Little House Studio Co.

Little House Studio Co. is a one woman operation making amazingly awesome wearable art. Created by Kimberly Tomlin, this company features sculptured jewelry, as well as other wearable pieces. You may have seen her work at this past year's Detroit Urban Craft Fair, where she set up shop with her handmade jewelry and boob bags. Her pieces are bold, fun, and make a statement. Speaking of statements, we first discovered Little House Studio when it released the "Strong Ass Women's Club" pins last year. We instantly fell in love with the pins, the idea behind them and all of LHSC's creations. 

Little House Studio Co. just launched its new Spring/Summer line just a few weeks ago along with a new website. So we thought this was the perfect time to catch up with the lady behind Little House and get to know this company a little better. Check out what Kimberly had to say. 

HID- How did you get started in designing and making jewelry? 

Little House Studio Co.- "My interest in Graphic Design started back in high school, I went to a technical educational school for half the day and got certified in Digital Media. Then I went on to my Associates in Communication Design and most recently finished my BFA in Graphic Design. 

While in school for my BFA I took a ceramics class, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The material was difficult for me; I was so used to computer based work that was easy to control and easy to undo your mistakes. It wasn’t that way with clay. I remember my professor speaking about clay on the first day as if it was a person, he said that the clay will show signs of everything you do to it, and sometimes you can’t undo what you have done. 

I can’t tell you how many times I had to throw my work away and start over. It was frustrating and challenging, but also therapeutic. That class made me realize I needed this juxtaposition to my computer-based work. I needed to work with my hands, which is when I started making clay jewelry. Funny enough, now I incorporate clay into some of my Graphic Design projects."

HID- Where do you get your inspiration from for your jewelry and designs? 

Little House Studio Co.- "For my jewelry, I am inspired a lot by sculpture and architecture. For my graphic design work, it sort of comes from everywhere. I am inspired a lot by independent editorial magazines, vinyl cover artwork, photography, books, collage, paintings, and street art."

HID- What materials do you work with?

Little House Studio Co.- "I work with Polymer Clay. Each piece is hand-marbled, hand-formed and hand-cut by me. This process allows for each piece truly be unique - no two pieces are the same. After, they are placed on a piece of cotton cord."

HID- So you just released a new line and launched your awesome new website, tell us about it! 

Little House Studio Co.- "Yes! Little House Studio Co. has sort of gone through a growth spurt over the past few months. It's always evolving because I am always growing. That's sort of the beauty of having your own business. With Little House, everything from the branding, the packaging, the product, the photography, and the website is done by me, so if I think of another direction, it's easy to go explore that. 

The new line is really the full circle idea of what I always envisioned Little House Studio Co. to be in my head. It features bold, lightweight, wearable sculpture, with a focus on simplicity, rawness, and playful design. I wanted to create pieces that people were going to keep, that would become a wardrobe staple. The focus was on shape, form, and a neutral color palette, which reflects my interest in sculpture and minimalism." HID- What's the story behind the Strong Ass Women's Club buttons and why did you decide to make them?

Little House Studio Co.- "The Strong Ass Women’s Club pins started as an idea around the time of the election. I decided to make them in hope of unifying women, to have them interact, and to create a mutual support system. This is why I decided to sell the Strong Ass Women’s Club pins as a set of two, so you could share one with a friend or give it to a complete stranger.

I wanted women to not feel alone, to be reminded of their strength, their value, because women are fucking strong. I wanted women to know that other women stand with them, that I stand with them." HID- Other than on your website, where can someone pick up your designs? City Bird (Detroit, MI)
Craft Handmade (Adrian, MI)
Detroit is the New Black (Detroit, MI) 

Ease (Toronto, ON) 

Gus & Ruby Letterpress (Portsmouth, NH)
Thistle and Bess (Ann Arbor, MI)

HID- Is there anything else that you would like our readers to know? 

Little House Studio Co.- "Little House Studio Co. will be a featured designer at this year's Design Village as a part of Detroit Design Festival, September 29th-30th at Ponyride in Corktown. We will also be announcing a showcase in New York later this October."

In addition to the stores listed above, you can always shop Little House Studio Co.'s collection online at LittleHouseStudioCo.com. Make sure you also follow the company on social media to see all of the latest looks are creations (Facebook, Instagram). 

~C