my story

It’s Kismat

I’ve always had a little trouble looking at something beautiful without thinking, “I can make that.”

My creative journey started as a teenager, when being a curvy girl taught me pretty quickly that clothes didn’t always fit the way I wanted them to. So, naturally, I started altering my own clothes—and then I discovered how much I loved mixing fabrics, textures, colors, and unexpected details.

That eventually led to one of my favorite creative adventures: I had the opportunity to create a line of repurposed sweaters for Urban Outfitters. I even got to put my own tags in the pieces, which was a pretty magical moment for me. For that project, I played with printing, embroidery, appliqué, reconstruction, and all sorts of ways to transform something that already existed into something completely new. That experience really kick-started my love of repurposing clothing—and I’ve been seeing possibilities in the things around me ever since.

Then there was Avon Surf Shop, which I owned for eight years. It was such a fun chapter of my life. I made swimsuits and clothing for the shop, along with jewelry, and got to combine my love of fashion, creativity, and beach life every day. It was one of those adventures that was equal parts work, play, and “I wonder if I can make that?”

These days, I’m a little bit of everything: artist, designer, seamstress, furniture maker, jewelry maker, upholsteress, treasure hunter, and occasional collector of things that other people probably would have thrown away. (I prefer to call it seeing potential.)

I love creating one-of-a-kind pieces from vintage, recycled, and repurposed materials. There’s something special about giving an old treasure a new life—and I have a soft spot for vintage things because, frankly, they were often made better than the things we make today.

Much of my inspiration comes from traveling, nature, the people I meet, and the beautiful little things I collect along the way. I live on a small island in the Outer Banks, surrounded by nature, and I’m constantly finding colors, textures, shells, fabrics, and forgotten treasures that make me want to create something.

For me, making isn’t just about the finished piece. I love the whole process—the inspiration, the designing, the hunting for materials, the sewing, the tiny details, and watching an idea slowly become real. The process itself is meditative.

And yes, sometimes my studio is absolute creative chaos. But I clean it once a week, so technically I have a system. 😂

And then there are my three children, who are, without a doubt, my most coveted creations. ❤️ They have grown into three amazing human beings who are following their own dreams and passions, and they inspire me more than anything I could ever make with my hands. Watching them become exactly who they are meant to be has been my greatest adventure of all.

Kismat means that something happens by chance and somehow feels like it was meant to be. That’s what I believe about the things I create, too. Sometimes the right piece of vintage fabric, an old leather belt, a seashell, a beautiful button, or some completely random treasure finds its way into my hands—and suddenly, I know what it was waiting to become.

I hope when you wander through It’s Kismat, you find something that makes you smile. Something that inspires you. Something that takes you somewhere. Something you didn’t know you were looking for until you found it.

Everything here is made with intention, a little imagination, and a whole lot of “I can make that.”

So take a look.

And just smile.

Then watch your reaction when you find the thing that feels like it was meant for you.

Maybe that’s kismat