Shop Girl : Tree & Kimball

My Tiny Heart

I don't remember exactly how I stumbled upon Lisa's shop Tree & Kimball in the depths of all that is Etsy but I am so glad I did. Lisa designs and creates amazing lace pieces that have a distinct vintage feel. Each piece is handmade by Lisa in her studio in Pennsylvania using materials she's selected. You can tell her background in design plays a huge role in her new endeavor as the owner of two Etsy shops. 

Considering Color

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of lace is certainly not wearability. Lisa's pieces completely changed my mind about that. If I am wearing a very casual or menswear inspired outfit (as I tend to do often) her jewelry adds an unexpected softness and femininity that elevates the outfit to something completely different. She takes extreme pride in designing each one of a kind piece. While you may not think lace is within your style realm I strongly suggest taking a look through Lisa's shop. I think you will be surprised how she is able to make something so specific as lace jewelry be so versatile.  

I asked Lisa to share some of her story and design secrets. If you aren't convinced yet to take a look through her shop you might be after reading how qualified and genuinely lovely Lisa is. Check out her interview below and then go shopping. (Lisa is the little text.)

About Shop, In the Beginning:

I'm originally an Ohio girl, born & raised in Cincinnati (go Midwest!). After graduating university with a degree in Fashion Design, I relocated to Philly, along with my longtime boyfriend (now hubs) for a position with Anthropologie. My career there lasted for about 4 1/2 years & went through quite a metamorphosis within that time. I started as an intern in the Print department & ended up as the Blouse & Dress designer, with stints in the Embroidery & Skirt departments in between. It was a fantastic experience... from drawing embroideries by hand with my pup perched on my desk to traveling to Copenhagen, Paris, Amsterdam, & India, there was never a dull moment. I met nearly all of my best friends there & am so grateful to have had that time in my life. While I was still working at Anthro, I began to play around with lace jewelry as a hobby... I had amassed quite a collection of vintage crochet, tatting, & venise lace by way of flea markets & my Great Aunts' estate & wanted a way to incorporate these pretty bits into my daily life. I opened shop on Etsy after some experimentation & essentially, have never looked back. It's been a bumpy road from time to time, but honestly, I can think of nothing better than being my own boss while making things that I love for likeminded souls. Oh! And I have a vintage shop too... that's pretty straightforward: I'm a vintage junkie, plain & simple. I'll buy my lingerie & jeans new, but otherwise, nope! Just point me to a thrift store & I'm in heaven. And share it with other people? Even better!

Inspiration and Obsession:
I had two great aunts that were very dear to me -- Marg & Lib. They were sweet spinster sisters, had always lived together, & were ALWAYS tatting in their matching recliners (adorable, I know... may I remind you that I am from the Midwest?). That, teamed with the fact that my parents are extremely nostalgic & environmentally-minded people got me to where I am, I suppose. Just when I tell myself 'enough already!' with the lace, I stumble upon some other antique-lacy-something that I simple must have. Some people gamble, others drink... I collect lace. Could be worse, I guess. And my little row home is bursting at the seams with vintage apparel & apparently collecting things that aren't one's own size is bordering on crazy? (So says the husband.) I have resigned myself to this belief & have now acquired the aforementioned vintage shop to aid & abet this habit. (Still crossing my fingers that the hubs doesn't find the boxes of shoes (thankfully all my size) stashed in the corner of the basement -- he believes me to be in a vintage remission... silly (& lovably gullible) boy.)

Process:

It's pretty organic... no sketches, I just tinker with the materials I've sourced & see where it takes me. I did my fair share of sketching while at Anthro (understatement of the year), so working this way is really refreshing & rewarding for me. I am the number one internet vintage-finding-lurker/ shopper & am constantly searching for new (to me) materials. It's a bit of a treasure hunt & I absolutely love that about it. I've been stockpiling some antique cotton lace from flea markets as of late... I still haven't decided what to do with them, but am toying with the idea of creating some very special hand-beaded pieces for a future collection. We shall see!

The Future and The Favorite:
There have been some exciting projects & bits of press for Tree & Kimball this fall! I designed three exclusive styles for Anthropologie, which are available at select store now & the 'evadne' necklace was featured in the New Orleans gift guide in the December issue of Lucky magazine! Cincinnati magazine will have a piece on Tree & Kimball in one of their upcoming issues as well. I have some broader concepts for Tree & Kimball that I look forward to exploring at some point, but for now, I am content tinkering around with dye-baths & lace whilst hibernating for the winter with some cinnamon tea. My favorite piece would probably be the 'aphrodite' necklace, simply because it is what I wore on my wedding day & that day has yet to be topped in my book. As far as lacy bits go, I can often be found wearing the 'aurelia' necklace... the neutral color makes it easy to throw on with just about anything, while the fringe detail keeps it interesting & special.

