The Story by KJDesigns on Luulla

KJ Creations & Designs

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 I lost my job and needed something to generate some kind of income as well as keep my mind and hands busy durin..

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Opened on Jan 27, 2013

From United States

Fans: 2

Total Items: 0

Total Loves: 3

Total Sold: 0

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About KJ Creations & Designs

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 I lost my job and needed something to generate some kind of income as well as keep my mind and hands busy during treatments. My Docs tell me that I am clean so far, but dont get the all clear for a bit yet. I am doing very well but not able to return to work quite yet. Its mind boggling how many parts of your body are affected by the poisons dumped in to "cure". I have some problems with periphial neuropathy and am still frequently exhausted

I injured my right hand just before I discoved the cancer and have had two reconstructive surgries on that so until I am done with physical therapy I wont be writing, and typing (more than 10 wpm) for a while, which was a huge part of my job! So going back to work isnt an option at this time.

My crafts keep my mind working and my hands busy!

Tell us a bit about yourself and KJ Creations & Designs ?

KJ designs was born out of boredom and the need to keep my hands busy! I found that during recovery (when I wasn’t out of it from pain meds) I needed to do something or I was eating and smoking way too much. I gained some weight while I was laying around catching up with all of the REAL HOUSEWIVES and every show on the FOOD Channel that made me want to eat all of the time. You’d think the Housewives would have made me want to exercise and eat right as they do but nope! Those shows made me want to eat, drink wine and smoke!! LOL Oh! And go on fabulous vacations that I could not afford! I initially crocheted about 100 scarves (the only thing I know how to crochet lol) since I could wrap a crochet hook to make the shaft bigger, but you can only make so many scarves before your friends and family start hiding from you!! So I went back to my first love, making jewelry, and what I call “memory” crafts. Memory crafts are just that: I take pictures or words or something of meaning and turn it into something you can display, wear, hang, or stick on your fridge! I also discovered this really cool store that sold reclaimed glass, and started making photo display /card holders along with crazy wire designs. I get bored easily, so I switch around from polymer clay, to beads, to metal, wire and collage. I also like to “up cycle” so I keep my eyes open for things I can make or incorporate in my designs. PINTEREST is a playground for me!!!

How did you get started in doing what you do? How long have you been creating?

I have always made things. When I was little, my aunt who is a retired school teacher always had fun and interesting things for us kids to do. I remember sitting at their huge dining table with my two cousins, stringing popcorn, beads, dried cranberries and making cool things out of construction paper and play doh. I think she tested out her ideas on us (and kept us busy) before she tried them in her classroom! My aunt was always making things for her classroom and for her family. She sewed matching nightgowns for me and my cousin Jen and our dolls got them too! My aunt Diane inspired my childhood, she was a product of the way she was raised, “you made it yourself if you could.” And she could!! I used to take seed beads, put them in rainbow order and string toes rings on dental floss. From the time I was about 7-8 years old I always had a permanent ring on one or more toes. Our driveway which was gravel, and my cousins driveway, had the coolest rocks and fossils, we called them “Indian beads” and used them to make all kinds of things: bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings. As I got older I would take “junk jewelry” and make it into something else, or take keys: my diary key, my brothers padlock keys and any I could find, paint them with my crazy mixed nail polish and wear them on my hoop earrings. This is what I do and what I am!!

Where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere. I am inspired by many things I see. I love dragonflies and I incorporate them into many of my designs. My favorite colors are purple, green, blue one day and black white and grey the next. I love bright colors and for childrens items I use a lot of bright eye catching color. I think my mind works like a ADHD 5 year old, flitting from one thing to another until something catches my interest and I can focus on that completely. I read a lot, I love music, and I love those darn DYI sites (and TV shows) that suck me in for hours but give me so many great ideas! The ones that you look at and you think “That is so clever! I should have thought of that!” or “that is so simple! Why didn’t someone figure that out sooner!?!” A lot of times when I am shopping I see something I like and know that I could make it myself, or I just can’t afford it so I try to make it. My friends and family have favorite things so I try to make them things they will treasure. My sisters’ favorite thing is daisies, so I figured out how to wrap wire to form the daisies that I use on my picture holders. (The first one I ever made was the one she still displays on her fireplace mantle.) My middle daughter is obsessed with the band Blink 182 so I found a free program to scale pictures down and made her a tile necklace with band pictures on it. It was a big hit at Hard Rock Café when she worked there!! So many inspirations, so little time!!!

What was your first creation? Do you have a favourite?

It’s really hard to figure out how many ways you can talk about the things you make, and what inspires you! The first creation I think I remember clearly making was in art class in 4th grade. We were working with clay and I made an alligator. I remember rolling out little balls of clay for the teeth and long strips for the legs and feet, more liitle balls flattened for toe nails! We were very lucky to have a wonderful art teacher who pushed us to try many different things and always made us feel great about anything we made. I was lucky that living “in town” walking distance from the school I could go in early and Mrs. Borne was always there and let us work on projects we wanted to do outside of class. I have never been good at drawing unless it was draft style where I used a ruler. I usually do not draw or sketch my designs before I make them, unless it’s a design I see that I want to remember to copy or modify to what I want. My favorite? I don’t think I have one in particular; it depends on my mood at the time!! There isn’t a whole lot more I can say about this subject… PICTURE BELOW IS NOT MY DESIGN< JUST ONE I ASPIRE TO MAKE!!

What have you created recently?

Recently I have become obsessed with vintage and “junk” jewelry, keys, and steam punk style. I am currently working on a display box made from an old wooden clock. I accidentally bid on it at my first auction! Lucky break! I love auctions and garage sales and antique stores, they are great for finding old, used “stuff” that I make into something else. I love dollar stores where I can buy paper, kids toys, glass and whatever to make my items. I buy stuff on eBay and that “other site” usually parts or findings. Sometimes I buys stuff from China just cuz they have really cool stuff CHEAP that can be made into fun and fabulous jewelry! I am on the web site LISTIA>COM about 30 times a day, I find parts and pieces, supplies and all kinds of free stuff to buy and sell. (They use “credits” not cash, that you earn by doing things on the site, “selling” things, listing auctions and doing surveys if you wish. Usually you only pay shipping, if that) you get rid of stuff you don’t want for something someone else doesn’t want!! FACEBOOK has virtual garage sales ( I use only local) which are great for finding things and getting rid of things too!! I love the idea of “UP Cycling” or “Reclaiming” its cool when you can cut pages out of an old used book or newspapers, magazines and catalogs and turn them into something that isn’t going to be thrown away!!