A Glen Innes and Tamworth based jewellery team is brightening days and turning heads across the New England, with Thistles and Tin creating handmade earrings designed to bring a bit of joy, style and sparkle into everyday life.
Krisarne Beling in Glen Innes and her friend Kim in Tamworth, both busy mums, began the business with a simple idea in mind.
“We just decided that we had to do something. Sick of sitting around, had to do something,” Krisarne said.
“I made jewellery a long time ago and I just thought earrings, something easy to take to market.”
After moving from Toowoomba to be closer to her mum – who is also a big part of the business – she wanted to bring a sense of fun and style to locals through the business.
“We just wanted to do something that people could afford to buy, make it affordable, and have something nice to wear.”
Since launching online almost two years ago, the pair have continued to grow their presence, recently expanding to markets and local stores, building a following of customers who love their lightweight, bright, easy-to-wear designs. All earrings are made from high quality, sustainably sourced materials, are hypoallergenic and tarnish resistant, and are designed with longevity in mind.
“We create each pair with the intention of them lasting a lifetime,” she said. “We don’t intend for our jewellery to be single use and craft each pair to the highest of standards.”
Krisarne explained how the making process works.
“We use small Australian businesses to cut our acrylic and laser cut our metal,” she said.
“We design what we want, we send it off to be either the acrylic cut or the metal laser cut, and then it comes back to us and we assemble and make them up.”
“All the sewing side of it is done by my mum at home.”
While Kimberly handles the Tamworth markets, Krisarne represents the brand at Glen Innes markets, and together they’re branching out into Toowoomba, stocking their pieces in stores, and supporting local charities through raffle donations.
As with many small creative start-ups, the biggest challenge so far has been time.
“We’ve both got children, and just trying to juggle being able to go to markets and school and after-school events for kids, and trying to be able to have time at the business.”
Despite the juggling act, Thistles and Tin is deliberately kept fun, flexible and stress-free.
“We’re figuring it out as we go along,” she said. “We want it to be fun and not an official ‘this is our job and we’ve got to stick to it’. So we want it to be fun as well.”
Krisarne says they feel lucky to do what they do, and grateful for the support the New England community has shown.
For anyone thinking of starting their own creative venture, her advice is short and sweet.
“Just do it,” she said with a laugh.
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