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baking the best chocolate & vanilla cupcakes, courtesy of the Hummingbird bakery! swimming! sunshine! sunbathing! birthdays! pizza! Indian takeaways! my niece’s cheesy smile! uploading photos! editing photos! shopping! bargains! fun times! receiving lots of emails! not having the time to reply to any! sweating my face off! early morning tomorrow! ciao +++!
On Sunday evening, I caught up with Fleshrot for a photoshoot for their CD & promotional images. I’m still going through the hundreds that I took, but here are some quick edits. (You’ll be able to see more here, as & when they’re completed!)
When I first started reading the fab Cupcakes & Mace blog, I never knew that 23yr old New Zealander, Kim (aka. Ms. Constantine) had an amazing, & somewhat hidden, talent! By day she’s an office worker, but by night she’s a kick-ass crafter, making funky necklaces & designing new gems for us all to buy! But most recently, Ms. C. has left the world of office-bitches & photocopying & is now self-employed, living off the sales of her creativity. I managed to catch up with her inbetween her busy schedule, to find out more about the girl behind Cupcakes & Mace & her craft!
Cupcake rings from Cupcakes & Mace
So, who is Ms. Constantine? Describe her in less than 50 words!
Fun and neurotic homebody that likes eating and drinking with friends. Hates being told what to do. Addicted to being entertained, and spends way too much time in front of screens. Blogger, accessory lover, sushi and sweets addict, lazy, cleaning phobic and internet nerd.
How might a typical day in the life of Ms. C. go?
I usually get up around 11 or 12 and head into the lounge to turn my computer on— I check my emails, Google Reader, and glance at my blog stats, relist any sold items on Etsy, respond to emails or blog comments, and then settle in for an hour or two of blog reading in my PJs. What happens next is whatever I feel like— it might be designing or crafting some more jewellery, writing and researching a blog post, getting distracted by more blogs.
I haven’t sorted any kind of timetable for my day yet. I kind of expected to finish the office job and still be able to get up and start working by nine, not read so many blogs and have ample time to hoop and learn German— but apparently I still like to sleep as late as I did when I was a teen so this plan hasn’t been working out so far! Fingers crossed that I’ll start operating like a normal person again soon.
I watch a couple of hours of TV each night during the week while working and eating dinner and bed time is anywhere between 12 and 4am.
What would you go back & tell your teen self?
Your body is never going to be better than it is right now. And, learn how to apply make up. I still don’t have that one sorted. I don’t regret anything I’ve done, if I changed anything I wouldn’t be having the experiences I am now. Everything I do is a lesson in life.
Besides making amazing jewellery, what makes you jump in the air happy?
Food! I love food a lot, I just can’t be bothered cooking most of the time. I would love to be a restaurant reviewer so I could eat and pass judgement for a living. Sounds like heaven. I also love singing loudly to music; my partner and everything he’s done for me; my mum (!) and the rest of my family; reading blogs; photographs and photography; writing; having an opinion; pink and black; inside jokes; New Zealand scenery, especially the Desert Road and the coastal section of the Wellington Centennial Highway; modern medicine; my powers of reason and logic.
Where did the name Cupcakes and Mace come from?
I had experimented with a few other blog names that were song lyrics and always got bored with them after a few weeks. I wanted to come up with something that reflected both the light and dark sides of my personality. I love cupcakes, I love eating them, and I love their imagery, so that was an easy choice for the light side. It was harder to find the right word for the dark side, as lots of things sound stupid. Mace came to me when I was thinking about Kill Bill and the character Gogo Yubari. I really love the way she swings her weapon (which isn’t technically a mace but is often referred to as one), it’s pretty badass, and it fit ok with cupcakes so I went with it. It also helps that mace is also tear gas, and a spice, everyone has their own way of picturing the name and that’s cool.
Helvetica for Typography nerds— my current fave!
When & why did you start jewellery-making? Is there anyone / anything that influences your designs?
