Meet the Maker: Kelsey & Christina of Kelsey & Christina Designs

Happy Monday! Sorry I was a little MIA last week but I was prepping for the Penelope Lane Boutique. There was such a great turn out and I had so much fun! Plus, it was a great excuse to spend an entire day with my bestie. Now that that's behind me, I'm ready to get back in the swing of things and I'm back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series. Today I'm giving you TWICE the maker goodness and introducing you to TWO makers... Kelsey & Christina of Kelsey & Christina Designs!

Christina is actually one of my cousins besties. (I have to stop myself from saying my "little cousin" because even though I think of her as a baby, she's TWENTY ONE now! HOW did that happen?!) After seeing some of Christina's work with Kelsey I knew I had to feature them!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

Kelsey: * 25 years old

* Earning bachelors at GCU

* Married to Garrett

* Property manager 

* Lover of all things fall 

Christina: *22 years old

*Future nurse

*Calligrapher 

*Dating a Pastor

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

Kelsey: Specializes in hand lettering. Got started a few years ago when I was planning my wedding. 

Christina: We specialize in hand lettering, custom pieces or what we sell on our Etsy. I got started through my friendship with Kelsey and from there learned my style of writing!

Loves:

Kelsey: Iced green tea and a good book

Disney

Christina: The beach & sunshine

A good vanilla latte 

Wine nights with my best friend 

Summer time!

Hates: 

Kelsey: Scary movies 

Christina: Scary movies and cats

Any Guilty Pleasures: 

Kelsey: One Tree Hill & anything chocolate 

Christina: Chocolate 

Netflix re-runs of Friends and How I Met Your Mother

Cocktail (or mocktail) of choice: 

Kelsey: Moscow mule

Christina: Moscow Mule

What advice do you have for fellow makers? 

Kelsey: Don't be discouraged in your journey. Take the time to refine and develop your skills and the rest will follow!

Christina: Practice makes perfect! My work was awful when I first started, but the more I put the time and practice in, the more it improved. 

Thank you Kelsey and Christina for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 

Be sure to check out their Etsy shop and follow them on Instagram!

Meet the Maker: Carolina of 30 Minute Crafts & Always Expect Moore!

Happy Monday! I'm back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series. Today I'm introducing you to Carolina of 30 Minute Crafts and Always Expect Moore!

I first met Carolina when I was working for Cricut at SNAP! Conference in Utah. She is the most kick ass go-getter I think I have ever met in my life. She has a can-do attitude and a "lets get this done" personality that I just adore. And on top of it all, she is insanely sweet. I really can't say enough great things about this girl. Oh, and if there is a themed party you better believe she's coming decked out! I got to see her again recently at the Cricut Mountain Make-a-Thon in Salt Lake (it's funny I keep seeing her in Utah because she lives in So Cal too haha). I can't wait to introduce you all to her!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

I’m a Dutch Girl raised mostly in Southern California. I grew up in California’s High Desert, then moved up the the Bay Area for college where I got my BS in Advertising. After marriage, my husband and I moved to Las Vegas for 8 years, where we had two boys. The whole family moved to San Diego a little over 2 years ago.

We live in a 1950s Bungalow that has an honest-to-goodness bomb shelter under the master bedroom. I love to volunteer at the boys’ school. My favorite is to hang out on the playground at recess to play kickball or foursquare. It only took me 30 years, but I’m finally one of the “cool kids!” On weekends, we’re often homebodies, but we love a good trip. This summer I took my boys on a 2-day road trip up the California coast, and we had the best time!

I love all things crafting. Jewelry making, metal stamping, quilting, paper crafting, beading, embroidery, scrapbooking, card making, Holiday crafts… I love it all! I almost always have some English Paper Piecing (hand sewing) with me to work on if I find myself with some extra time. I’m an award winning quilter, and have taught quilting classes to both children and adults. You might have seen me on the PBS show “It’s Sew Easy” this summer teaching a bag pattern and English Paper Piecing. I also appear in videos on FaveQuilts.com, and created a Block of the Month quilt for them this year.

Online, you’ll find me at 30 Minute Crafts and Always Expect Moore. 

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

I grew up crafting. I’ve never found a craft medium that I didn’t want to try! I started quilting when I was 12. In college I was the girl with a sewing machine and a box full of craft supplies under her bed. After college, crafting and quilting became hobbies. After my oldest son was born, I started crafting while he napped to have some “me time”. I found the craft blogging community and started my own craft blog. A short while later I started working at a quilt shop, doing Marketing and Special Events. Being surrounded by fabric every day helped me rediscover my passion for quilting. You’ll find lots of my sewing and quilting projects over on Always Expect Moore. But, since I always have an itch to create, and don’t always have time for big projects, I started 30 Minute Crafts to share quick and easy projects.

