Dandelion DreamsKim of A Repurposeful Life enjoys creating vintage button pendants; each of her creations is one of a kind and handcrafted with care. Since she uses vintage buttons when making her beautiful repurposed pendants, each creation comes with it's own unique traits, quirky and imperfect, that make them the special jewelry pieces they are!
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Kim and I am actually a full time educator with a full blown addiction to vintage, repurposed treasures and recycling. I live in the center of the United States, about four hours from Denver, and about five hours from Omaha. I call Nebraska home, and I am a "Husker" fan! I am a stepmom to four, wife to an artist, and a mom to two wonderful girls, ages three and almost twelve. So... I am busy! I also have another etsy shop (SimplyCharmingLife) where I feature vintage items that are not repurposed but with a great variety. Here at aRepurposefulLife, I am beginning with vintage button pendants, and plan to include other repurposed items such as decoupaged luggage, repurposed glassware, and more. But... to start, I have a wonderful selection of vintage button pendants to enjoy!
As Big as Texas, Bold, Blue, and Beautiful Star Vintage Button PendantHow did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?
My shop name came from my desire to let the world know that I feel repurposing is EXTREMELY important. Since my other shop is named SimplyCharmingLife, I wanted to tie the two together a bit... so aRepurpusefulLife came to be. I started selling on etsy after making several purchases, beginning with scrabble tile pendant creations, which is another love, but a bit more common here. I make scrabble tile pendants to sell at craft fairs, but they are not listed here because I wanted to offer something a bit more unique.
What are 5 things you want people to think when they see your products/shop?
I want people to think:
"Wow!"
"how pretty"
"What a great idea"
"I want that one for my birthday"
"One step at a time toward a repurposed world"
Gorgeous Statement Vintage Button Mother of Pearl PendantWhat or who inspires you?
I used to read and study craft magazines of all sorts, but now, with the internet, I need only go to Etsy for my inspiration. Almost everything I see on Etsy inspires me. I have already made great Etsy friends, and found many, many more projects than I will EVER have time to complete! Blogs are also a great source of information, see my blog for some of my faves.
What are your best marketing tips?
To help the world find me, I have started a blog, SimplyCharmingLife (which is in the early stages, but would love followers), I actively tweet as much as possible (CharmingVintage). I also try to be unique in my offerings.
In ten years I'd like to be…
In ten years I'd like to take early retirement from teaching, begin taking classes in nutrition, and work full-time from home through Etsy, selling vintage and repurposed treasures.
Stacked Vintage Button Shades of a Sunset PendantWhy should people buy handmade?
Why should people buy handmade? Who wouldn't want to? Handmade items are made with love and care, and you will never find this love and care coming from a factory item. I treasure those gifts in which time, love, and thought are big investments of the creator. Handmade items from Etsy are many times One-of-a-Kind, made from repurposed items (which is good for the earth), and are often organic in nature (which is also good for the earth). I am a big naturalist and have a Master's degree in Biology. I believe in taking care of our planet. I believe in encouraging others to do so.
Gorgeous Tortoiseshell Vintage Button Stacked PendantWhat do you enjoy most about the Etsy Recycler's Guild Team?
I truly treasure the Etsy Recycler's Guild because of our common beliefs in taking care of our planet, and we each have our own unique way of doing so.
You can find Kim of A Repurposeful Life online at the following places:
A Repurposeful Life on Etsy
Blog
Google Profile
This interview was contributed by Jessica of Eco-Friendly Freckles.
