Life & Work with Kelly Savoca-West

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Savoca-West. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Everything comes full circle. At a young age, I was drawn to becoming a designer in the fashion industry. After having worked in the industry for 10 years, I came to realize the many issues that come along with designing and manufacturing in the fashion industry, both environmentally and ethically. I think back to a time when my dad was empowering USA factories and their workers, only to see them slowly diminish. Maybe this was always in the back of my head. With this knowledge, accompanied with my love of gardening, I began to realize how symbiotic the relationship is between farming and fashion. This is how Cotton & Moss was born. 

Initially, Cotton & Moss started as a garden lifestyle brand that provided special product launches, stories, and engaging experiences throughout the year. The concept was to take the notion of knowing where your food comes from and apply that to any item you purchase, whether it was a handcrafted planter, a utility apron, or a locally sourced beeswax candle. To make, design, & curate goods while focusing on quality, sustainability, & made in the USA. 

Currently, I have evolved to focus more on hosting workshops. We’ve seen a real interest there and by partnering with other botanic gardens we are able to better serve the community in this way. My goal is to inspire folks to take on any gardening project and be inspired to use plants in various crafts such as a beautiful magnolia wreath. We may still offer unique goods on occasion but workshops will be the primary focus. We are even open to virtual offerings as well! 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not! In the beginning, I focused a great deal on e-commerce and markets. The problem with this was that I needed a much better understanding of marketing to do this successfully. I now have so much more knowledge in the area but it would have been useful early on to build sales. Due to this, I shifted to what I saw success in and that was towards workshops and events. Still, those require marketing skills and sometimes extra advertising. It’s always a balancing act to know if you can recoup advertising expenses. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I set out to create and curate a variety of handcrafted garden goods. Now I focus on offering unique plant craft and gardening workshops. I’m able to offer these to the public and private groups. The concept being that friends can come together to celebrate a birthday or a company can share a new experience with employees. In the south, this was lacking especially at botanic gardens so I wanted to be sure to offer these experiences. Since I’ve started, I’ve hosted workshops at Cheekwood, Knoxville Botanic Garden, and Dixon Gallery & Gardens. 

I truly enjoy coming together with people to teach a new craft. It’s always fun to see what folks come up with. I never like to create a workshop with only one option. It’s meant to be a creative process so that one can make it their own. 

I’m proud of my journey. Nothing has been perfect but I’ve learned quite a bit and every little part has played a role in where I am today. 

How do you think about happiness?
When I take the time to experiment with a new workshop concept or a seasonal garden box. I love introducing these to people as well and helping them learn more about the history or process of the craft. 

Pricing:

• $30-65 Workshop Price Range

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://cottonandmoss.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cottonandmoss/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cottonandmossgoods/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrBh3gqh3Mf4q0-oxDELGEQ?view_as=subscriber