Craft and the environment are my passions, I want to be the person in my family that finally does what I love. I want to show people that they can follow their passions if they are willing to work hard and think outside the box. If I inspire one person in my life, I will be happy.
Kim Franklin
Random Facts About You?1. I love bluegrass music, but also enjoy ballroom dancing with my boyfriend, we will randomly start foxtroting in a parking lot if Frank Sinatra comes on.
2. I want to do what I love for the rest of my life, and that is upcycled crafting. I want to show the world that beautiful things can be made sustainably from waste, I want to turn design, craft and art upside down and get people excited about thinking outside of the box.
3. Sometimes throughout the day I get these music video ideas in my head and imagine I am in a music video, what song would be playing for that very moment and what would I be doing, where would I be going and who would I be growing up to be like?
4. I met the love of my life Dave 3 years ago, he was my first date and my first boyfriend at the age of 22. Our first date was iceblocking, which is where you sit on a block of ice and slide down steep grass hills... It was love at first sight.
What got you started crafting?
My grandma was a craft maker. I remember at the age of 5 going to craft shows to help bag items that were sold and give back change to customers. My grandma would make beautiful chirstmas tree skirts, ornaments and stockings. My sister and I would go to her house each day before and after school we would be allowed to craft as long as we got our homework done. I LOVED being in the craft room, coming up with ideas for projects to start, I felt most alive when using my hands to create things.
What is your source of inspiration?
My source of inspiration is nature, using items that are considered useless and I love the idea of items with a history. Often times I go to local thrift stores when they throw out hundreds of books each week and I take them home along with old shelfing, picture frames and try to give them a new useful life. If I can take something and create it into something useful rather than going to a landfill, I feel so wonderful.
What have you made recently?
I have some interior design friends that get tons of sample wallpaper. They were about to throw a bunch of it out and I asked if I could have it. I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I have recently got into making paper flowers with old childrens books I find being thrown at the thrift store. So I decided to try making the flowers out of wallpaper, and it turned out beautifully!
Where do you sell your crafts presently?
I just graduated from UCSD with a BA in both communications and media arts. I had to give up crafting while in college due to lack of time. I just started crafting again last summer and am now working on selling at local fairs, but for now I sell on etsy. I would like to get some of my work consigned at local museums in San Diego.
Why are handmade crafts important to you?
I choose handmade over mass made products because they have a story behind them, a person with a passion for the item they make. I love speaking with the artist that had the idea, and used their hands to create, its a beautiful thing.
Find Me
LocationChula Vista CA
Email Address
Kim Franklin
Personal Website
http://mrgnomesblog.com
Store Website
http://etsy.com/shop/mrgnome
@mrgnomesblog
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Gnome/110075469020289?ref=ts
