This is my first post on here and to be honest, I don't actually know where to start. I have all these thoughts swimming about in my head day-to-day and when I actually sit down to try and type them out, it's nearly impossible to type it all out. I feel as if I'm fishing in a small pond with too many species of fish and whatever I manage to reel in, well that's what ends up on this page. I guess I'll start with a look into life behind the brand. Some of you may or may not know where it all began, so here's an introduction into my crazy world that is known as circa1910.
My name is Kayla. I'm a 23, reluctantly almost 24, year old with a burning desire to leave behind a legacy of sunshine in this seemingly gloomy world. I'm thankful to have the best support team in the world composed of two sets of wonderful parents, four siblings, the most incredible boyfriend/soulmate, and incredible friends and extended family.
When I was 19, I moved 6 hours away from home to Nashville, TN where I knew absolutely no one. I grew up in a small town and knew I had to expand my horizons if I ever wanted to do something great in this world. I love my small town, but I knew I was meant for more than it could ever offer. So I worked hard and eventually caught my break as an assistant to a professional wardrobe stylist. I loved the job, but it was taxing and exhausting and surprisingly, it wasn't as much of a creative outlet as I had hoped. The mountains were beautiful but not for me. I had always loved the coast and my favorite city was 9 hours away, so after 2 years, I picked up and moved yet again to Charleston, SC. I don't regret a single thing.
Growing up, I always made clothing and jewelry and would sport my latest creations to school or church. Creating a piece has always been a stress reliever for me. I remember making small beaded keychains and selling them out of my locker in middle school. Surprisingly, my awkward haircut and even more awkward social demeanor didn't keep the brace-faced kids from spending their lunch money on my latest creations. A plastic beaded ladybug keychain in 2002 is truly where the hustle began. When in Nashville, I decided to turn my life-long hobby into a small side business. Less than a year later, I had to quit my day job just to keep up with the demands. I still, to this day, don't regret a single thing.
When I first started making jewelry to sell, I started out all wrong. Trying to keep up with trends and create things I thought others would want, instead of what I was passionate about...yeah, didn't work out so well. My first designs were as awkward as my 7th grade haircut and were about as desirable as a hairy man sporting a tube top. (You know, you're not really sure what to think, it's not exactly attractive, maybe you could dig it if he wasn't your significant other, etc.) They weren't terrible, but they weren't my passion, and that translates to very easily as a designer. If you make something that you put your heart and soul into, eventually people will catch onto that and the results will spread faster than the flu at a middle school party where pubescents are playing spin the bottle.
I began making pieces with things that I was, and will always be, passionate about. I'm a nerd. I wear Star Wars t-shirts and I'm obsessed with sharks, ancient Egyptian artifacts, metal detecting, monster trucks, fossils, old coins, and good erasers. I enjoy watching documentaries on the Bermuda Triangle and dressing up like a pirate any acceptable chance that I get. One day, I decided 'to hell with society and their trends!' I'm going to find vintage pieces and remake them into contemporary heirlooms. I hate repetition, always have. I like jewelry that is unique, one of a kind, fun, and holds a secret story. I like wondering what this skeleton key opened and who wore this 104 year old rosary. I like knowing that someone, years ago, fashioned this arrowhead by hand as a means to eat and survive. I like passing on the spirit of another time in my designs. I want women to feel empowered when they wear a piece that was created just for them. I want people to know they are wearing a piece of history and they are inadvertently telling a story that might not otherwise be told.
I will always love what I do and the stories I tell through my creations. If you want a more visual insight into the makings of circa1910, follow us on Instagram! @circa1910jewelry welcomes you!
Until a later date when I can carve out a time between creating and obsessively looking at Megalodon teeth on Ebay,
xo,
Kayla
www.circa1910jewelry.com
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