projects coming up?

Since end of June, I have been working on the autumn and Christmas range. Lots of cute and quirky jewellery coming up! The first new batch from the latest range will be launched in the first week of September.


Q. Who or what is your inspiration?

I get inspiration from everything. Everything and everyone around is inspires me. I sometimes think that I should settle on one style but I am open minded to everything - which kind of explains why the jewellery on my website ranges from loud, colourful kitsch to subtle, vintage style pieces.


Q. Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time?

Although I have answered this question so many times, this is always a tricky one, I am the most indecisive character when it comes to thinking ahead. If I was asked what I want to do in the next 5 minutes, I would quickly decide and then have no time to change it. But knowing that I've got 5 years to change my mind, I would list a bunch of things, change my mind, go round in circles (OK, maybe go round in 10 circles!) and then possible end up with a plan. Right now, my thoughts for the next 5 years are to build and develop Temporary:Secretary as a strong brand, and hope to expand it. It would be also be awesome if I ended up in London in 5 years time, too.

www.temporary-secretary.com

www.twitter.com/tempsec

www.facebook.com/tempsec

http://temporary-secretary.blogspot.com/

Interview - Lucky Penny Creations

Dotted with Hearts interviewed Stacey of Lucky Penny Creations

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself and Lucky Penny Creations

Hi I am Stacey I am 24 years old And I run Lucky Penny Creations with my best friend Katie.


Q. Where in the world are you based?

We are based in Milton Keynes land of the concrete cows.


Q. What made start making jewellery?

I started making jewellery for myself as a hobby, then it got to the stage that I had far too much jewellery to wear myself so my best friend and I decided to go into business together.



Q. What are your favourite pieces to make?

Our favourite pieces to make have to be the pieces made out of fimo clay (makes me feel like a child again)



Q. Do you have any new projects coming up?

I am currently learning how to build websites so that I can build us a site (it may take awhile).



Q. Who or what is your inspiration?

We don't have any particular inspiration, but we do like to theme some of our pieces for example we have a collection of 'Alice in wonderland jewellery'. Keep your eye out for more themed jewellery coming soon.


Q. Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time?

In 5 years time hopefully I would of finished building our website. I would like to be running Lucky Penny Creations full time instead of along side a full time job.

You can find Lucky Penny Creations on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Lucky-Penny-Creations/112585515424813?ref=ts