From Paint-Your-Own Kits to a Handmade Business: The Story of Keepsake Studio

If you follow me on social media, you might have noticed that I haven't been posting much lately.

And no, I haven't been too busy teaching English in an elementary school.

And unfortunately, I haven't been enjoying a glass of Prosecco by the beach either.

I've actually been working on this little handmade business I've been building called Keepsake Studio.

What started as an idea for a really nice creative activity for children — something that I thought even adults would enjoy — slowly turned into a small handmade business.

I loved the idea of giving someone a little figurine, some paint and a brush, and simply letting them create.

So I started experimenting.

I invested the little amount of money I had into materials, and put my full effort, time and creativity into making this idea happen.

And somehow, Keepsake Studio was born.

So… Where Have I Been?

Keepsake Studio officially launched on July 1st.

By the middle of July, I had zero sales and absolutely no idea what to expect.

So, naturally, I thought, let's put everything on a table and see what happens.

I joined two local mercatini and, honestly, it was such a nice experience.

It was also quite funny.

People would walk past my table, look at the little figurines and say:

“Oh, calamita!”

Me: smiles. 🙂

My husband: activates Italian mode and starts explaining the entire business.

Since my Italian wasn't exactly ready for explaining a brand-new creative concept to a crowd of strangers, my husband became the official spokesperson for Keepsake Studio.

We had to explain that, no, they weren't magnets. They're paint-your-own plaster figurines that you can take home and paint yourself.

A lot of people had never seen anything like them before, so it was actually really nice introducing people to the idea.

And even though we were still very much in the “What exactly is this?” stage, I managed to sell a few paint-your-own kits and some of my plaster ceramic decorations.

For me, that was already a win.

After those two markets, I decided that for now, I wanted to focus on building Keepsake Studio online.

And that's what I've been doing.

From an idea to a little business.

Autumn Collection

The Paint Your Own Kits are still at the heart of what I'm making.

They're simple creative activities for children that can be enjoyed at home, at school, at parties, or pretty much anywhere you want to get creative.

And honestly, I think adults would enjoy them too. Give someone a tiny figurine and some paint, and suddenly they're very serious about getting that little face just right.

They can also be a fun alternative to the usual party favors.

Instead of the common candies, chocolates, candles or little gifts that might eventually be forgotten, a paint-your-own kit gives children something they can create, enjoy and take home.

I've also started making handmade plaster ceramic trinket trays and decorations.

They're simple, elegant and affordable, and I think they can make beautiful little favors for weddings, baptisms, confirmation, birthdays, corporate events and even business events.

Something small that your guests can actually use afterwards — for rings, jewelry, keys or all those little things that somehow end up everywhere.

So what exactly is Keepsake Studio?

After deciding to focus online, I worked on getting the Keepsake Studio Website and Etsy shop up and running.

You can now browse the products, choose from the options available, and find something for your next creative activity or special occasion.

And if you have an idea that isn't listed, send me a message.

I can customize many of the products depending on what you're looking for — whether it's a different color, quantity, design or something made specifically for your event.

Everything is handmade in Italy, and I ship throughout Italy and across Europe.

You can find Keepsake Studio Online

Today, something very small but very special happened.

Keepsake Studio reached 500 beautiful people on Instagram.

Five hundred.

For a little business that only launched on July 1st, this makes me incredibly happy.

I'm so grateful to every person who has followed, liked, shared, sent me a message, placed an order, visited my table at a market, or simply stopped by to see what I'm making.

Every little bit of support means more than you probably realize.

I'm still very much at the beginning of this journey. I'm learning as I go, making mistakes, trying new things and figuring out how to turn a tiny idea into something real.

But that tiny idea has already become Keepsake Studio.

And I'm really excited to see where it goes.

So, if you've been wondering where I've been lately…

This is it.

Not teaching.

Not drinking Prosecco by the beach.

Just me, somewhere behind the scenes, covered in plaster, paint and packaging, trying to make this little dream work.

Thank you for being here.

And in my next blog post, I'll talk about something that doesn't always make it onto social media — the struggles I've been experiencing.

Because, believe me, there have been plenty.

And today...