Love: Snuggles. Googly Eyes. Chocolate. Fabric. Trips to the craft store. Teaching new crafters. Carbs. Butter. Pajama pants. Sleep. Deep conversations. Secrets. The Beach. Harry Potter. Lounging in the hammock. Binging on Netflix.

Hates: Glitter. Judgy People. 

Any Guilty Pleasures: Yes! My kids love Pokemon, so I started playing Pokemon Go with them a little over a year ago. I’m now at level 31! Sometimes I’ll drop them off at school, grab a Starbucks, and go hunt Pokemon by myself for an hour… it is the only video game I play, so I indulge every now and then. And for those who are curious, I’m team Instinct!

Cocktail (or mocktail) of choice: I love mudslides and margaritas. I won’t say no to Coconut Rum and Dr. Pepper, either. I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I love a good hard cider!

What advice do you have for fellow makers? 

Do what you love! 

Thank you Carolina for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 

Be sure to check out her Instagram: 30 Minute Crafts & Craft Moore
Facebook: 30 Minute Crafts & Always Expect Moore
And at 30 Minute Crafts & Always Expect Moore

Meet the Maker: Erin of Laurel and Olive

Happy Monday! I'm back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series. Today I'm introducing you to Erin of Laurel and Olive!

I first found Erin while down the rabbit hole that is Etsy. If you didn't know, I am an alumna member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and I look for fun items from time to time. There is SO much more out there than there was when I was an active member! And some of that is thanks to Erin! She creates fun and totally unique sorority items! Not gunna lie, I have several in my cart currently. Let's get to know her!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

I was born and raised in Southern California and only live a quarter mile from my parents. Family means the world to me, which is why I started my business; to raise my kids and provide a little extra income. I am an alumna of Phi Sigma Sigma at Chapman University. After I graduated, I was the recruitment advisor and then chapter advisor for a total of 12 years. I am still actively involved in the international organization as the Awards Committee Chairman.

I met my husband Cory, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, at Chapman. The Greek blood runs deep. We got married on St. Patrick’s Day in 2007 with 200 of our closest family and friends and green beer, of course. We have two kids that are the loves of our lives, daughter, Elliott (7), and son, Avery (4). On the weekdays, you’ll find me helping in their classes and on the weekends, on the soccer field watching their games.

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

After I graduated college, I went to work in the fashion industry. My career has included running the t-shirt lines for little girls at Roxy and being an Art Director at a private label. In 2009, I became the swimwear designer and the little girls clothing designer at Quiksilver for the licensed brand Hang Ten, sold at Kohl’s. I have taught courses at Chapman University in the Art Department, as well as freelanced for various companies.

After being laid off in 2011, I decided to work from home so I could raise my daughter and start designing freelance income. I soon figured out that I would love to work for myself, but also create some amazing things! I decided to combine my love for fashion and my passion for Greek Life and sororities. In 2011, The Greek Supply was born. I saw a need for on-trend clothing for sororities that could be bought in bulk or online individually. I wanted to provide sorority women with affordable and fashionable items that they could wear while in college and after. I recently changed the name of the business to Laurel & Olive so that I wasn’t limited to just sorority items. I sell t-shirts, other apparel, water bottles, buttons, hats, and a variety of other items. I also sell my signature floral tanks which are some of the Pinterest-famous items from my shop.

Love: Jesus
My kids, my husband, my family

Vacation

Any type of sweets

Photography

Water, because I’d like to think I am really a mermaid

Hates: Mean people - being nice goes a long way in life.

Any Guilty Pleasures: Netflix

Big Brother Chocolate of all kinds

Cocktail of choice: Wine

What advice do you have for fellow makers? 

Work to fine tune your business in all areas (photography, marketing, product, accounting, etc.). No one can be an expert at all things when running a business, but learn as much as you can, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

One of my favorite quotes is “Nothing is a failure, it’s just not supposed to work out that way because something better is supposed to come along.” - Sandra Bullock

Thank you Erin for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 

Be sure to check out her Instagram // Facebook // Etsy 

Meet the Maker: Elaine of InkLane

Happy Monday! I'm finally back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series! 

