This week I wanted you all to get to know a little more about a brand that I adore. In addition to her fabulous jewelry, the woman behind the brand is strong and inspiring.
“I started K Eleven Designs in 2018 after leaving an abusive relationship during this time I was also pregnant. I needed to finally follow my dreams & build a future to support my child & I. I always loved to make jewelry as a hobby growing up but in May of 2018 I finally decided to just go for it. For the first month I honestly felt like giving up, but I kept on going. In June of 2018 I released my Claymer studs. After I released those I remembered this reoccurring dream I would always have during my pregnancy & after my little one was born. I was standing in a store holding a Kraft paper earring card with these matte black ball studs. I remembered them feeling different to touch than anything I had felt before. Weird hey? After it clicked I felt this that it was a sign and this was my calling. I always felt déjà vu, so I knew I was on the right path.
In the fall of 2019, I launched my website (www.kelevendesigns.ca) and that’s when things took off! I used to hand deliver items locally & shipped some out to other provinces but I wanted to grow more.
Fast forward to 2020, I’ve grown so much and I’m blown away by how manifesting something and having drive can actually take you to where you want to be. Even though I’m not 100% where I want to be yet, I have trust in god and the universe that throughout my journey they will be watching over me. I know I am exactly where I am meant to be right now.
Something I started making more of was my statement dangles. They have actually been turning out to be such a hit. You see, I started with my ball studs because myself & everyone I knew didn’t wear any sort of dangles because they’re too heavy. With clay they are so lightweight, you can barley even tell that they are on.
I’m constantly improving the quality of my designs & the techniques used. Everything is self taught, from working with clay & making earrings, and other types of jewelry. I really am making art for people to wear. That’s the fun part about all of this. I find joy in this creative outlet and sharing it all of you. I hand mix all my own colours aside from black white & one shade of red. I find inspiration in literally anything, the tones in a sunset, nature or even maybe the colour of a shirt. Right now, I’m really into seeking colours & ideas from nature.
Something new that I’ve started this year is reaching out to small shops & women to team up and create a collaboration collection. There are so many things I want to do but I’m really big on staying unique. For example, I wanted to do clay & tassel earrings but a lady I know locally makes earrings with tassels already and I didn’t want to step on her toes. I reached out to her and now I’ve made some new styles that she’ll be adding tassels to. It really goes to show that we as woman (and everyone in general) are stronger when we support each other & work together.
I think that my biggest pet peeve & something I’ve struggled with the most, is when people or other makers see you doing great and don’t support you. Instead they’re jealous so they just decide to copy you. I guess some can look at it as they think of you as someone that’s inspirational but at the same time there’s no need to copy.
That being said, something I’ve also been trying to help women out with & learn more myself, is how to not let things like that get to you. It can be hard because it’s your art and your designs but at the end of the day each and everyone of us are on our very own path. Energetically no one can be exactly on the same path that we are on, even if they’re doing the same thing.”
– K Eleven Designs