Maker: Tina of Goldenberry
I really like the simple yet intricate designs of Tina’s line. Her purses and wallets are practical, yet cute, and that is always a fun thing. Meet Tina and check out all of her Goldenberry goods!
~Angie~
Please introduce yourself.
Hello! My name is Tina Rinaudo. I am a Cypriot Web Developer gone traveler and crafter. I was born in the UK but spent most of my childhood in Cyprus before then moving back to the UK to study Computer Science. I have recently moved back to Cyprus after living in the UK for 16 years.
What do you make or do?
I make hand stitched and hand embroidered purses, pouches, wallets and card cases out of end of line materials and upcycled fabrics. Reusing material and no waste means a lot to me and I try to incorporate that whenever I can.
Where can we find your creations?
At the moment, you can find all my creations in my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/uk/shop/
Is there an interesting story behind the name of your business?
My shop is based on my grandparents. My grandmother was a sewing machinist and in her spare time she would crochet bed spreads, tablecloths and doilies. I used to love watching her craft because she would work with the tiniest hook and watch TV at the same time, it was second nature to her. One day she showed me how to crochet and I loved it; she was the one who got me into crafting. My grandfather was more of an outdoorsy person and would spend his time growing fruit and vegetables. One of my best memories of him is when he introduced us to his goldenberries that he had been growing in his back garden. They were so sweet and they are still one of my favorite fruits to eat; so, I named my shop Goldenberry.
When you’re not making things, what do you do?
Now that I am in Cyprus, I go to the beach or drive up into the mountains; it’s so relaxing. I try to keep up to date on local food, music or film events, I love to read and I am currently reading The Call of the Wild by Jack London.
Is creativity a luxury or a necessity for you?
At the moment, creativity is a luxury for me. I am still at the beginning stages and so it is all fun and experimentation, it’s something different every day and I get to do whatever I want 🙂 Having said that, I want it to be my necessity. I really want it to be my every day work and for people out there to be using my ecofriendly purses. For people to be choosing a more environmentally friendly option and to feel that I am making a difference, however small it may be.
Where do you find inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from nature and so a lot of my items feature flowers, leaves, or animals. I also craft based on how I feel at the time and how a particular item makes me feel. These feelings lead onto colors and shapes that I think will work well.