Today I'm introducing you to Elaine of Ink Lane Design! 

I first came across Elaine last year when I was deciding on Christmas cards. I knew I wanted to do something different than the traditional photo card that we'd been doing for years. I found her Etsy shop and loved her work (especially of pets). Since it was our first year with our new little additions (Scully & Mulder) I definitely wanted to include them. Luckily, with a print, vs. a photo, you're guaranteed to have your pets cooperate. ;) The card ended up PERFECT, I even had her incorporate some red with Sam's favorite University of Alabama hat. 

Our dogs are somewhat unusual looking so, the fact that they looked so spot on was incredible! Truth be told, that's all I really even cared about! I loved the card so much I even ordered a print for our home.

But enough about me, let's introduce you to Elaine!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

I'm a Canadian-born illustrator living in San Diego county! I moved to California after I got married and fell in love with California's people, food, weather, and endless things to do. I have my Bachelor's in Graphic Design but have since gravitated toward illustration. For as long as I can remember I've had a knack for all things creative and am always in search of a new outlet! My work is mostly digital based but I also love painting and crafting.

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

I run an Etsy shop with a variety of goodies, but my biggest seller is illustrated family and pet portraits! The first one I ever made was a Christmas gift for my brother and sister-in-law's family a few years ago. I was still working a full-time design job and never intended on selling portraits but my husband encouraged me to put them up for sale and voila! A year later I was able to quit my job to run my business full-time. It's been a whirlwind ever since and though it seriously pains me to look back on my early portraits, it is so cool to see how far I've come.

Loves: My husband, dogs and kitty; national parks; sunny days; soft serve ice cream; wine-tasting; thrifting; road trips.

Hates: Paperwork and peas.

Any Guilty Pleasures: Carne Asada fries when I'm in California and Poutine when I'm back in Canada!

Cocktail of choice: Ordinarily I'd say Savignon Blanc or Moscow Mules, but I'm 7 months pregnant so I make a mean glass of lemon water these days.

What advice to you have for fellow makers? Make goals for yourself and keep yourself accountable! Especially when you have some initial success, it's easy to become complacent and forget to push yourself. And even more important is to have people in your life to encourage and challenge you.

Thank you Elaine for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 
And for creating a wonderful print that I absolutely adore!

Be sure to check out her  Instagram // Facebook // Etsy Shop 

Meet the Maker: Kerri of Little Berry Clothing

Happy Monday! I'm back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series. Today I'm introducing you to Kerri of Little Berry Clothing! 

Kerri and I are actually family! If I have the family tree right, her mother and my mother are cousins, which makes us... third cousins? Maybe? Haha. Kerri is an incredibly talented seamstress. I've dabbled in sewing and can do pretty basic things but she can do it all! Her baby leggings are absolutely adorable and her women's fashion is to die for (I personally have my eye on this kimono). But enough from me, let's hear from her!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

I am a seamstress and clothing designer. I decided to take up sewing when I was pregnant with my second son, who is now 6. I just decided to learn one day... maybe I was hardcore nesting? I bought a sewing machine and watched a ton of YouTube videos. Currently, I make clothing for babies and women. The majority of my business is my baby clothing line and I have just recently began to sell my women's clothing.

I use Etsy as one of my selling venues. My main shop is www.littleberryclothing.etsy.com

And my recently opened shop is www.kerribrenfashion.etsy.com

Loves: I am very family oriented and above all I love my family. While I run my business full time I am also a mother to four boys! They are ages 8 years, 6 years, 4 years and 8 months old. I also have an amazing husband who is my number one supporter. Having him believe in me and my vision has been huge to me in growing my handmade company.

Hates: The sound of people chewing!

Any Guilty Pleasures: Oh man, buying fabric. I love fabric. I buy fabric for my business, I buy fabric for myself, I buy fabric for my kids, I buy fabric for all the amazing ideas I have that  do not have time for. I borderline have a problem. OK I probably do have a problem! I am obsessed with fun and quirky or beautiful prints.

Cocktail of choice: Wine. Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio all the way. After my typical day of sewing, filling orders, shipping orders and then putting on my mom hat and getting errands ran, dinner cooked, homework done, baths and nighttime routine - WINE is my saving grace!

What advice to you have for fellow makers? Be true to you and whatever it is that pulls at you... follow it. As a clothing designer it can be difficult to not get carried away with "What's trendy right now?" vs "What is my vision?" Of course, I want to stay on trend to an extent, but when I make something that is 100% me and I just let my creativity flow it feels amazing. There will always be someone interested in your unique style or taste and those people will likely be your biggest fans or most loyal customers.

