team spotlight | KATY

I have been wanting to show more behind the scenes of Christina Kober Designs and I thought the best way would be to first introduce you to our team. The CKD team is amazing. We are a close-knit group that sometimes feels more like a family than a business - a great mix of dynamic, dedicated and talented women, that bring different backgrounds and experiences to build a very strong team.

In our Team Spotlight series, I will be introducing you to our team one at a time. I am so excited to share who we are, the team that brings Christina Kober Designs to life. We are the people who hand-stamp, solder and polish your jewelry, the ones that answer your questions, and the ones that package up your orders with love. My hope is that you will see more of what makes us who we are, what drives us and connect to our stories of what inspires us.

I am so excited to introduce you to Katy! She joined our team in September to help as I left for maternity leave. Katy is creative and an eternal optimist. She sews, she dances, she loves organizing, and now she makes jewelry too!

I'd like to introduce you to Katy!

What do you do at Christina Kober Designs?
I handle fulfillment for wholesale and retail orders, making each package special and pretty, and I assist our jewelers in the studio, doing anything from cutting metal to soldering jump rings.

What does your typical day at CKD look like?
I usually start the day checking my email for new orders which I add to our production schedule, then I pack up any orders that are ready to ship out. After getting all of my fulfillment work done, I head to the back to help with any production work that needs to be done. In the studio, I could be cutting chains, making narrow and grand cuffs, or learning from Mary Ellen how to solder something new! She’s a great teacher of all things metal-work. Since beginning my work at CKD, I’ve got a new-found love for hammering and soldering.

What is something you think most people don’t know about handmade jewelry?
Each part of the process for every piece of jewelry we make is done with so much effort and care. There are multiple steps to each piece that require careful attention which makes them all so unique. No two pieces are exactly the same, so you’re truly getting something that’s one of a kind.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
People finding and doing what they love. Any kind of artist understands that it takes really hard work to make a living out of your craft and seeing those who are making it happen really inspires me to pursue my own artistic endeavors every chance I get.

What does a “treat yourself” day look like to you?
I love sleeping in, so it would have to start with that. I would enjoy breakfast and coffee with my boyfriend at our favorite neighborhood coffee shop. We would spend the day doing some thrift shopping and then meet friends at the Percy Priest lake for a swim and maybe a cliff jump or two if I’m feeling adventurous. I ALWAYS crave Mexican food and a margarita after hanging out at the lake so that would have to come next. My evening would involve sprawling out in my sewing room, working on any art projects I’m in the middle of with a glass of wine nearby and a feel-good, girl-power movie on in the background.

WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Anything that’s been passed down from an older generation. Costume jewelry and tea sets from my great grandmother on my mom’s side, pink crystal glasses from my grandmother on my dad’s side, and last Christmas I was given a 1960s sewing machine that belonged to my boyfriend’s great grandmother.

What is something you are well known for around the studio?
Probably either my aerial/pole dancing skills or my love for seasonally-shaped Reese’s.

What are some of your favorite free-time activities?
I love any kind of dancing and taking different classes to learn new styles. I enjoy crafting and making clothes and hope to start my own brand one day. My boyfriend is a musician so I also spend time watching his bands play and checking out shows around town.

You teach pole dancing which is so cool! When did you start dancing? What is your favorite type of dance?
I do! I started dancing the traditional ballet, tap, and jazz when I was a kid and as I got older I began to gravitate more toward contemporary and hip hop, probably because there were less “rules.” When I moved to Nashville, I discovered pole dancing and aerial hoop which are both amazing forms of dance and exercise! Contemporary dance has always been my favorite style but recently I’ve been combining this with my pole and aerial skills and I really love it!

Being from Louisiana, what’s a go-to, classic meal from home?
My mom’s gumbo, if it’s chilly outside. Or pretty much any homemade crawfish dish.

What is your favorite CKD piece and why?
I love the column studs in every size because they look really classic but still modern and trendy.

Ok, now time for a little quick fire….

Gold or silver?
Mixed metals

Diamond dusted or Inspired?
Diamond dusted

Savory or sweet?
Sweet!

Receiving gifts or giving gifts?
Giving, I love shopping for other people!

Simple or Layered?
Simple

Wide ring or Narrow ring?
Narrow

Coffee or tea?
Coffee, ALL the coffee

Dog or cat?
Both!

INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK?
Instagram

SUMMER OR WINTER?
SUMMER PLEASE

NEUTRALS OR COLORS?
Both depends on my mood!