Karina Young of The Well and Spindle
July 18, 2009 | By
Karina Young and I met a few months ago, when she purchased a few things from my shop. Since then we have developed a friendship, she has an infectious personality which is full of life and exudes from her all the time. There was no problem in EXPOSING her!
First Name:Karina
Last Name: Young
Company Name: The Well and Spindle
Where are you located: La Mesa/ San Diego, California
Please describe to our readers what exactly you do at The Well and Spindle?
At "The Well and Spindle" I offer magical products that have been influenced by various forms of Folk Magic. Most of my items are made with at least some herbs from my very own garden and are lovingly put together to suite various needs. I make spell powders, herbal infused oils, ritual loose incense and more for Love, Prosperity, Protection, Banishing and SO much more all by hand! I even have my own "recipes" for various mixtures of herbs, resins, roots and oils that I have been inspired to make for multiple purposes. I also make Yarn Poppets, Jewelry, Rune Pendants, Candles, Luminaries, Wax Tarts, "Bosom Buddies" (herb stuffed felt poppets) and my products continue to grow and change!
Where did the idea for this store come from?
I have been making many of the items I offer for a while now. I was just making them for myself and as gifts for others. I am really drawn to herbs and Mother Nature and working with natural materials has always felt "right." My family is really crafty and after donating some baskets of our work to various causes such as "San Diego Pagan Pride" at their annual Pagan Pride Day gathering I saw that the things we were doing and making did have a great appeal to others. So in due course I eventually saw (with some persuasion from friends) that it was high time I started sharing some of my work with others. The name "The Well and Spindle" comes from a folk tale concerning Frau Holda, a figure I have recently become quite enamored with! 
Who influences your work, either family or another artist?
My family influences my work a great deal. I grew up with a really crafty Mom who always had a fun and "different" project going on. Now, along with my family, my spirituality influences me a lot. Most of the items I offer to others are based on what people in my spiritual "grouping" are seeking. There is no way to really define what I believe but I am closest to the "Pagan" spiritual grouping and so I generally just throw myself in with that lovely bunch of people and cater to what they are looking for. I enjoy every minute of it! Except perhaps when I need to wrap boxes in postal paper. I still cannot seen to wrap boxes properly after all those Christmas/Yule present wrapping "sessions."
Please explain what does the handmade movement mean to you?
The handmade movement from what I see is people coming back to roots. People are tired of mass produced "stuff" that has no meaning, no life, no love etched into every surface, into every bottle or into its BEING. Handmade items give people what they are looking for and MORE. When you buy handmade you usually can see the artist, get to know a little about them and KNOW what went into making the products. They are not faceless and meaningless.
Tell us about your poppets? I originally started "The Well and Spindle" making magical Yarn Poppets. Here is the beginning of their story:
Years ago my Opa (grandpa in German) took my middle sister and myself to a very pleasant Victorian-style day camp in Lake Tahoe. The activities started by dividing the boys from the girls in order for the two groups to learn how to create two different types of toys made and played with by children at some point in the Victorian era. The girls learned how to make little yarn dollies to call their own.
All these years later I still remember how each of us lovingly created these yarn dolls that I have decided to start making again today.
My dolls (or poppets if you prefer) are different in many ways from the doll I had originally created, but I hope many will enjoy all the quirks and somewhat “modern” twists that have been added.
Various types of poppets can be found in many cultures all over the globe. I have been told mine tend to learn toward Scandinavian Yarn Dolls with my own personal touches of course.
The Poppets are influenced by peoples "needs", folk lore, the elements and anything I stumble upon by chance. They are all made of yarn and hand bound and made using just my hands, some yarn, scissors and a book to wrap them with. Sometimes I had various charms to their "belts" depending on the purpose of the poppet.
What do you find to be the most difficult about the work you do?
Finding the time and funds for materials. Sure, it is hard work hand grinding resins and herbs in my mortar and pestle but worth it. It's part of what I do!
If you could learn another craft what would it be?
Wheat weaving! I have always loved the folk art using wheat and straw to create Brigid's Crosses, brooms, Figurines, etc! I recently stumbled across one such woman who makes the items I wish to make on etsy. I can't wait to purchase something from her (www.ReidsWeeds.etsy.com)! Other than that perhaps soap making. I love buying handmade soaps on Etsy! I went a little crazy when I first discovered them and now have enough handmade soap to last my children's (when I have some) children it seems! 
What is your favorite piece that you have made thus so far?
How can I possibly choose! I might be able to choose a favorite from every "category" of items I make but even that would be hard! I did really enjoy making the "Fairy Houses" that sold quickly to a most wonderful woman who also sells on etsy (www.WildPen.etsy.com). But really, I love all of my items. Why else would I make them if I didn't love them and love making them!
Do you have any funny or embarrassing moments while crafting?
None that anyone has seen thankfully! I am sure as a kid when I was crafting along with my Mom and my middle sister I had some accidents though. The worst I have done lately is spill a bowl of just finished hand ground spell powder. Once the herbs hit the floor I cannot sell them so it was a bad loss. Many Pagans/Wiccans and Witches believe in the tabu that once herbs touch the ground their energy is "sucked" back into Mother Earth. I don't really believe in this but who is to say they are wrong! One can never be too careful! I AM a little superstitious!
Do you sell your work anywhere else other etsy?
Not as of yet. I have been considering using ArtFire.com but I am already so comfortable at Etsy and have met many great people there! Though, I WILL be selling my products this year at San Diego Pagan Pride Day on September 12th along with my really good friend Christine Rogers from Studio Regency (StudioRegency.etsy.com). So exciting!
You are very in tuned with nature, what role does this play in your creations?
Nature plays the most important of roles! Most of what I do is connected to nature in some way! The herbal products are an obvious case in which Nature is incorporated but even my hand burned wooden pendants are connected to Nature. I don't just make my items and throw them into a box. I use Nature to bless them, charge them, and more. I soak myself into nature when I need inspiration, I go out into my garden to take pictures of my products, Nature is everywhere in my life. I am part of Nature and so is everything I create!
What is the best piece of advice you can give other artists?
Keep on keepin' on. Times can seem hard and you might get frustrated but keep working at it and soon enough the results will be worth it.
If you won a thousand dollars to spend on improving your business what would you
spend it on ?
Improving? Well, I believe I would expand to other outlets as well as what I am doing now. Perhaps make cold-process soap or finally have the funds to make and share some of the salves and other herbal "beauty" products that I already make for myself! I would also "oomph" up my tags and other little tidbits for my items. Having the funds all at once to buy extra herbs unavailable in my garden would be nice as well! I am a college student and I do have to work outside of the home to get enough funds for general life "stuff", my products, school (I pay out of pocket), and the like. Free funds would be most graciously accepted!
You can reach The Well and Spindle at:
Website - www.thewellandspindle.com
Twitter -www.twitter.com/erdkind
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Diego-CA/The-Well-and-Spindle/64834921330?ref=ts
Etsy -www.thewellandspindle.etsy.com
Blogger - www.thewellandspindle.blogspot.com
Email -thewellandspindle@yahoo.com
In addition to being a columnist at handmadenews.org, Jennifer is a self taught graphic design artist and photographer based in England, specializing in photo artwork. Turning family photos into works of art. Come see what you can become at My Magic Me Studios.
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