Crafted conversations

Hot Stuff

Im thrilled to call our next guests a friend and a Flea vendor! And yes, it may seem that i have some type of bond to each interviewee but it is really is hard not to create some type of connection with all these makers. I am inspired by each one of their creative and determine spirits. Today, we get to meet Karissa LaBriola, creator of Hot Stuff Kitchen & Home. OUr chat promises to be bright and insightful. THis Virginia native lets us know how Hot stuff all started, her most dreaded tasks, innovative hacks, and more. She is a lover of our Community, which is obvious when seen in her latest collection with inspiration from Glitch Arcade Bar, Yoga Joint, Wells coffee and all your favorite Fort Lauderdale hot spots. Her products are more than adorable, and they are exactly what you didnt know you needed (coming from someone who owns her hot pots, water bottle holder, and soon to be koozie owner). She will also be taking part in our super special May flea month long Virtual event HERE Starting May 1. Lets dive in!

Flamingo Flea: Lets get to it, what is Hot Stuff?

Hot Stuff: Hot Stuff started as a  pop up store to support my love of making potholders. But since I am always chasing new and exciting things, I started experimenting with the materials I’m already using. I made prototypes of bags, containers, wallets, plant holders, basically a bunch of different shapes, on any loom I could find. After looking at a bunch of shapes I made, the two things that stood out were the koozie and the water bottle carrier. They both were very functional, like potholders, but I could have more fun with the designs. Once I started making and selling those 2 shapes, I had a gut feeling about the direction Hot Stuff was taking.

At the beginning of this year, I decided to focus my making-energy on koozies & bottle carriers. The functionality of these shapes, and that I can use dyes, embellished details, and knitting techniques to makes them complete unique keep me having fun everyday. I get to tie dye and tassel-make now!

Hot Stuff has been an evolution, but in the past 2 months I really feel like the business has found a good niche. It's been the silver lining of the quarantine for me. I've had the time to sit and think of what can be done better, and I've been acting on those decisions. It feels good, and makes me all the more eager to see what is going to happen in the future.

FF: I remember my short lived vendor life, I was so nervous my first show. What was your very first item that you sold?

HS: So for my first market, my stock was a long time in the making, and the assortment was a little all over the place. Some of my potholders were merchandisable into collections, but not all. I only made one of each design, something I've since learned to avoid unless it's a special exception. At my first market, I wanted to throw a lot at the wall and see what stuck. Safe to say, I was excited and I was ready to learn from experience.

Each design was one-of-a-kind, except for one set of potholders. I thought the design would be complementary in any kitchen, so I made 2 pairs. They were light blue and shades of mossy green, with pops of terra cotta. Well, luckily I made 2 pairs because one sold right away, and the other sold shortly after. My intuition was right, and it lead to my very first sale!

FF: Within your craft, what makes your heart sing?

HS: The discovery part of crafting is hands down my favorite. Pushing my craft to new places with dying, knitting, embellishing, figuring out what works, what doesn't, and what can be improved keeps me engaged and always wanting to create more. As soon as something comes to fruition, the new koozie goes on a can, I do a "heckyes!" dance, and then I leave the koozie on the coffee table for a little, just to see how it feels to live with it. If the function + beauty test passes, that's the good stuff!

FF: Is this your full time gig? Do you have another job?

HS: Hot Stuff is my side gig for now, but I have worked full time in various parts of the fashion industry since college. I've been a fashion designer for the past 8 years, with focus in intimates and activewear.

One time, the Tennis Plaza & the Hustler on Sunrise Blvd both had pieces I designed in their windows! That moment not only made me laugh, but also made me realize that I am a multi-faceted designer. I've sent my grandma pictures of me posing in front of Hustler with the mannequins wearing stuff I designed, and she couldn't be more delighted!

My full-time work has always been fun & challenging, and has allowed me to test the waters with what I would do with my own business. I am learning all I can before I take any leaps to depend entirely on something I created myself.

FF: What do you hope to be doing in 1 year, 5 years? What is the ultimate goal?

