Artist Inspirations - The Lost Earring

Join me in welcoming Kelly from The Lost Earring, as she shares what inspires her to create her fun and funky jewelry and accessories. Thanks Kelly for being a guest blogger!

Background:
I make earrings, pendants, and brooches using uncommon, upcycled materials such as pressed leaves, old film negatives, and colored pencil shavings. My specialty is custom photo jewelry of peoples' pets, family members, and friends. I enjoy custom requests too!

How I Got Started:
I've always been overflowing with ideas. I tend to create in phases as I love to learn about different forms of expression and move on if/when it feels right. My dad and grandma are jewelry makers, and my great grandfather was as well, so it runs in the family. Photography also runs in the family, and I've been doing that on and off since the age of 8. I do a bit of drawing, painting, and crocheting on the side. I'm one of those people that often says, "Nah, I'll just make it myself."

I started my shop, The Lost Earring (TLE), as a tribute to all of the gorgeous earrings I have lost over the years. Earrings belong in pairs (mostly) and it's oh so sad when a duo becomes a lonely single. Through The Lost Earring, I hope to offer a place where ladies can find that special pair--whether it's to start anew after a lost earring, or to simply add another precious pair to a collection.

What Inspires Me:
I have a BA in Creative Writing. Writing was one of my first loves in life, and poetry is a big inspiration of mine. (Sylvia Plath has some of the most moving lines I've ever read.) I think the act of noticing is crucial to creating in general. And so my roots as a writer, a "noticer" of things, have propelled me forward to create.

So many things, large and small, inspire me. Everything from a crack in the sidewalk to the infinite night sky above. I'm in awe on a daily basis by the patterns, shapes, and colors found in nature. My wonderful husband and I live blocks from the beach, so I'm fortunate enough to take walks there often. I enjoy inspecting rocks, shells, and whatever else washes ashore. There truly is inspiration all around us.

My Process:
Once inspired, I'll do what I can to document it. I keep a journal chock-full of ideas, everything from images that pop into my mind to more expansive projects I'd like to explore. I take photos constantly. That initial recording of my inspiration is a very focused activity. From there, it's all about sitting down in my studio and making a bit of a mess. I move materials around to see what happens. I allow myself to not plan what will happen next. Sometimes nothing happens. Other times things seems to fall in the right place.

Make sure you stop by and see all of Kelly's amazing work in her shop and check out her blog too!

She is having a mystery giveaway this week on her blog enter for a chance to win some cool prizes! One of my pieces is part of the giveaway check it out.