A lot of the materials that we use are off cuts, thrifted or recycled in some way so having to just work with what we've got often influences our products! But I also find inspiration from Modern design, Scandinavian folk art and folk or traditional art in general, little scraps of fabric, poster art, living amongst such dramatic landscapes, the geometry of old quilts....I could go on!
Where do you do most of your work?
We have a studio, but it is fairly small so in some ways it is mostly used to store supplies and stock in a somewhat ordered manner. I work in there sometimes, but I often end up in the living room working on our little beat up teak coffee table. Glass rings galore!
How did you come up with the name for your business?
Total flight of fancy, really. This may sound a little strange, but 'bliss' is just a word I've always really enjoyed and loved to say. Katherine Mansfield has this great story with that as a title and it just kind of stuck with me. I think I had been reading something that used the phrase 'a storm in a teacup' and so I mixed the two together and it (to me anyway!) seemed to give off the kind of cozy, peaceful feel I was hoping for.
Your favorite thing to make?
We just started making jewellery and I really, really love it. I've always loved working with wood, and sculpting it on the sander is really satisfying. I love seeing the colour and grain take shape, and the smell of burning off sawdust is amazing!
What is your all time favorite design from past or current collections?
Oh man, tough question! Probably our bookmarks. It was a design my husband came up with, and I was actually a little skeptical at first as I couldn't really picture how it was going to work. Now, all the amazing wood that we find and the images taken from old books - I love them. They're like little pieces of art!
What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started your business?
To do what you love and stick with your instincts. I know that might sound cheesy, but I think there is a real temptation to try and do as much as possible and whatever is currently trendy, but the reality is your work will be at it's best when you love it and spend time on it!
Coffee or tea?
Tea! I love it and drink way too much. I've never liked coffee, aside from the smell.
Favorite magazine/blog/daily read?
Fieldguided, For Me, For you, all the mountains, Frankie Magazine, threadbared, Bitch Magazine
If you could follow one person around for a day, who would it be?
To be honest I think it would be one of my friends, or maybe more specifically one of the friends I've made online in the past few years. I don't know how I feel about putting someone up on a pedestal enough to want to follow them around, I feel like it would be really easy to be disappointed! This way, I could just hang out with people I already know I love, ha.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, money and time being no object, where would you go and why?
Everywhere, I honestly can't choose!
If you had to spend a year on a deserted island, what 5 things would you take with you?
A box of all the books I've meant to read but haven't, a quilt, a piano, lip balm, a camera and lots of film.
Thank you Becka for participating in this week's Behind the Design.
Photos courtesy of Becka, Bliss in a Teacup.
Becka can be found at:
Etsy shop
Blog
Flickr
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