Thank you Kerri for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! We seriously need to set up a sewing date!

Be sure to check out her Little Berry Instagram // Kerri Bren Fashion Instagram // Facebook // Little Berry Clothing Etsy Shop // Kerri Bren Fashion Etsy Shop

Meet the Maker: Erin of Events by Erin

Happy Monday! I'm back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series. I decided to take last week off for the holiday but I'm back today with a new maker! Today I'm introducing you to Erin of Events by Erin! 

I first met Erin way back in high school through mutual friends. We have since reconnected through the Orange County Makers group. I love her fun funky style and her work promoting self love. And to top it all off... she's also a huge X-Files fan (if you didn't know, my dogs are named after the X-files)! Let's get to know her a little better, shall we?

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

I'm a visual artist and avid crafter living in Orange County, CA.  I'm essentially a freelancer, I don't really have a regular gig or shop (yet!) but I love any kind of creative work that comes my way.  I've always been a maker in one form or another, and have been crafting and creating since I was a child.  I received my BA in Studio Art from Cal State Fullerton in 2010 with a focus in the ceramic arts.  My passion is figurative ceramic and mixed media sculpture; I love celebrating and emphasizing the beauty of the female form in clay!  Lately I've been focusing my creative energies on the event design world, and have experience in planning, crafting, and coordinating weddings and other events.  I do floral arrangements, I build backdrops, I sew; I do styling for creative photo shoots, and even a little modeling too!  I love helping people conceptualize their creative ideas and transform them into beautiful realities.  I love collaborating with other creatives, teaching, pushing boundaries, and advocating. I recently got to teach a craft workshop at the incredible Craftcation Conference put on by Dear Handmade Life, and I'll be back again in 2018 for sure!  I spend the rest of my time laughing at my husband's jokes and snuggling my two mutts, biscuit and flapjack.

Loves: hosting themed gatherings for my friends (my 30th birthday party was X-files themed, complete with a "guess the evidence" game, "black oil" jello shots, flying saucers and a 15 foot inflatable alien!  It's my all time favorite show!), putting together amazing charcuterie plates, camping in the forest, tattoos, dancing to R Kelly, burgers and fries!  

Hates: this soCal heat!  give me rainy weather any day, please! 

Any Guilty Pleasures: ordering a milkshake with that burger and fries ;) 

Cocktail of choice: anything they dream up at the Cellar in Fullerton, the mixologists at this place are geniuses!  The "Brush Fire" is a long time favorite...whiskey, lavender, lemon, sage, honey, and smoke.  absolute heaven!  

What advice to you have for fellow makers? I feel most satisfied with my "making" when I do something just for me.  It's important to find time amongst all your paid gigs to do a project that is for nothing other than your own pleasure.  I find spending too long on Pinterest or Instagram can lead away from inspiration and actually start making me feel discouraged.  Step away from social media, and gather inspiration elsewhere!  Go to a museum, get outside, go to a local park you've never checked out, take a different route on your evening walk with your pups.  Your mind has all the creative prowess you need, challenge it with a change of scenery!

Thank you Erin for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 

Be sure to check out her site and her Instagram. 

Meet the Maker: Erica from The Sticker Party Shop

Happy Monday! I'm back with another installment of my "Meet the Maker" series. Today I'm introducing you to  Erica of The Sticker Party Shop!

I first came across Erica when I stumbled upon her Etsy listing for Bachelor in Paradise planner stickers. They got me laughing and so I started looking through some of her other listings. With planner stickers for other shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Orange is the New Black and Grey's Anatomy, she's got something for everyone! Not to mention, stickers for every holiday, season and everything in between (even your Amazon prime orders!) I knew I HAD to ask her to be one of my makers and lucky for me, she agreed! 

Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

Hi! My name is Erica, I'm 24 years old, and I'm from Montreal, Canada. I finished up my bachelor's degree in Communications a couple years ago & now I focus on running my Etsy shop, The Sticker Party, full-time. I'm a self-taught graphic designer--I've been fiddling with Photoshop ever since I was 11 years old, so to be able to design stuff I love and sell it online is super gratifying!

