The amount of talent that resides in Memphis, TN makes me giddy sometimes. Jewelry + accessories designer Brittney Bullock is one of the sweetest spirits you’ll ever meet. I knew who she was via her talented husband (painter Jamond Bullock), but Britt + I “officially” met last year after I saw someone carrying one of her handbags and wearing one of her necklaces. Finally, after a year busyness (on both our parts), we were able to talk shop about her design background and where she finds inspiration, all while enjoying a few laughs during our photoshoot. Read on to learn more about Britt, and her line, Don’t Blink! How long have you been designing? I started designing jewelry in 2009 with no prior classes or background knowledge in the field. I studied sculpture in undergrad, so I thought of this venture as miniature sculptures that people could wear. So I tried EVERYTHING before I found a material that I liked and could stick with. At that point, I started researching on how I could make this new love of creating a brand and in 2013 Don’t Blink was created. What drew you to start designing? Since childhood, I’ve always had the desire to create but was always interested in so many different things, so it was inevitable for me to study fine art as a profession. As you could imagine, after graduating I didn’t have all of the resources offered in college (i.e. woodshop, ceramics studio, etc.), so I had to make do. I knew that I needed to create daily and that my usual art discipline would change due to the resources I had. So, I quickly fell in love with designing accessories and home goods. Where do you find inspiration to create? I find inspiration from reading, stories/storytelling, different patterns found in nature, and by merely experiencing new things. It’s easy for me to get wrapped up on the Internet, and sometimes I lose inspiration from the overloaded experience of online surfing. To combat my urge to Internet surf, I’ve started these daily “mini-quests” where I challenge myself to find things that I think are beautiful or inspiring around me and document them. As your business has grown over the years, has there been a moment that stands out the most for you? A memorial moment for me happened this year while really focusing on my values as a brand. I’m sure this realization happens to all entrepreneurs at different times in their journey, but for me it has been just recently that I really started to write down what matters most to me when creating. So when I become frustrated with my work, I always go back to my values. You design jewelry, accessories, and home goods; how do you find balance between the three? Ha, balance you say! I’m constantly trying to balance my work, and product schedule, and I think it will always fluctuate. For me, it starts with a schedule for the day and taking it day by day as much as possible, but also being flexible when needed. What’s your personal style manifesto? Classic and simple. Juxtaposing simple colors, lines, and or shapes to create a look is my favorite. What are you most looking forward to for your business in the new year? I’m looking forward to new collections and products and new collaborations with other talented makers. I’ve started a list of entrepreneurs that I admire and would like to work with. I’m hoping to start a collaboration project this year with a few. Any exciting news to share? I’m working on a new collection that will be released in the Spring, so be on the lookout for that! I’m also designing a necklace for the annual Condomonium event presented by Choices Healthcare to promote safe sex. What’s the main thing you want people to know about your brand? I want people to know that I am truly passionate about my work and my community. In addition to creating for Don’t Blink, I donate 10% of all sales to provide for art-making workshops being taught to students that have limited access to visual arts. Where can people follow you? Check out my website: www.dontblinkbb.com Follow me on Instagram: dontblink_bb Like on Facebook: bbdontblink (fun fact: where we initially planned to shoot was a no-go, but we took a short walk + stumbled across this rustic little area that worked perfectly with her wardrobe’s color palette. Kismet!) Road Trip Envy | Karlie Kloss + Taylor Swift for Vogue Beauty Buy | Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation