Interview - Kokokelli

Dotted with hearts interview Kelly of Kokokelli :-)

Q. Please tell us a little about yourself and Kokokelli

My name is Kelly 'Womble' Johnson and I'm 29 years old. Kokokelli is my crafting name and I started making handmade jewellery & greeting cards in January 2010.

Q. Where in the world are you based?

I'm from Oldbury in the West Midlands (not far from Birmingham/Dudley/West Bromwich/Smethwick)

Q. What made you get into jewellery and card making?

I've always been very arty farty and praised highly for my creative talents. I saw some jewellery that a friend had made at a jewellery workshop run at the Birmingham Bead Shop (http://www.thebirminghambeadshop.co.uk/) and just thought to myself "yeah I could do that!" so I bought a small starter kit with the tools and findings off eBay and it went from there really. I used my best friend as a kind of guinea pig as it was her birthday the end of January lol so I made her a handmade birthday card and made her a necklace, bracelet & earring set which she absolutely loved!!

Q. What are your most popular items?

I don't really have any 'best sellers' so to speak but I seem to sell more bracelets more than anything at the moment as they are reasonably priced and different from those you see in the shops (as is everything else I make)

Q.What do you enjoy making the most?

I absolutely love making custom orders for people as each one is unique and one of a kind! It's also a challenge and I love a good challenge! Especially when there's certain things you need to find for a certain piece. I've done some lovely jewellery sets, badge bracelets and a beautiful wedding card which was just a masterpiece in my eyes! lol

Q. Who or what is your inspiration?

I get asked this question quite a bit lol I get my inspiration from many things I guess, stuff I like, stuff I've grown up with, people I've known, I even run ideas past my mom sometimes lol. They'll be days when something will just pop in my head or I'll be out and about and I'll see something and it'll just trigger off a huge light bulb in my head lol.

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

I would love nothing more than to have my own proper business from home doing what I do best and making lots of money from it lol (who wouldn't) plus that way I'd be able to start the family I've always wanted and still work at the same time.

Q. What are you doing for Halloween?

To be honest I don't really do the whole Halloween thing anymore. We went trick or treating a couple of times as kids but that's about it. It's not really the same as it used to be now especially round here, sometimes you're scared to answer the door when you've got masked hoodies banging who are only after your money anyway! It may change when I have kids and it would be nice to take them trick or treating while they're young so they can have some fun, we'll just have to wait and see lol.

Kokokelli Shop - http://www.folksy.com/shops/Kokokelli

Kokokelli Fanpage - http://www.facebook.com/Kokokelli

Kokokelli Twitter - http://twitter.com/KokokelliWomble

Kokokelli Blog - http://kokokelli.blogspot.com/

Email - womblej70@hotmail.co.uk

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Interview - Vintage Princess

Interview with Laura of Vintage Princess!

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself and Vintage Princess

Okay, well I'm Laura and I'm 22. I graduated from university last year and since then I've been crafting more and more! I've always been creative, and making and reworking pieces of clothing or jewellery has always been something I've loved to do- knowing you are wearing something unique, that no-one else in the world has is very exciting! That's why I set up Vintage Princess. I sell one off items with a vintage, girly, unique and utterly gorgeous style!


Q. Where in the world are you based?

I'm based in a little village just outside of Durham, in the North East of England.


Q. What made you get into crafting?

I started jewellery making a long time ago. I've always been pretty creative, I love making things, drawing, painting, reworking and customising clothing and jewellery anything like that really. Being a girly girl who loves anything sparkly, pink, girly and pretty I absolutely loved jewellery making. I also love the idea of wearing something unique and individual which is something the high-street did certainly not offer! So I made my own :)



Q. What are your favourite pieces to make? What materials do you most like to use?

I really do love making all my works. I'm always so excited making the pieces and then seeing people's reactions to them. I love thinking that people out there are making something I have made- especially the one off pieces.

I don't really have a preferred material. I like to use everything and anything in my jewellery!



Q. What are your most popular items?

My Lady Vintage cameo necklaces, my peach lace bangles or my custom charm bracelets. They are very popular as I customise them for every customer, therefore no two are ever the same. I also allow the customer to choose the charms they would like on their bracelets, so its even more personal to them and I think people appreciate that :)



Q. Do you wear the jewelery/ accessories yourself?

Oh yes definitely! I love wearing pieces of jewellery that I know are one-offs and that no one else in the world are wearing. I have lots of accessories though, I'm a complete sucker for them! I also wear lots of pieces made by my lovely crafting friends :)




Q. Where can people buy your pieces? Do you make custom pieces?

My collection is available to buy online, on my Folksy site, or through my shop facebook account and page.

I certainly do make custom pieces! I love it! Its so much fun when a customer comes to me asking for something and I get my thinking cap on and come up with ideas for them. The most exciting commission I've had so far has to be being commissioned to make a necklace for a customer to wear to her wedding. Its such a magical thing to be asked and for her to be wearing it on such a special day makes me practically giddy with excitement!


Q. Who or what is your inspiration?

I don't really have a set person who is my inspiration. My inspiration is really the pieces I find to rework! Each piece I come across inspires me to make something out of it and that drives me to create things rather than following a trend or

Anyone who knows me knows I'm ultra girly and a sucker for anything pink, flowery, sparkly and just generally beautiful and gorgeous, so my works are more themed than based on an individuals style...


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

I'd absolutely love to have my own pretty little shop! I know exactly how I'd like to decorate it, in an old-world-y style with lots of pretty handmade accessories, pink and flowers everywhere! Oh it would be beautiful!
I really do hope to still be crafting and selling my jewellery because I love it so much. I really can't imagine myself doing anything else!


Facebook profile (VintagePrincess Laura)- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001163910523

Facebook page (Vintage Princess Accessories)- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001163910523#!/pages/Vintage-Princess-Accessories/134512006566227?ref=ts

Folksy shop site- www.folksy.com/shops/VintagePrincess