I started making with the intention to sell in late 2008, but I’ve been making and altering jewellery since I was a child. I started making again recently after seeing lots of designs on Etsy.com and in shops that I wanted but couldn’t justify spending the money on. I was especially motivated by the trinket laden charm bracelets on Etsy that sell for upwards of $200. I really, really wanted one but with the exchange rate making the price closer to $400 in NZD there was no way I was getting one. I ordered some charms and got to work instead. The laser cut designs that make up most of my work now are possible thanks to my darling partner. He studied architecture at University and learnt how to use a laser cutter and the necessary programs there. When his dad bought a laser cutter for his own business everything fell into place.
My designs are influenced by popular culture, with the aim of being a bit fun and quirky and edgy. I decided I’d only sell designs I would like to wear myself but we still happily create specific pieces for others on request.
How & why did you make the leap from your office job to being self-employed?
I left my office job at the start of June because I was sick and tired of being treated like a child, and being forced to act against my better judgement (and well known industry standards) by a woman who has no idea what she’s talking about. It was a pretty caustic environment, and after working 8 hours a day in the office I really wanted to work on my blog and business but was getting tired and depressed. Thankfully the aforementioned darling partner stepped in and offered to cover my half of bills so I could quit the job and work on the business and blogging full time. I’m still very much in the start up phase, but it has been great so far!
I love your products! Which is your current fave? Why?
Ooo it’s hard to choose just one. My current fave is the running with scissors necklace. Lots of people have done scissor necklaces, but usually they just hang from a chain, closed. This one hangs open with the blades at your throat. It’s quite dark imagery.
I just made a couple of kilt pin brooches as well. I didn’t realise how much fun they’d be or how could they could look!
Running with scissors necklace, Ms. Constantine’s current fave
What 5 tracks would be essential to the Cupcakes & Mace soundtrack?
My top 5 changes constantly, but I’ve been listening to a lot of pop lately. Currently it would look like this:
Fly with the black swan – Sonata Arctica
Wake up call – Maroon 5
Fuck you – Lily Allen
Backmask – Mindless Self Indulgence
Popular – The Veronicas
Quick fire round: What’s your fav…
Shop: Supermarket
Book: A short history of nearly everything – Bill Bryson
Website: Everything Google, and Etsy
Season: Wellington Summer (probably the equivalent of autumn or spring everywhere else)
Band / Artist: Too hard to answer, so here’s a selection: Coheed and Cambria, Mindless Self Indulgence, Sonata Arctica, Maroon 5, The Veronicas, Fall Out Boy and Incubus
Food: Sushi
Cupcake flavour: Vanilla
City: I haven’t really travelled so I have to answer this in context of what I know. Wellington is the only place I’ve visited that I’d want to live!
What’s your life motto?
Right now it’s something like “it’ll never happen if you don’t try”.
Where do you hope Cupcakes and Mace will be in 5 years?
Ultimately I’d like to come into a lot of money, either by hard work or lotto, ensuring I never have to work again. But in reality I just hope that I can earn money doing what I love. Whether that’s making jewellery, writing about life and adventures, eating, or taking photographs. Cupcakes and Mace is a personal brand for me, I hope it becomes something I can stick on anything I do and people will recognise it.
What’s next in the world for Ms. Constantine and Cupcakes & Mace?
I don’t have anything figured out yet, everything is scary and exciting and new. I’d like to build the brand, get a load more sales, and grow the blog a lot. Immediate next steps will be sorting out my office and getting some structure into my working day. Hopefully I can get some regular wholesale accounts for the shop too. I add new designs to the shop often so continuing to come up with ideas is important, as well as listening to what’s popular in the world and anticipating what the people want so I can translate it into the shop and my blog. First step - mind reading!
So, if you haven’t already, you need to grab a cute piece of candy from the next big thing, Cupcakes & Mace! Maybe a cupcake necklace & ring, like Gala? Or perhaps if you’re a typo-nerd like me, some Helvetica? Treat yourself!
EDIT! +++ Win! Win! Win! You could grab your very own nameplate necklace from C&M, by entering their simple competition! Go!
