For the Month of May – Pippa’s items in our store are 20% Off.
Stay in the Loop! Check out all her items on:
Facebook – Reconstructed by Pippa
Website – reconstructedbypippa.com
Email – reconstructedbypippa@yahoo.com
Meet the Makers: Business Profile
Have you always been a creative person?
I have always been a creative person, I’m a manual artist so I work with many different mediums. I make chainmaille jewellery, build and refinish furniture, I sew and even a little welding.
What made you want to become a business owner?
I don’t really think of myself as a business owner, I’m an artist. I’m not looking to amass a fortune. I just want to share my work so I can sustain my creativity.
Tell us about your products?
My product line is very diverse. I reuse and upcycle as much as possible to help reduced what goes to the landfills. My solar lamps, indoor lighting and birdfeeders are all made from unwanted and unloved items repurposed and given new life. My chainmaille jewellery is made of quality 316ss jump rings which gives it a comfortable weight, is hypoallergenic, won’t turn your skin green, and washes with soap and water so you can wear pieces 24/7 with ease!
Which product is your favorite?
Its hard to pick favourites but I’d have to say my double vertebrae necklace is currently my favourite! It has a silky flexibility and I love rolling it between my fingers.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I pull inspiration from many places depending on the project, nature, the piece itself and from other chainmaille artists. My logical side sees a weave and I’m instantly deconstructing it in my mind so I can learn to make it. Troubleshooting is half the fun!
Do you shop local yourself?
I shop as locally as possible. If I can’t find it in the nearest town I cast my net wider. I get a lot of my supplies off Etsy from other Canadian shops. If I still can’t find it then I look over seas. I actually get my jump rings from a guy in The Netherlands.
Tell us more about your brand?
My brand is unique due to the variety of items I offer. I don’t really follow trends. Necessity is the mother of all inventions. I see a need and I fill it, example is my solar lamps. I needed something to sit on my balcony and wouldn’t get blown over. I went through quite a bit of R&D to fine tune them and now they include weighted body, glass shade, replaceable batteries(rechargeable) and most importantly a good solid connection of the solar light head(trust me, not the easiest!)
Where are your items created?
Everything is made in my studio/workshop in Black Rock, NS on the north mountain.
How did you come up with your business name?
I’ve tried a few different business names over the years but none of them really represented me as an artist with everything I do. Reconstructed by Pippa captures all my upcycling talents. Its who I am and how I live. For example I needed a tool cart/workbench so I designed the Benchmobile 1.0, I had a table leaf I wasn’t using so that became the top and I designed from there. The rest of that table is the new countertop for my island, which also uses the body of a dresser and 2 spare table legs I had collected years ago. The top from the dresser is now the top of a hall table with an old sewing machine base. et voila!
What are you working on next?
My next focus is on some unique lightweight skirts and shorts made from deconstructed clothing.
Do you like to collaborate with other businesses?
Connecting with other business owners helps me to stay focused and gives me insight from new perspectives.
What do you like to do when you are not creating?
That’s called sleep! If I’m awake I’m either physically or mentally creating something.
