Kannon’s Designs : Minimalist Chic

I love to have fun with my jewelry. Pops of colour or metallic’s are right up my alley and that’s why I was so excited when my sister told me about Kannon Design House. 
Launched in 2017, by artists Nat and Tayne, the Etsy start up specializes in studs (for now) that you can both comfortably rock in the office and on a night out.

​When I purchase earrings, I tend to go for the more versatile pieces I can wear with multiple outfits that still show my unique sense of style, and what I get with Kannon Design House is just that.  Glitter, gold, and marble studs are on my list of favourites, and as we speak I’m wearing their clear resin studs with what look like gold flakes on the inside (I’m sort of going through a gold obsession right now, so they’ve been getting a lot of use!) We’re even giving a pair of these earrings in silver away! Be sure to read until the end to find out how to score them!
Kannon’s earrings are nickel free (no green rings here, thanks) and handmade by local lady entrepreneurs (buying local is important to me!). I’m always so curious to see how small businesses get their start and where the artists find their inspiration from.  I was able to touch base with the duo to ask a few questions about fashion, inspiration and advice for other women wanting to follow their small business passion.

   How long have you been designing? 
We have been designing for years. It’s always been a hobby of ours to craft and create. Though jewelry making for us began as an experiment, it's now turned into a real passion.  We've decided to take our hobby and turn it into a viable venture. 
  What made you want to work together? 
We met in 2015 when we both started at a new company within 2 weeks of each other. We immediately hit it off, and discovered that we work really well together. We have similar tastes in design and fashion and so it only made that we should merge into one force! The fact that we mesh so well together makes this project so much easier.
 How would you describe your style?
Our style is modern minimalist with a touch of eccentric.  We have a lot of pieces that have a simple but elegant designs.  They keep up with the trends but can be viewed as classic piece with a twist such as a simple stud with gold leaf. We are also not afraid to play with colors and shapes. We have a have created a few pieces with the color blocking and other pieces that have a marble look to them. 
 What’s your inspiration?                             
We draw inspiration from our daily life.  Whatever we design the first thing we ask ourselves is “would I wear this ? and for what occasion?”. We both have full time careers so when we create we want to make sure that each piece can fit into our lifestyle. It’s what makes designing for Kannon so much fun. It’s so easy for us to promote our brand, because we are fans of it ourselves! 
 What’s your favourite piece so far? 
Tayne: My favourite piece so far are the clear resin studs. They are SO simple, but that makes them the perfect accessory for every day wear. They have an appearance of glass, and the happy mistake of little air bubbles trapped inside, makes them shine!
Nat: All of them! If I had to pick one I would say anything with the gold or silver leaf on them.  They are very versatile pieces and the gold/silver leaf adds the right amount of sparkle for going from day or night. ​

​What advice would you give for other women trying to start their own small business?
Go for it. We are still so new and have so much to learn, but there is no time like the present. The worst thing that can happen is you make some mistakes and learn from them. Creating these pieces together is fun. We get together, have some wine and spend hours creating something that we love. Look at your hobbies and what you love to do, and set goals for yourself. Focus on each day and take baby steps.  Throughout the journey, make sure you continue to have fun, relax and get personal satisfaction while doing what you love.  A few years ago I was given a book called ‘One Month to Life’ and I changed my life.  As silly as it sounds its really true.  You get one life to live, why not try and live out your dream?

​Kannon Design House’s Etsy shop has over 30 studs to choose from ranging from an affordable $10 to $12. We’ve really lucked out in that they’ve given us a pair of silver resin studs to giveaway! Head over to my Instagram page for more info (@SarahPSmart) you’ll need to follow both of our accounts (@Kannondh)  and tag two girlfriends who you think would love this look!