Jewelry designer Tarina Tarantino is famous primarily for two things, her bright pink hair and her love of accessories. Her costume jewelry designs are red-carpet favorites but priced low enough to be accessible to many fans. Partnerships with Hello Kitty, Barbie, and Sephora have only increased her status as the queen of all things girly. Her makeup line, previously available at Sephora, is now a standalone brand.
Her new book The Sparkle Factory delves into her creative process and offers tips for starting your own jewelry workshop. She walks readers through the process of creating her whimsical and playful designs. The book is named for her Los Angeles workshop, a fantasy land of bright colors and glittering crystals. The building, a seven-story 1914 Gothic Revival building in downtown Los Angeles, is the new hub of all things Tarina Tarantino.
While Tarantino has her own space to craft now, it wasn’t always that way and she gives advice for crafters with limited space and budgets. Many of her designs involve embellishing existing items, even safety pins, with the magic of sequins, crystals, and a glue gun. Some of the creations may be a bit advanced for beginning jewelry makers but many involve mostly creativity and adding sparkle. Tarantino also includes ways to pep up your existing costume pieces. Better yet, you can use broken bits of costume jewelry to add your own flair to barrettes, fascinators, and other accessories. This book is a fun romp for anyone with a playful sensibility when it comes to accessorizing.
