image credit: Richard Israel
I am thrilled to introduce our latest Vendor Spotlight, Krissy Miller Designs. Krissy is a Marketing Manager by day and custom jewelry designer by night, weekend and lunch hour. Her designs have been featured on Style Me Pretty, in a current Hayden Olivia Ad, in the Dress in the Queen City Fashion Show and have been captured by photographers such as Richard Israel and Jessica Claire. I met up with Krissy a few weeks ago to view some of her latest creations. The verdict? I want all of them. :) I hope you have as much fun getting to know Krissy as I did.Interested in your own Krissy Miller custom design? Enter to win!
Simply leave a comment describing an outfit of your own that cries out for custom jewelry {a bridal gown or simply a fun sun dress - all ladies qualify to win}. Krissy will pick her favorite entry and the winner will receive a custom designed necklace. We will also select one winner at random to receive either a bracelet or earrings. Additionally, all commenters will receive 10% of their Designs By Krissy order if placed before December 31, 2009.
Without further ado, I present an interview with Designs By Krissy:
Alyse Woodward Events {AWE}: How did your love of jewelry and design come about?
Designs By Krissy {DBK}: Ever since I was a little girl my mom and I have been collecting wedding magazines. I seriously think that we have the very first Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine in our living room still. Just looking at the brides and bridesmaids in the magazines made me think about how I would want my own wedding to look. Then in high school I had my first opportunity to wear a really beautiful evening gown. I had purchased a beautiful necklace to go with the dress but I needed matching earrings. So I decided to make them and from then on out I was creating custom jewelry for my friends and myself. Now that I have a lot of friends and family members getting married it seemed like the perfect way to marry (no pun intended) my love for weddings and my passion for designing jewelry into one fun hobby/job.
image credit: Richard Israel
AWE: Do you have a most popular design?
DBK: Most of my work is custom designed to fit the ideas of my brides, but one design in particular has been very popular. Its the Leah bracelet, woven pearls with a crystal accent at the clasp. I think that a lot of brides like this design because it is so timeless. They can have all women adorned in the bracelet and it won't look too modern, grown up or childish.
image credit: alyse woodward events
AWE: Are all of your designs custom?
DBK: I do both custom and ready made jewelry. I would say that 75-80% is custom because I am working with brides and all of the styles are different for each wedding. But then I post all of my ready made jewelry on my ETSY page. I also host jewelry parties where I sell my designs during the holidays...they make great gifts for the holidays!
image credit: jessica claire
AWE: Where can I purchase Designs by Krissy?
DBK: Right now you can purchase designs/contact me through the Designs by Krissy ETSY page or email me at miller{.}krissy{at}gmail{.}com to discuss custom work. Hopefully soon my designs will be available at a local Bridal Boutique.
image credit: alyse woodward events
AWE: Where do you draw your inspiration?
DBK: Everywhere! But mostly from Wedding magazines... Thank God for Jim Hjelm's great print ads, there is always some fabulous jewelry featured in them. I also draw inspiration from antique stores, where I find most of my brooches and also from everyday fashion stores like Anthropologie, J.Crew and Banana Republic.
image credit: alyse woodward events
AWE: Let's talk about pricing. What is the price range and/or starting rate for bracelets, earrings and necklaces?
DBK: Bracelets $30-75 | Earrings $15-60 | Necklaces $50-200
Everything depends on the materials used and the complexity of the designs. I am also very easy to work with if you tell me your budget up front.
image credit: designs by krissy
AWE: How long will a custom order take to fill/what is the turn around for ready made orders?
DBK: Custom orders depend on the materials that need to be ordered and the quantity of the order. Typically, I like to have about 3-6 weeks to work on a wedding order. That way with enough time we can make sure the bride is getting exactly what she was envisioning. Ready made orders are shipped out the next day from the time of order.
image credit: hayden olivia bridal
AWE: I hear you are planning a wedding of your own, Congratulations! What sites, blogs or magazines are you loving right now as a bride-to-be?
DBK: My mom and I refer to the Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine from this past summer is as the wedding bible. I love the bright summery colors in it. I also love reading all types of wedding blogs everything from Style Me Pretty, Wedding Bee, Southern Weddings Magazine, Vintage Glam Weddings, The Bride's Cafe and of course Alyse Woodward Events.
AWE: Some of your pieces feature breathtaking vintage brooches. Tell us about the process of ordering and incorporating those into one of your creations.
DBK: I love vintage brooches, earrings, and shoe clips but the brooches can be hit or miss. It is hard to show brides past creations I have made because I am always afraid they are going to fall in love with the brooch. Because the brooches are vintage and hand picked by me from antique stores, ETSY and eBay, they are usually one of a kind. I can typically find similar styles and colors but never the same brooch. It's always an adventure finding the perfect brooch for a bride and her bridesmaids.
image credit: alyse woodward events
AWE: I have an heirloom brooch I would like to make a part of my wedding day attire. Could you fashion a custom necklace or bracelet around a family heirloom?
