Handpainted Wooden Peg Dolls at ScrambledPegs

Who out there loves Instagram? Well we do!!! Mainly because it brings across our path some really neat Etsy shops! One of our latest finds was ScrambledPegs. Luckily Kimmy was able to give us an interview and we are so happy to share her story with all of you! ENJOY!

Building Bridges: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Kimmy.

Kimmy: My name is Kimmy, I'm a Senior Theatre and Psychology double major at App State. I've wanted to go into the arts ever since I can remember. Every time someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I told them an artist and an actress. So far I'm doing pretty well with that dream.

Building Bridges: How did you come to open your shop?

Kimmy: I started out painting peg dolls a couple years ago. My friend had reblogged a picture of a peg doll set for a giveaway on Tumblr, and since it was unlikely that she would win, I decided to try to make something similar as a gift for her. Once I made those, I tried making a few more as gifts for some of my other friends. They were quite a hit, and I thought it might be fun to sell them on Etsy. I had no idea what I was doing back then and my shop was a mess, but I slowly figured it out and added more and more listings.

Building Bridges: When did your shop open and do you remember the first thing you sold?

Kimmy: I opened my shop on December 28th, 2012. One of the first items I sold was a set of John and Hank Green dolls to a very nice woman named Danica. I realized as I was sending them that she actually worked for John Green. She wanted to put some of my dolls on the set for his new YouTube series called Mental Floss. She messaged me with some helpful tips for my shop since she could tell I was just starting out. I credit her with much of the success of my shop.

 

Building Bridges: What is your favorite part about owning your own business?

Kimmy: My favorite part about painting peg dolls is getting to create custom figures that have significance in other peoples' lives. A boy once messaged me and asked if I could paint "PROM?" on the back of a doll so he could use it to ask a girl to prom. I've had several customers come back to message me about how much their kids loved their presents. But I think the best thing is making special customized cake toppers for weddings. It's hard for me to even imagine someone wanting something I created to be such a big part of their special day.

Building Bridges: Kimmy resides in North Carolina and is currently acting in a play for incoming Freshman at Appalachian State University.  You can find her on Etsy, Instagram, & Facebook. Kimmy, it has been a pleasure to learn more about your business and the specialty peg creations that make. Readers be sure to check out her shop for a custom order – you won’t be disappointed!