interview and giveaway with christine of dailee dose jewelry and handmade!

An interview and giveaway for today!

Lovely Christine of Dailee Dose has an eye for vintage inspired jewelry. She puts the greatest creative philosophy - create something new from something old - to use with her own individualized spin.. Making vintage pieces new again, she also manages to retain their soft, vintage aesthetic in the process.

Whether she's reconstructing a lace dress from an old negligee, wedding antique storybook illustrations to wood cutouts, or creating feminine, ruffly undies from vintage fabrics, Christine has a real penchant for creating and upcycling - and all with a bit of an edge.

Tell us a bit about yourself!

Hello! My name is Christine, I’m 21, and I live in Marlton, New Jersey with my boyfriend Derek and our two cats, Eve and Rogue. We both grew up here and were high school sweethearts. It is our dream to move off together someday and have a charming little house of our own in a place much more satisfying. I love to create all sorts of things, and I am obsessed with vintage, fashion, sewing, art and jewelry. I collect vintage dresses, fashion magazines, vintage fairy tale books, kitschy house wares and knick knacks, and any other cute things I can get my hands on.

What led you to start making jewelry (and clothing, too)?

Ever since I can remember, I was always making something. I used to sketch a lot growing up, and I even used to paint one of a kind dolls. I studied art during my middle school years and in high school I took four years of fashion design classes. Sewing was always a strong passion of mine, but I didn’t actually start creating jewelry seriously until this past year. I stumbled across Etsy in 2008 and instantly fell in love. I always knew that I wanted to work for myself, and this was the place that would allow me to do that. I just wish I would have started Dailee Dose sooner!

Do you have a favorite creation that you've made?

I really love the pieces from my Alice in Wonderland collection, since I am secretly obsessed with the story (I think I have seen every Alice in Wonderland movie there is..). The red reconstructed slip dress I made for Valentine’s Day is another one of my favorites.

You find such great pieces to put together! What are your shopping strategies?

Thank you! But I don’t think I really have a strategy, I usually just sort of stumble upon things! I spend a lot of time supply shopping on Etsy and in thrift shops, and I look for anything vintage or unique that I can turn into jewelry. For example, I just recently found the cutest vintage wooden Easter ornaments that I want to turn in to necklaces. Lucite cabochons, cameos, and Cracker Jack toys are the best.

What inspires you the most?

I like to work with several different components at once, and the beads and fabric themselves inspire me the most. When I am shopping for supplies, I usually know right away how I want to use an item in a design. I love to use vintage fabrics, like old curtains or linens, and upcycle them in to something pretty and new. I read a lot of fashion blogs and browse online boutiques all the time. And anything frilly and girly, with lots of lace and ruffles, always catches my eye.

Any future plans for your shops that we should be aware of?

I have only just begun with Dailee Dose, and I am super excited! I am currently focusing more of my attention on my clothing designs, and I am working on a Spring/Summer line that will consist of rompers, shorts and skirts, lingerie, and cotton dresses in pastels and floral prints. And of course there will be even more jewelry, as well as a fuller inventory at my vintage shop, Officer Sweetheart. I plan on launching a website for Dailee Dose later this year as well.

Thanks, Christine!

As for the giveaway.. you have your choice between these two lovelies!

These feminine floral cameo earrings..

Or this kitschy cool deer hair bow!

All you have to do to enter is comment on this blog post and let us know which is your favorite find of the two! And if you feel like sharing, we'd love to hear how you plan on styling your giveaway choice.

The giveaway is open for one week and ends on Wednesday, February 3rd. I'll announce a winner then!

In the meantime, don't forget to check out Dailee Dose, as well as Christine's two other shops - her vintage store Officer Sweetheart and her supply shop, Colinette Supplies.