PrettyCandyPinCompany
PrettyCandyPinCompany is one of the most lovely stores I have ever seen. Brittany has an incredibly eye for color, and the cutest designs! Her shop makes me feel like I'm jumping feet first into a Wes Anderson film. What more can I ask for? PCPC is celebrating a two year anniversary this May! Let's celebrate with her! Keep reading to find out more about Brittany, PCPC, the enamel pin community, and vegan baking!
How did you find a passion for making enamel pins?
I've always been a doodler more than a fine artist, but I never knew what to do with that skill or all my doodles. It wasn't until a couple different artist friends of mine started to get into enamel pin making that I even considered that to be a possibility. If I couldn't make it with my own two hands, I couldn't wrap my head around how things got made. So I started to do my research on it and sent off my first design. Seeing my hand-drawn sketches rendered in metal and enamel like that was pretty huge. Something real and tangible and not just pen and paper. It hooked me immediately.
How would you describe the community/culture around enamel pins? There are so many different subgenres in the pin community, and I love it. You name it, there's a niche community for it. I've met some of the best and most supportive friends in the community I've built around myself, and I honestly never expected that. The way we all look out for each other when it comes to the rampant art theft is so inspiring and awesome.
Who or what are some of your major influences? Some of my very favorite makers are Adam Kurtz, for his hand drawn doodle aesthetic, Kate Gabrielle for her commitment to her themes and color palettes, and Heremeow's Kim Petty for her innovative pin designs that incorporate movement and layers. I'm also really inspired by my childrens' books and their illustrations, my extensive lifelong sticker collection, and toys. Not that my style is particularly childlike, but I love the simplicity of the designs involved in all those things.
What are your long-term goals with Pretty Candy Pin Company? Enamel pins are still super hot, as they have been for a few years now, but trends come and go. I hope to start expanding my designs into more diverse products, and hopefully start incorporating my other loves and talents, such as sewing and painting.
What is your favorite pin you've made? This is so hard! Though it's hardly my best seller, I think my favorite has to be my flour pin. All of my food designs feel the most authentic to my style and are most purely "me", but the bag of flour spea
ks to me the most. I do a lot of baking at home, and before I started doing pins, I did illustrated recipes. The flour bag was always one of my favorites to draw. I love the soft color palette of the pin, and I love the crumply softness of the bag shape. I relate to that.
What other kind of art forms do you enjoy? I've always been an artsy crafty sort, so I've tried a little of everything. My favorites, though, and ones I like to do from a seller standpoint as well, are working with polymer clay, illustration, sewing, painting, embroidery, and cross stitch. You can see some of those in my shop now, and hopefully much more in the future.
Tell us more about your passion for vegan baking!
I've always been a baker, so going vegan was just a new exciting adventure for my baking skills. Turns out it's really shockingly easy to bake vegan. I don't ever settle for things being "good for a vegan version", I want them to be as good or better than the standard non-vegan version. I want non-vegans to ask me to make the cake or cookies because they know mine are the best. And I don't even get paid to do it, it's just a point of pride for me, haha!
I just wanted to add that Brittany has recently added some gorgeous rose gold and rainbow stainless steel straws to her shop! They come in various size with the option of adding a vinyl storage bag! I own quite a few, and they're sheer perfection. You can reduce your carbon footprint while looking absolutely adorable! They're currently sold out, but she is impatiently waiting for her restock to come in. She'll be adding a black finish this around!! I don't know about you, but I will be setting an alarm.
You can find Brittany and PrettyCandyPinCompany here! Instagram: @brittkett @prettycandypincompany Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettycandypincompany/ Use offer code FLOWERINGFOX20 for 20% off your purchase for the month of May!