BS: Everything has changed a lot lately, to say the least. So I'm gonna shoot for the stars and talk about my farthest away goals! In 5 years, I'd love to grow Hot Stuff to sell more types of products. Ornaments, wreaths, hair accessories, key-chains, gloves - think small home wares plus any accessories you could wear, but are not jewelry or a handbag. That's all of the functional yet fun stuff I love to design!

Whatever I do, I want it to be connected to artisans and craftspeople locally, and all over the world. The production needs to be ethical and sustainable, and is a process where everybody involved benefits. Having a frivolous yet functional product line that is ethically made with many influences is what I hope to build.

FF: We talked about the fun positives of Hot Stuff, what about your most dreaded task in what you do?

HS: Getting everything online and shoppable was a really big hurdle for me. I set up an Etsy store when I was making only 1 product. I went in with lots of flowery copy, set photos, accessories, yahdeyahdeyahhh , lots and lots of stuff. I am being reserved when I say that I did NOT enjoy it one bit. It was a lot of work and when I saw the outcome of it, I didn't like it at all. I was pretty defeated.

I see the reasons for not being total enthused about setting up online stemmed from my lack of understanding my most authentic voice and vision. I thought that I needed a ton of stuff to back up my product, and what I really needed was more confidence and focus in the brand & assortment.

That initial set up experience left a taste in my mouth that had me really dreading any additional rounds of product upload. The categorizing, copywriting, taking photos, uploading, ugh! I wasn't ready for more.

I reinvented my process for photography and upload about a month ago, and I am so much happier with how everything looks & the process of making it look that way. After spending some time on bettering this process, I think I upped my enjoyment level of doing the task too.

FF: Do you have a special or funny story about being a vendor?

HS: The story of my best seller, the Bali Sunrise koozie! So I was at a market, it was abysmally slow, and I was looking around my booth for what I could freaking do. Every thread was trimmed, the wheft and warp of the potholders looked even, displays were already moved around, I had nothing.

I looked into the little "sale" bin I had, debating if I should just throw more stuff in there out of complete frustration. When deciding what would be first to go, I picked up an orange and pink koozie and threw at the bin. Literally I was so frustrated, I grabbed one thing, and just threw it in.

Five minutes after all of that stuff, I started riffling around the supplies in my bag. I found some cute pink layered tassels I had in my little embellishments bag. I hadn't put them on anything yet, and I thought maybe they would go with this koozie? I applied the tassels and it looked really cute! I put the koozie out and it SOLD in 15 minutes. I had 2 more of that orange and pink style. I put tassels on those, and they sold right after. I found a best-seller that evening, and I'll never forget the minor act of rebellion that got me there!

FF: Not being from Florida, why do you love living here so much?

HS: You can actually experience why I love South Florida with my new series of koozies called "I love you, Fort Lauderdale".

Quarantine-ing in a place I love so much, but not being able to do any of the things I love really messed with my head. I started thinking "What do I love out there?", "How can I bring it here?", and "What can I do with what I have available to me?" Apart from supporting the businesses with my orders, participation in online fitness classes, and online shopping, I to do a more. I started writing and sketching and digging around my house, and after deceptively quick 4 hours, I had the foundations & then some to make something that embodies the essence of local business that I love.

To respect the nature of quarantine, each piece is made with with only what I had available to me, no buying allowed. My nails are hella grown out in the product shots to show passing of time. And, the bottle/can models are drinks I had around the house. No special trips for anything! It was a great challenge. I hope the series of 20 beyond-unique koozies will show these Fort Lauderdale business how much I love each of them, and remind them that their spirit can be celebrated anywhere. I hope whoever buys these koozies will feel a little part of that local business with them.

The series has been so much fun to create, and is being posted on my Instagram until the end of the month. The koozies are on sale at my Etsy right now with all profits donated to United Way of Broward to support food banks & unemployment assistance for the local community.

FF: Where can readers find out more about you and your koozies?

HS: Check out my Etsy Store, linked below, and stay in touch with my latest product drops on Instagram. It's all bright, cheery, and I'm always cheers-ing a drink to you!
www.etsy.com/shop/HotStuffHome
https://www.instagram.com/hey_hotstuff_/