Talking about the weather is very ‘English’ isn’t it? But, I absolutely love the summertime. It’s such a colourful time & we all know how much I adore colour– it runs right through my wardobe, my cosmetics, my photography & my life! Unlike the doom & gloom of winter, the sunshine just makes me function. I love getting up in the mornings. It makes me happy! It’s the part of the year that I’m always waiting for, to start living once again— life seems to go on hold during the winter months. Perhaps it’s living in England & the lack of a good summer, that drives my thirst for the sunshine & heat! I still associate the season with being a carefree time, when school was out— despite leaving that part of my life behind years ago!
(Credits here)
To me, summer is:
long days full of sunshine; mint-choc chip ice-cream & strawberry lollies; beaches & padding in the cold sea; parties outdoors; quirky sunnies & big hats; shorts & dresses without tights(!); road trips with the music blaring from your car stereo, with the windows rolled down; swimming & sunbathing; cocktails & picnics; flowers in full bloom & freshly cut grass (& hayfever for the unfortunate among us!); blue skies; waterfights, sprinklers & paddling pools; people wearing bright colours; sandals & polished toenails; sunsets over the horizon; pub gardens & pub lunches; rays of sunshine bursting through open curtains in the morning; meeting up with old friends; holidays abroad; swings in the park; bikinis & beach hair; sand in between your toes; salads & light lunches; long walks & people walking their dogs; the scent & sound of BBQs in the distance; music festivals; camping & adventures; sipping Pimms in the garden, while flicking through magazines; photographing anything & everything in sight– natural light is the best!; heatheatheat hothothot; pick your own fruit fields; fresh local produce that’s in season; strangers on the street being happy & smiling, not scowling!; kids flying kites & families playing together; children riding their bikes; working & blogging outside; simply, FUN+++!
What reminds you of summer? Do you love it or hate it?
Image by Pink Sherbet
I’ve barely updated this week; it’s gone ridiculously fast! Is this how quick life after 21 goes?
being 22!; drooling over my new Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook; the satisfaction from a clean & tidy room; clearing out 3 bags of clothes / shoes / bags, ready for an exciting new wardrobe!; revamping the whole blog & subpages (take a look if you’re reading this through an RSS feed!); my new Canon lens; picnics & summer walks (hikes!) on my birthday; planning a lavish gift ceremony for Ashley’s birthday; this photo (& reactions) from an amazing Flickr contact; the relationship between Lorelai & Rory Gilmore, despite them being completely fictional; salmon & cream cheese; five days off work, to myself; ripping out inspiration from old magazines; making jorts & watching the ThreadBanger team, in awe.
So, feedback from the survey (which is still open by the way!) has been immense & a whopping 100% of you have said you’d like to see more personal posts & over 80% want to see more photos, so I thought I’d mix the two up a little & regularly post photos of my week / weekend, under the new feature, “Life Through the Lens”.
Warning: Image heavy!
This weeks photos are completely unedited, as I’m so tired from my hectic birthday weekend, as you’ll see!
Friday night: A friends dubstep rave / house-party for his birthday:
Saturday: My birthday extravaganza, part one! Fancy dress ensued after a lazy day:
Sunday: My birthday extravaganza, part two! A trip to the farm:
Monday: My birthday extravaganza, part three! Myself & Ashley went rambling like an old couple & then watched some jazz in the evening!
Edit 23/06/09: This post was scheduled to go live on the 19th, but it didn’t work! Oops. My (birthday) weekend was a bit hectic, so I haven’t had a chance to go online & see that it hadn’t posted, until now.
Responses to my survey (fill it out if you have a few minutes!); neon accessories & nail varnish; the lovely team at ModCloth who have been very nice to me!; MR’s new Mademoiselle Style service— looks amazing!; white chocolate rice krispie cakes; making birthday plans & having the busiest week ever; seeing old college friends; diploma show exhibitions; photoshoots at work & airbrushing my colleagues; photography work in the pipeline; shopping; turning 22 on Monday!