Click on the pictures in this post to be directed to each original item. 

Beyond being an amazingly talented person, Lisa has a heart of gold. She has reached out on more than one occasion to offer me kind words and support. I can completely endorse and support her shop because I own two of her pieces and am contemplating which I would like to make my third!

As well as her lace jewelry Lisa has a vintage shop that is worth taking a look at. I always make sure I peruse her vintage finds before I head to other shops. She has a wide range of styles and decades in her shop but what make her finds exceptional is her ability to keep an eye on quality and wearability. 

Lisa's Twitter - Tree & Kimball - Tree & Kimball Market

Lisa, thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions! I'm glad I've met someone who is kind, interesting, and creative all in one. Hopefully some day soon we can take our relationship to the next level and chat in person.

Now that you've successfully navigated (or avoided) the crowds of Black Friday go pick up some unique, handmade, and vintage inspired pieces from over 60 designs Lisa currently has in her shop. She is offering 10% off your purchase from 11/25 - 11/28. Head over to her shop to grab the coupon code. Then start shopping for that distinct piece to wear to holiday parties or something special for friends and family! And remember it's great to support local and handmade no matter what time of year it is. Happy shopping!

Shop Girl : Clyde's Rebirth

I didn't go into full detail in the last post and explain how obsessed I am with Clyde's Rebirth. I started  off as the shy girl looking from afar. I saw pieces on other bloggers and I timidly dreamed that one day I would have the confidence to wear some myself. In the beginning, I'll admit, I was a little wary of these pieces. As a self proclaimed plain jane Merl's pieces were a bit intimidating. Beautiful and architectural to look at, yes. Formidable and passionate, certainly. I wondered if I would gather up the courage to don one myself some day. 

 

As time went on the obsession grew. I began looking in the shop window more and more. Checking on my favorite pieces to make sure they were still there. It become quite clear that I needed to take the plunge, make the purchase, and run away with my vintage hand crafted pieces. We could live in the woods together and prance around in flowers and bubbling brooks. I would collect my meals from the meadow and ride my noble stead home at sunset.  (Too much? Oh well. Lua would love it and she would protect me from bears.)

I asked Merl to share some of her life and shop secrets. These are reasons you should take the plunge too. Seriously. Buy some. You will not regret it. (Merl is the little text)

About Shop, in the Beginning:

I was a very creative kid.. glancing through my childhood notebooks you would find sketches for my future clothing line, and lots of princess merl drawings complete with crowns and jewels on every appendage, not to mention blueprints for all of my many homes (my favorite was the one with a slide off the roof into the pool) When I wasn't doodling in my notebook, or on the walls of my bedroom, I was making my mom custom jewelry. Obviously I had talent even back then because she still wears some pieces. Fast forward to college where I went the web design route.. until I realized after graduation that I really didn't get along with HTML. After a brief torrid affair as a photography slave, I decided to try my hand at custom jewelry again. After a great initial customer response, I dove in head first. What's really great about starting my own jewelry line is that I have full creative control.. from the design to the photos that I take myself, to the descriptions. Control freak, who me?

Inspiration and Process:

As far as the design process goes, it's very.. organic. When I have designers block, I'll sit down with my sketch pad and just start doodling. When I come up with some versions that I think might work, I'll grab some chains and start piecing the item together on my old body form. A lot of it is trial and error. On paper, chains magically float in the air, when in reality gravity doesn't play that game. In the beginning, I was making necklaces that were all across the board.. there wasn't really a cohesive feel. It was great to see what sold and what people loved though. Now I try to make 4-5 pieces that serve as a mini collection every couple weeks. Although I've been a bad designer since getting back from vacay.. got to have an office to work in though!

  

The Future and the Favorite:

I could be super cryptic and say If I told you, I'd have to kill you.. but the truth is, I haven't exactly ironed it out yet. I have a lot of ideas as far as marketing and branding go, and I'm finally ready to relinquish some of that creative control and work with professionals to grow clyde's rebirth. As far as my favorite piece is concerned.. I would have to say my first belt buckle necklace that I made, and literally the first necklace that sold [[see below]]. I found the buckle at the Red Light vintage store in Seattle, and soldered on rings to connect the vintage chains to. I wore it around a wee bit before listing it in the shop, and almost didn't let it go because I got that many compliments on it. It went to a friend though, which made it a little easier on the heart strings.

So, that's Merl. And that's Clyde's Rebirth. What are you getting? She loves custom orders too. 


Merl's Blog - Clyde's Rebirth - Shop Clyde's Rebirth
Get into it. 
Merl! Thanks for answering all the questions and making things that are worth talking about.

On another Etsy note, Purva from Morado Shop just posted a few pictures of me on her facebook page. You can check that out here. Thanks Purva!