Makers & Artists The Gentle Pit

Shippe LA

Jamie Kim

Orange County, Ca

Creator and Founder  I   Shippe LA

Jamie Kim grew up known as the “trash collector” by her mother because she would collect things like toilet paper rolls and other seemingly unusable items to transform into something different.

At the Art Institute of Chicago where Jamie studied painting, she found herself drawn to ‘boring’ things as her subjects – she spent a solid year painting pictures of cardboard boxes and nuts.

Jamie’s roommate in collage adopted a cat, and Jamie quickly developed a new allergy. Regardless of this allergy, Jamie was convinced to adopt her own cat, Ducky. She says that she is okay 95% of the time if she washes her hands regularly and doesn’t touch her face. Clearly she loves animals. I know people who won’t even go to a friend’s house who has a pet, and this girl lives with one on the regular. Oh, and she liked the given name, Ducky, because she was obsessed with Pretty in Pink and thought ducky was a big weirdo.

“I like meeting fellow weirdos” is a quote she gave during our conversation, which I was happy about as well.

After moving to Los Angeles for job in wholesale jewelry, Jamie found herself wanting to work with her hands again. She started exploring new materials that she was able to work with in her apartment, and began making things that she wanted for herself.

That’s why you will find small gold peanuts and toast keychains on her site. She thinks these items are funny, and so do I.

In addition to the fun items you’ll find on /SHIPPE, Jamie is also working on collaborating with The Gentle Pit, where she will be creating custom items…..maybe even Olive’s favorite, a BANANA! Basically, Jamie is a true creative spirit and we are all excited to see what other fun items she will bring us in the future.

JAMIE IN 15 QUESTIONS.

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1. IF YOU WERE A BREAKFAST CEREAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?

     I think I remember eating Frosted Mini Wheats all the time because of that icing, but I would probably be a box of Cookie Crisp! I'm not quite sure what that really says about me.

 

2. WHAT IS THE SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR LIFE. ONE ALBUM.

     The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie

 

3. NAME A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS TO EAT IN LOS ANGELES

     Kitchen Mouse is great! OB Bear in K-town has maybe the best Korean spicy fried chicken in Los Angeles!

 

4. WOULD YOU RATHER BE A MEMBER OF N’SYNC, THE JACKSON 5, SPICE GIRLS OR BEASTIE BOYS?

     Hands down, Beastie Boys!

 

5. FAVORITE QUOTE IS?

     My memory can be pretty terrible, so I've never been able to hold onto a quote! But there's a scene in John Cusack's 80's movie Better Off Dead where his mom is trying to make a new French foreign exchange student feel at home by cooking french "cuisine" and offers her some "Fronch Fries". It's basically an inside joke of one, but I've been quoting that for the past 15+ years!

 

6. IF YOU HAD A FROG, WHAT WOULD YOU NAME IT?

     Patty? Patty sounds like a solid name.

 

7. WHAT’S THE DRINK THAT MAKES YOU A LITTLE WEIRD?

     Tequila!! 

 

8. FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL TO?

     I took a family trip to Korea last year and just the had the best experience! I hadn't been there in over 10 years. We spent three weeks just eating our way through several different cities, and I'm dying to go back already! But as for somewhere more accessible, I've been out to Joshua Tree a handful of times. Its such a short and easy trip, and a nice break from Los Angeles!

 

9. HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF A TOOTSIE POP?

    Three!

 

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BRAND OF CHIPS?

     Does Pirate's Booty count? I can devour an entire family bag in one sitting!

 

11. WHAT’S YOUR NICKNAME?

     Jamzie

 

12. WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SHOP FOR HOME ITEMS IN LOS ANGELES?

   I've found most essential home furnishings on Craigslist, but a lot of my space is decorated with random objects I've found from trips to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. The Long Beach Flea Market has some great stuff, too. I love a great flea market find!

 

13. WHERE WOULD YOU GO ON A PERFECT FIRST DATE IN LOS ANGELES?

The Rose Bowl Flea Market? Or maybe save that for the second date.

 

14. WHAT IS THE LAST SHOW YOU BINGE WATCHED?

Schitt's Creek. The episodes are short so it's so easy to watch a whole season in less than a day. I haven't met too many people who have seen it, but my cousin told me I had to watch it and he was right. It's pure laughs; I love everyone and everything about that show!

 

15. FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME?

Tough one! There have been a few sprinkled throughout the years, but my current favorite is Carl Auböck: The Workshop.

 

Written by Lisa Barnes