Little people— I’m not talking dwarfs or midgets here. No, no, no! I’m such a sucker for cute babies & toddlers! My own children are going to be able to wrap me around their little finger, with a flutter of their little eyelashes or a sweet smile, I just know it. I don’t get those who can’t stand babies or children— I silently coo over every round-faced cutie I see at work! I saw my niece in the week & she’s growing up so fast. She’s trying to talk, & can crawl & roll around now. I can’t wait for her to be able to walk & talk & have little moments with her like this:
From Tension & Thrill
Weekend plans— Unlike most of the city, I work Saturday & Sunday, so while everyone else is rejoicing in the fact it’s Friday, I know there’s 16hrs of work ahead of me! However, this weekend is going to be broken up with dining out & drinking in, with all my mates who haven’t gone to Download & then a band photoshoot on Sunday. Don’t you love it when your diary is full of things to do, places to go & people to see?
100 facts about me— As if blogging wasn’t slightly narcissistic already, I’m currently trying to write 100 (interesting) facts about me, for my bio page. It’s fun, but harder than you might think, to write things that people don’t already know, but might want to. Tres difficile!
London— I heart you. Always & forever! Despite living here, there are so many nooks & crannies of London that I’ve yet to discover. Searching endlessly for inspiring photos & locations for birthday celebrations on Flickr, is my new favourite thing.
Camera love— I’ve been buying my camera some presents, like new filters & lens hoods, to expand my kit, for future photoshoots with bands, blogger ladies & for weddings. I bought an amazing pink bag off of ebay, but unfortunately it’s way too small! Sad times. But I’m loving my new remote control– so much easier than self-timer. I don’t know how I managed a focused self portrait without it! Everybody should get one. It’s a total necessity.
In 10 days, I will be 22. Eek!
Thursday 11th June ‘09
Tunic — gift from ModCloth
Belt — Primark
Sunglasses — Christian Dior (thrifted from my mum!)
Jeans — Uni Qlo
(Remember, you can save 10% off an entire order at ModCloth until 1st August 2009 by entering “aimee” at the checkout. Sweet!)
Image by Organ Splitter
I haven’t managed to make a post like this in 6 (!) months, so I have a huge backlog of fun & inspiring posts & websites from around the world to share with you. Here are some of my most recent favourites!
Bloggers: The Independent Fashion Bloggers ask, how has your blog evolved? Have you kept doing whatever it is that made you start blogging in the first place, or has your niche changed?
Fab girly o’pinkness Lisa Clark, has two new book out in the Lola Love series. Go buy!
I need to live here. I think Ms Lick My Cupcakes would be visiting all the time too! This is the place that dreams are made of— although I’m not too sure how the boyshape would like living in a Kitty Mansion.
For the ultimate chic in discount shopping, check out The Outnet. 70% off a pair of Roberto Cavalli sunglasses? Yes please!
Who knew that a ratty black tee could look so good? I need a rotary club slasher! This is when deconstruction’s good…
…& when deconstruction is bad: no, Urban Outfitters. Just. No.
If you want a gorgeous desktop wallpaper, icon, or even wallpaper for your iPhone, checkout Totally Severe! Sarah Horton creates images with love.
Ever wondered how you can get that smoke in your photos? Lighting Mods tell us how— & it’s so easy!
Help make a living portrait of the UK. I absolutely love installations like this!
Lola Pop have the cutest bows & accessories! The Cherry Bomb earring are to die for.
Disastrid.net is the portfolio of performing artist, Astrid. I haven’t seen anything like this in a long time– it’s so refreshing to see something personal on the internet that isn’t just a blog.
Grab a little piece of Paris from Miss Sugar Cane! Why is it the Eiffel Tower looks so good as a piece of jewellery?
I'm a London based photographer, who enjoys the finer, girly things in life (glitter! baking! sequins! pink!), & has a severe penchant for photo manipulation, writing, cosmetics & travelling. 
