Wattles and Daisies earrings are handmade in small batches in Amsterdam. A year ago, Kim discovered polymer clay and began making extra light statement earrings for herself… soon after, Wattles & Daisies was born. In this interview, we meet with Kim, to learn more about her and Wattles & Daisies.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Kim and I was born in Belgium. I grew up between Belgium and Australia and traveled a lot around the world for work. So as you can guess I love traveling :-) I also love animals, cooking, photography, yoga and everything creative. I settled in Amsterdam a few years ago and I absolutely love it here.
What is the story behind Wattles & Daisies?
I have always enjoyed art & crafts and creating gifts for friends or to decorate the house. I also love fashion & accessories, especially statement earrings. Only issue is that statement earrings are always quite heavy and I often ended up with sore ears at the end of the day/night. About two years ago, I discovered polymer clay and its lightness. I started making earrings for myself and soon realised that I would love to turn this into a small business.. so here I am! Regarding the name of my brand, I wanted to highlight my mix of Australian and Belgian cultures as well as my love for plants. So I selected a common aussie plant (wattle = mimosa) and the European daisy flower.
Can you tell us a bit about polymer clay?
Polymer clay is a lightweight material that you can shape with your hands or with a pasta machine for example. It solidifies by baking it 30 minutes in the oven at about 110°C. The shapes, textures, colors that you can give this material are infinite. That’s what I love about it!
Do you have a favorite spot in Amsterdam (or in the Netherlands)? Why / What does it represent to you?
My favourite spot for brunch in Amsterdam is Little Collins in de Pijp. It is an Australian café and the menu makes me feel like home. Also very nice to hear the aussie accent that I miss so much :p Other than that, I also absolutely love the Caprera wandelpark in Bloemendaal. I go there to walk my dog pretty much everyday. When walking there you can really disconnect form everything and relax enoying the nature. I love it!
What does local craftsmanship mean to you?
Local craftsmanship means first of all anything handmade locally. Since I started Wattles & Daisies, I have met so many beautiful talented local artists. I feel like when you buy from a local artist, it is not only the product you buy but also the story behind, the struggles, the joys, etc of that person. You have a connection with that artist and it makes your product even more interesting.
If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life what would it be?
This one is a difficult one as I love to eat and discover food from every culture. I love everything haha :p But I have to stay “pasta” in any form is always my go-to/ feel good meal. If it was a dessert, I would say either Pavlova or Tiramisu.
Best book you’ve ever read?
Very hard question ! I loooove reading! I couldn’t pick one favourite book to be honest. I love reading novels but also some more “educative” books. At the moment I am reading about Ayurveda.
What is your favorite item you’ve bought last year?
My paddle board! I used to always be on my paddle board when I lived in Panama. It’s so peaceful but also such a good workout. I am trying to teach my dog to come on the board with me but she is scared of water so I haven’t succeed yet.