Bec of Dakota Rae Dust
Have you always been a maker. If not how did you get here?
I have always worked in creatives jobs. I have a degree in Textiles and Surface decoration designed prints and embroideries for womenswear at a swatch studio in London. Clients were starting to require digitalised artwork, but I had been hand painting giant brushy patterns on sheets of paper taped to the floor and hand drawing embroidery designs and instructions. It was pure joy!
When I moved back to the west country, working for a small clothing business opened my eyes to the possibility of setting something up myself. Being part of a tiny team meant I got to experience all the elements of running a business, from bookkeeping, tradeshows and wholesale customers to the making of the products.
I am a full time maker. It's taken a while to get here and I don't take it for granted that things will stay this way but right now I feel extremely lucky.
What does a typical day look like for you? My current workspace is a studio shared with three other creative business owners. We have a shop window to display our wares in and the ability to open our space to visitors for pop up markets and events. I still take the occasional (often rainy!) day at home to do admin, website updates and accounts from the sofa but I here basically full time, designing, making, packing orders and making lots of mess!
These statement jewel earrings are a best seller. They are available with or without the silky tassels and I make them in an ever evolving array of colours and fabrics so I never get bored of constructing them.
What’s your favourite part of the making process? OOO just playing, combining fabrics, colours and textures and working out what looks good. I liken my design process to playing fuzzy felt.
Many of the adornments and gems that feature in my earrings and necklaces are sewn on by hand and although it gives me terrible hand pain i do love the meditative nature of slowing stitching things together. . . and making time lapse videos of the process for instagram!
My jewellery is very bright and bold. It's definitely not to everyones taste but it's distinctive look helps it stand out and be recognised when people are wearing it out and about. I often get messages from customers telling me they have met/been approached by a fellow dakota rae dust earring fan and struck up a conversation/friendship which makes me super happy.
What have you got from being a part of the Crafty Fox community? I have been trading with Crafty Fox Market for about 8 years. I work alone so the social side of person trading and the connections made with other makers are really important to me.
My favourite Crafty Fox memory has to be festival related. It's a full on few days but taking my colourful wares to a fancy dress filled field with a gang of fellow crafty foxers can't be beaten.
