My Story
Hi, I’m Kristin. I design jewelry made from vintage cookie tins. I have always enjoyed art and dabbling in crafts but it wasn’t until I was out of college that I “got serious” about investing in my creative side. I began making jewelry in about 2005, first with beads and then expanding to wire-work. Though I didn’t sell my jewelry, I gave it as gifts and loved the feeling it gave me to share my work with others.
Then my mother bought me a vintage Singer sewing machine. She taught me how to sew a straight line and I was hooked. I picked up all the books I could on sewing and watched all the videos I could find on the subject. The part of sewing that I loved the most was searching through all the beautiful fabrics available and then picking out patterns to showcase in my designs. I loved cutting out patterns as I imagined what the fabric could become. When Etsy came along I opened a shop called “Sewn Sunday” where I sold my bags and small accessories.
One of my other loves during this time was "thrifting" and hunting through yard sales. I was drawn to vintage fabrics in stunning florals or modern designs. I loved the idea of re-purposing fabrics to created one-of-a-kind bags and accessories; pieces that had a history, a patina, and a vintage flair. I sold my little bags on Esty until the summer of 2011, when my husband and I relocated from Florida to Texas. A few days before moving, we found out I was pregnant. We were thrilled, but knew big changes were in store. I closed my Etsy shop indefinitely to focus on the move, my job change, and of course, my baby.
My son is now 9 years old and he has a 4-year-old brother. Though my life is still busy, I have made it a priority to be making again. In particular, creating something new out of something old. Though I still love sewing, I now create using my first love, jewelry design. This time my medium of choice is vintage tin canisters. I fell for their unique designs while walking through thrift stores. They were the perfect way to mix my loves, thrifting and designing with pattern and color.
I have learned a lot and continue to improve my craft with each new item that I make. My process for making a pair of earrings or a pendent is a lot like how I used to design bags. Each piece is created using a pattern designed by me. I lay out the pattern piece on the tin, visualizing the piece. After I cut out the pieces, the edges are sanded. I add brass and sometimes resin to enhance the tin, but not overpower it; I want the lovely patterns on the tin to be the focus.
If you have read this far, thank you so much for taking an interest in me. I hope that you will browse through my shop and please, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. You can also follow me on Instagram @tinboxdesigns. Thanks, and have a wonderful day!
~Kristin