DBK: Absolutely!!! This is a great way for a bride to incorporate the "Something Old" into her wardrobe for the big day. I can also work with embellishments from your dress that you may have had removed but still want to incorporate. This is also a great way to bring the price of the overall piece down because the brooches are usually my largest expense for designing a necklace.
image credit: alyse woodward events
AWE: Each of my bridesmaids has a different personality and different tastes. Will you customize a piece for each girl so they aren't identical but still coordinate?
DBK: This is my favorite way to create a look for a wedding. I love meeting with a bride and hearing her describe the personalities and styles of all of her girls. That way we construct a look that not only coordinates with everyone in the party but is something that your bridesmaid will wear again and even treasure because it was designed specifically with her in mind.
AWE: Your favorite color, food and restaurant in Charlotte?
DBK: Color - Purple | Food - Sushi | Restaurant - Press
AWE: Anything Else we should know?
DBK: I live for weddings and if I can in any way enhance a brides wedding experiences with my jewelry then I am a happy girl!
The contest rules again:
Interested in your own Krissy Miller custom design? Enter to win!
Simply leave a comment describing an outfit of your own that cries out for custom jewelry {a bridal gown or simply a fun sun dress - all ladies qualify to win}. Krissy will pick her favorite entry and the winner will receive a custom designed necklace. We will also select one winner at random to receive either a bracelet or earrings. Additionally, all commenters will receive 10% of their Designs By Krissy order if placed before December 31, 2009.
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12 comments:
OMG-- these pieces are simply delicious! I love all of the necklaces.
Just beautiful! DBK has some amazing jewelry. The outfit that would need a custom piece, is my staple Saturday digs, jeans and a solid tee. I just love giving my outfit that unexpected WOW when you pair fun and unique jewelry with classic jeans and a tee.
Carla,
StylePerfect Weddings and Events
Well, with the launch of Hems & Hers, I've been adding tons of handmade skirts and dresses to my wardrobe. I used to be a fan of understated baubles, but over the past few months, I have found myself completely lusting over big statement pieces to accent my prints and patterns. I would love nothing better than to combine a custom necklace or piece of jewelry to a custom garment. Breathtaking!
We are in the process of adopting and I want to look my VERY best when meeting a potential birthmother....something delicate, fashionable and intentional. We would most likely purchase a 2nd & 3rd for the birthmother and for our baby for when she/he grows up as a memory necklace. That's what we're thinking!
candice {www.thebeautifulmess.com/blog}
WOW. these designs are simply incredible. I want to buy all of them! It sounds like Krissy really connects with her clients to give them exactly what they want, which means they are one of a kind! No one else will have it! IM ORDERING NOW! :)
The antique pieces take center stage when Krissy designs her jewelry around them!
Very creative lady! (not eligible for prize, just to compliment)
very nice and unique jewelry design! im getting married also, and i want my fiance to have this.. :)
Wow! I absolutely love these!
I would have to say my bridal gown would be the specific outfit I would have it designed for. I would love to have a unique piece of jewelry to express my personality to complete my ensemble. I would then like to be able to wear it each year for our anniversary and to eventually give to our daughter.
Hey Alyse!!! You may not remember me, but we had some classes together at State and actually met when we lived at UT!!! I check out your blog every once in ahwile and must say that you are doing fabulous!! You have some of the most beautiful and creative ideas for brides!! I would have to say the dress I would want a custom design for would be my timeless little black dress. It's a "Marilyn Monroe" style chiffon halter with a deep V-neck. I think a little black dress with a bold piece of jewelry makes for a perfect outfit! Hope you are doing well in Charlotte!!
DBK is simply amazing. I have just recently moved to Charlotte due to the fact my fiance has an awesome job and since we were blessed with that we decided that the best move in our relationship would be to move me and everything here. I am getting married outside next to a lake, the whole whimsical, light, classy and elegant wedding. I found an amazing tara keely dress that is breath taking. It's Ivory Silk Satin modified A-line gown. Sleeveless pleated V-neckline with double thin strap detail at back, draped bodice, dropped waist, soft draped back skirt, chapel train. I have been looking for the perfect bracelet to go with it, and earrings and this dress doesn't need a necklace. I have fallen in love with the bracelet that DBK has that is the most popular..the Leah Bracelet. Mainly for the fact I have been looking for a pearl bracelet with a beautiful accent clasp, but also because my name is Leah. It's really not a common name (when I was little I could never find those awesome bike license plates with your names on them!) so to be able to wear a beautiful piece that also is the same name would be a total honor and not only complete my look but also totally make the dress.
I have become a loyal follower of Style Me Pretty and Etsy as I am planning my December wedding on Cape Cod. I saw DBK's designs on SMP and absolutely fell in love with them! I want a vintage feel to my wedding as we are getting married in a church built in the mid-1800s, and having a cosy reception at a old Cape house turned restaurant. My dress is a very simple ivory with no beading, so I wanted to have vintage jewelry to glam it up a bit. I have vintage chandelier crystal earrings, but have been out of luck with finding an appropriate necklace. Bridal store jewelry is just too costume for me! So when I saw the necklaces that combined pearls and vintage brooches, I knew that this would be the perfect accompaniment to my wedding dress! Thanks so much for featuring DBK and creating this amazing contest!!
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