Get To Know: Kristen Berge of Coquito Designs
Time out - Learn a little more about the wonderful Kristen Berge…
Meet Kristen Berge of Coquito Designs:
Name: Kristen Berge
Business Name: Coquito Designs
Where are you located?
In Yonkers, New York!
What is it that you design and create?
I design and create handmade jewelry!
What is your favorite part of the design process?
I love it all actually, from the buying of the beads to the sketching the designs to the actual making and finishing. Admittedly I probably like the shopping for beads part the most…tho I really enjoy sketching too even if I do usually do it while I’m in class at night and I should be paying attention. For some reason that’s the time I feel most like sketching???
How did you come up with your business name?
When I was a little girl I LOVED frogs…this is something I still carry with me to this day! I don’t know what it is about them, they are just such cool little hoppers…so when I was looking for a business name a friend of the family suggested that I call the business Coquito, because she said that in Spanish it means “little frog”. My mother is Spanish from Spain…so it pays homage to her side of the family and part of my heritage.
Where/How did this all begin?
Well, it’s a long story…my mother and I started the business as a hobby way back in 1998. We went to a few bead shows and became hopelessly addicted to beads. Then came staying up till all hours of the night creating pieces together and laughing till we cried. Sadly, I lost my mother suddenly in 2003 at age 25. It was very hard for me to make anything for a long time, having lost such a huge part of my life. When I finally started making jewelry again, I found I had lost my direction, and it’s only been recently that I have started to find my identity as a designer again. Making jewelry has helped me grieve, and also it’s helped me to grow. I feel I am in a much better place with my work now, and I feel like it’s a tribute to my mom each time I finish a new design!
The Coquito Designs Story under bio & press on the site explains it all the long winded way.
Who or what inspires you?
All of nature for the most part inspires me. Colors and shapes and forms in our world…and also women inspire me. I love how multifaceted we are and how many hats we wear. We can be strong and sexy or vulnerable and weak, we are mothers, daughters and friends…and what we wear and how we wear it makes a statement about how we feel on a given day.
What advice would you give other independent artists who are just starting out?
I would have to say…budget, budget, budget! And remember as an art form this should be something you love, if you don’t LOVE doing it…then don’t!
What is your favorite indie purchase or trade?
Hmm…I have so many…being an Etsy addict, I have pretty much purchased the gamut…everything from vegetarian twinkies (that are AMAZING) to handbags, beads, paintings, amigurumi, headbands…etc…my favorites were probably the two appliance covers that Saltygal on Etsy made custom for me (http:://www. Saltygal.etsy.com). She is amazing, and if you ask nice and she has time she can sometimes take on larger custom orders like those! I really wanted to cover my spice rack…cause lets face it, who likes cleaning all those little dusty bottles…and then I hated looking at my toaster so I had her make one for that too!!! They’re my favorite things in my kitchen!!
What’s on your iPod/music player right now?
Hmmm…I’m a bit all over the place on there! There’s some Feist, Lily Allen, Ella Fitzgerald, Fort Minor, Black Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera, Jamie Cullen, Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, John Mayer, Joe Cuba Sextette, Plain White T’s, KT Tunstall….etc!!!
What t.v. shows are you currently hooked on?
Too many really, but my favorites are Medium, and probably Prison Break when it’s on. I am missing The Riches with Eddie Izzard right now…and also Big bang Theory that hasn’t been on due to the writer’s strike that I REALLY HOPE comes back…I love me some geeks!!!
What was the last movie you watched?
Knocked Up….it was pretty funny!
What’s your favorite food?
Sushi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Alaska rolls, NY Rolls, Spicy Salmon…mmmm
What’s your favorite candy?
Rollos…don’t know why…can’t be around them…too dangerous!
Coffee or Tea?
Coffee almost every morning, Camomile tea with honey when I’m sick!
What store could you walk around in for hours and be happy?
Wow…Probably any one of the bead showrooms in NYC that I have visited…I could literally spend HOURS in them…other than that…probably any local craft or art supply store!
Any pets?
Of course! Two little kitty cuties…Oscar and Felix our cats!
Favorite place to visit or place you’d like to visit?
The hubby and I would love to go lots of places but we are thinking about Italy and Ireland in our far off distant future…someday! Since we’re both part Italian and part Irish we thought maybe we should visit the places our ancestors come from! Also I am an Egyptian History geek…so of course I’d love to go there!
Any celebrity crushes?
Of course! I have loved Johnny Depp for awhile now…I think it’s because he’s so dark and brooding. I like Colin Farrell for a similar reason. >8)
Favorite Holiday?
CHRISTMAS! I get to buy/make stuff for other people and then spend hours wrapping up all pretty so they can tear it apart! But seriously, there is nothing that makes me happier than finding the perfect gift and then watching the person you love open it!
If you were a shoe, what shoe would you be?
I would be a little flat athletic style maryjane like all those Roxy shoes etc…probably cause that’s all I wear!!!
What do you secretly wish you could do/be?
I secretly wish I could be an indie shop owner…I would love nothing more that to fill my shop with beautiful handmade lovelies and help support other handmade artists! My blog will have to do for now!
Favorite piece of clothing?
Hmmm…probably my pink chenille bathrobe. If I could go to work in it, I totally would!
Do you speak any other languages? If not, would you like to learn one?
I speak some Spanish, mainly because my mother and grandmother used to use it in front of me so I wouldn’t understand…unfortunately for them I picked it up! I would love to learn an Asian language, they fascinate me, and I love listening to people speak.
It’s 2008 already! Oh yes, so soon. What are your plans for the year?
This year, I plan to do more for others, get my collective act together and continue my boxing class at the gym…really…that’s just so I can order more vegetarian twinkies…seriously you have to look up Vegan Honey on Etsy…her twinkies are to DIE FOR! 
Oh man…Vegan Twinkies!?! Hmmm, something to think about! Thanks so much, Kristen.
Faith Necklace: $88.00; Geena Earrings: $48.00:
Hera Earrings: $38.00; Paige Blue Necklace: $68.00:
Jael Necklace: $115.00; Irene Earrings: $48.00:
Receive 15% off your next order with coupon code “Mixed15“.
