Tina Wright - Working Girl
June 08, 2009 | By
Tina Wright of Working Girl rescues vintage reference books bound for a long stay in the local landfill. Inspired by the rarity and beauty of others discarded books, she works a bit of crafty magic to create her charming jewelry.
Tina was kind enough to share with me a bit about her life, her loves and her craft.
Name: Tina Wright
Business Name: workinggirl craft, thrift, and vintage
Location: Davie, FL
Interesting personal factoids:
This makes me wonder what people might find interesting. I think I'll go for bullet points.
. I got my driver's license at 21, and 12 years later still don't like to drive.
. I adopt all my pets, and get cranky with people who buy puppy mill puppies.
. My first concert, at 14, was the Ramones. They are still my favorite band.
. The first thing people notice about me is often my mouth. It's big, it's fast, and it generally has my foot in it.
. I played viola in orchestra for five years, and still love classical music.
Tell me about your craft/mediums.
I make jewelry from vintage reference books. I love the old illustrations, and hate to see them end up in a land fill just because the associated information may be obsolete. I also screen print. All my screens are made from recycled picture frames and are hand pulled, hand drawn, and hand printed. I also print on recycled clothing.
Why do you love your particular mediums?
I love that everything I make is one of a kind. Working with recycled materials, I couldn't recreate an item exactly, even if I wanted to.
Who are your influences?
I can't say I have any formal influences. I am inspired by music, textures, blogs like 
http://blog.craftzine.com , my mafia sisters, old books, and just about anything else.
Tell me about your most enjoyable experience with a customer.
I've taken a small case of my items to my office job on a few occasions, which makes me rather nervous. One woman in the department next door is always encouraging and interested in seeing my work. She is a repeat customer, her daughter is a repeat customer, and she's even had me do a few jewelry repairs for her. She comes to my craft shows, and is always excited to hear about Hollywood Craft Mafia events. I love her enthusiasm for all things handmade, and my work!
Where can we find your work? (both online and off)
My etsy shop is http://workinggirl.etsy.com. The Hollywood Craft Mafia is planning a trunk show for the fall, and I will be vending at Atomic Holiday Bazaar in Sarasota Florida December 13th
http://www.atomicholidaybazaar.com. It's always a good idea to catch me at a show if you can. I'm horrible about photographing everything and getting it posted on etsy. I must have 30 shirts and even more pendants waiting to be photographed and posted.
Any advice to new or young sellers just getting their feet wet?
Be patient, be persistent, and be yourself. Everything takes time, from finding your niche, to perfecting your items, to adjusting your pricing, to finding your market. Just make things you love and are proud of, talk about them everywhere you go, never give up, and you'll find some measure of success.
What do you do outside of your business?
I work full time in the Purchasing department of a local university. I also tutor part time, and am a loving pet mom to my six year old boxer Owen, and my poor unnamed eleven year old cat. I also read a good deal of SF and fantasy fiction. I'm a huge fan of Harlen Ellison, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett. I practically live at Underground Coffeehaus, the local indie coffeshop/art gallery/bookstore www.undergroundscoffeehaus.comwww.undergroundscoffeehaus.com.
What does the "handmade movement" mean to you?
To me, the handmade movement means having a connection, however tenuous, to creative people all over the word. I create something in my tiny house, and sell it to a woman in Canada. I ask for handmade items for holidays, and get personal notes from the sellers, along with my beautiful gift. I read a blog written in Europe, that inspires a new idea or just reminds me to call my sister. The juxtaposition of the old fashioned crafts, with the global community of the internet makes the handmade movement so varied, personal, yet all encompassing, that I find myself in awe.
Tell us a bit about the space you create in? How has it evolved since you started your craft?
I used to work on the floor, the sofa, or my bed. Since I started working with screen printing chemicals and adhesives, a hard, level surface is required. I only have a small desk in one corner to work on. I ran out of places to store my silk screens, so I hang them on the wall, like works of art. I have three different lamps on my tiny desk, depending on what I'm working on and what kind of light I need. I'm hoping to convert the living room into a crafting area for my mother and I later this year. While the desk in the corner is better than working on the floor, some room to spread out would be lovely.
What is your favorite type of handmade item to buy for yourself?
I almost never buy for myself, but I ask my family to purchase sketches for me. I'm particularly fond of the rough, concept type sketches my family bought for me from Melissa Sue at http://MelissaSue.etsy.com.
Nichole Jeske makes handmade jewelry and geekery, which can be found at Paw & Claw Designs.
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