Feature: Linda of Made on Maidstone
Made on Maidstone was founded and created by Linda, who is from Charleston, South Carolina. She currently lives here, loving her life in the lowcountry with her husband and two daughters. She has always been a creative mind, and with planning, hard work, and lots of dedication, she was able to bring her business to life. We interviewed Linda to get all the ins and outs of her business, and to see how this dream was all culminated.
Q: How did Made on Maidstone start?
Linda: “I have always loved to make things, this passion started young, but I always new I loved creativity. Three years ago I made oyster dishes to give to my family and friends as gifts during Christmas, and everyone was blown away by the quality. They urged and encouraged me to keep selling and it only continued to grow from there.
Q: Where is your inventory currently selling?
Linda: I currently don’t have a brick and mortar location, and don’t have plans to. I’m fine being small, as I do hold a full-time job, I’m just happy do be able to do this as a side passion. I do have a booth in a vendor at a mall, my website is up and running, I’m on Etsy, and multiple other sites where I’m able to sell freelance.
Q: Within your stock, which items are your personal favorites to make?
Linda: I Have a few favorites. I love making clutches with oyster shells, they’re my most popular product and there’s so much creativity involved in the variety of patterns and prints. I also, of course, love the jewelry with oyster shells. Right now I have a whole new pile of shells just waiting to be transformed into something, and I’m always excited about that.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
As previously stated, I do intend to keep things small, I can’t manage too big of a business along with my full-time job, and I wouldn’t want to delegate responsibilities as I like to create my own pieces. This is my passion, and I love to do it, but by myself it would just be too hard. I look forward to growing amazing connections, and want to continue to cultivate the connections I have now, like Binya. I also look forward to having more realest customers, as that tells me I’m doing something right.
Q: How often do you make new pieces, and what inspires you to create new ones?
I create and make new things every day. Right now I’m working on tons of Christmas ornaments for the upcoming season. As for brand new inventory, I’d say every couple of months I try to put out something new. I’m easily inspired by things in shops or in the world, if I see a pattern in a store and it inspires me then I try to see what I could create next with it. My napkin rings are very popular, and those give me a lot of freedom with pattern and color. I have a new set of beaded napkin rings that are coming soon to my website and I’m very excited.
Q: Is there a specific person in your life that you attribute this vision? Or was it something you’d thought of on your own?
It’s all attributed to my family and my friends. It really was the DIY gifts that made them see the vision before I even saw it. For me, it was hard to see someone paying for my pieces, I felt like that was a pipe dream almost, but they encouraged me and always said how amazing and great the quality and detail was so I should go for it. I had to build up my own confidence when beginning too.
Q: Was this always your passion?
I have always loved to make things from a young age. I created drawings, and at 8 or 9 my grandmother taught me how to crochet. I still love sewing, and really anything in the creative field that you can DIY or make with your hands.
Q: Now that you’re selling at Binya, is there anything you have to say to the locals? Or what is the message you want to put out into the world?
I am beyond thankful for the opportunity at Binya. I scoured Binya’s instagram before my pieces were added, and I saw all of the coastal inspired gifts, and felt like it was the perfect fit for me. I can’t wait to check out the store for myself, because I know I’ll just love it. I can see how much it means to the community too. I am always one to tag stores on social media, but rarely do I see stores promoting brands within, and Binya is truly amazing for doing that.
Linda is very excited about having some of her stock at Binya, and we are thrilled about it as well. We hope you love Made in Maidstone’s pieces as much as we do. Make sure to tag Linda and Binya on Instagram whenever you decide to grab something by her!