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

I design hand drawn planner stickers; everything from appointment reminders, to fun decorative stickers, to checklists, to TV show trackers. I came across a YouTube video in 2015 where someone was showing off her planner full of colorful stickers, and it looked so beautiful! I always enjoyed doodling in my school agendas growing up so I was immediately drawn to the idea of decorative planning. I did a quick search on Etsy and noticed that people were selling planner stickers on there, but I thought to myself, "I can design my own!" The next day I bought a Silhouette Portrait machine and started making my own stickers. A few designs later I figured I may as well boot up an Etsy shop of my own - and here we are :) I just surpassed 7000 sales!

Loves: I'm a reality TV show connoisseur. I love all kinds of reality TV competitions and my faves are Big Brother, Survivor, and The Bachelor. I actually design stickers that help track evictions, eliminations and rose ceremonies - they're a big hit! I'm also big on leisure time: face masks, bubble baths, manipedis, and Netflix all day everyday, please.

Hates: I try my best not to be a hater so I'll keep my list short & sweet: bigots, taxes, and doing dishes.

Any Guilty Pleasures:I genuinely can't think of any!  

Cocktail of choice: I'm not that fussy about cocktails, to be honest. I love a cold beer on a hot day. Oh and champagne. I guess I'm partial to fizzy drinks! 

What advice to you have for fellow makers? Keep to your self-imposed deadlines as best as you can. Take breaks: close the office door at the end of the day, turn off social media notifications, and check your messages in the morning or on Monday. Also, keep producing. It can be hard when you're juggling filling orders and trying to make new products (trust me, there isn't enough time in the day), but new products will keep the ball rolling. Finally, take care of your customers! Show them you're listening to their suggestions and that you're grateful for their business. They are, after all, the ones enabling your creative enterprise.

Thank you Erica for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 

Be sure to check her out on Instagram // Etsy

Meet the Maker: Jen Causey

It's Monday and you know what that means... time to meet another maker! Today I am featuring Jen of Something Turquoise.

I first found Jen when planning my wedding. She has a DIY bridal blog so if you are planning or have planned a wedding, you have definitely seen her work all over Pinterest! I used her Instagram save the date idea for my own save the dates and starting following her blog from there. I eventually learned she's from the same city as me and one day, I went out on a limb and I sent her an e-mail asking if she was looking for an assistant and what do you know, she was! I currently run the Something Turquoise Pinterest account and help Jen whenever she needs a second set of hands. It has been such a fun opportunity to be around another creative (and one who makes a living at it, how cool is that?). 

What is it that you make and how did you get started?

I’m the founder and maker behind the creative wedding blog Something Turquoise. I started it 6 years ago and 2.5 years ago I was able to make it my full time job. I’ve been crafting ever since I can remember, my parents always encouraged me to make things and I was always labeled as “crafty” growing up. I desperately wanted to “make crafts” for a living but I didn’t know how I was going to make that happen, especially pre-internet. So I became a wedding hair dresser and kept crafting. While looking for wedding hair inspiration and helping my friends plan their weddings, I found wedding blogs and I pretty much never stopped looking at them. Through lots of trial and error in other crafting businesses and a 13 year career as a wedding hair dresser, I decided to start my own wedding blog and it's truly the best thing I have ever created!

Loves: 

Crafting, Sharks, Red Wine, Black Coffee, My Cat Bunny, Mermaids, Anything Turquoise, Long Beach, Cauliflower Covered In Buffalo Wing Sauce, Massages, Vintage Beach Paintings, Jeeps.

Hates: 

Salmon, Running, Copycats, The Desert, Cheaters, The Color Brown, Dairy, Pollution, Doing Dishes, Chipped Nail Polish. 

Any Guilty Pleasures? 

The TV show Finding Bigfoot. Getting lost on the Instagram Explore page. Reading way too much BuzzFeed… and Legos.

Cocktail of choice:

Red Wine or Champagne is my typical drink of choice but if you’re asking about what hard alcohol I like it’s tequila all the way. Shots, in margaritas, or in Bloody Maria’s.

What advice do you have for fellow makers?

Always follow your heart. If you don’t want to make that thing anymore, don’t make it. If you want to try something new, try it. When you turn a passion or hobby into your full time job, it’s easy to get stale because that “thing” is no longer your hobby. Mix it up. Take a class. Try something new…. but always let your heart lead the way. When art originates from your heart, it’s always perfect.

Thank you Jen for being a part of this Meet the Maker series! 
She is the absolutely epitome of a "Girl Boss" and such an incredible inspiration and mentor. I've learned so much from her and am so thankful for the opportunity she's given me to work alongside her.

Be sure to check her out on her Blog // Instagram // Facebook // Pinterest.