Coup De Main Magazine Interview

AUDREY KITCHING THE QUEEN OF MULTI-TASKING.

BY SACHA YOUNG

“I read so many energy, astrology, zodiac and healing sites daily. I’m always trying to pass on some of the knowledge as a morning boost or positive reminder to people.”

COUP DE MAIN: Firstly, you seem like you’ve got multi-tasking down to a tee! Unless you’ve cloned yourself and we’re completely unaware… Gurrrl, please tell us how you fit designing, styling, blogging and modeling all into one day?! AUDREY KITCHING: Funny you say that, I have been having mini melt-downs when I think about my schedule for the next half of the year. I’m almost booked until end of February (2014)! A good and overwhelming feeling. I wake up everyday by 8AM at the latest and I work seven days a week and have some employees… Now when I say I work seven days a week, it means I’m at least doing a few hours of work each day. I love what I do though, I’m so lucky to be able to be creative for a living, I thrive on it! I think the most important thing is to be organised and take each task one at a time, otherwise you turn into full meltdown mode!

CDM: Where did the inspiration come from to start ‘Crystal Cactus’? AUDREY: I am really into holistic healing, I’m trained in Reiki, nutritional response test and Ayurveda. It’s more of a lifestyle then just something you’re into. I started collecting and wearing crystal jewellery a few years ago, fusing the fashion and holistic world together seemed like the perfect thing to do! It’s kind of my own personal yin & yang. A lot of new age shops are kind of tacky and cheeky, I wanted to show that this type of lifestyle can be chic and classy, if done right.

CDM: How did you choose the name ‘Crystal Cactus’? AUDREY: It first started out with making these amazing cactus gardens in vintage tea cups filled with crystals instead of stones… After I realised the hard way they didn’t ship very well, I decided to stick to jewellery!

CDM: Do you have a favourite piece from your collection? Why does it stand out to you among the other pieces? AUDREY: I recently made these super thick neon braided silk gold chained necklaces with three inch chunky crystal quartz hanging on them! I’m really into the statement pieces where you can basically wear a grey t-shirt but still look awesome because you have a killer necklace on… It’s more casual real-life style.

CDM: I’ve followed a few of your tweets and Facebook posts, you’re definitely into seizing the day, can you please list five phrases or statements that you live your life by…AUDREY: Yes! I read so many energy, astrology, zodiac and healing sites daily. I’m always trying to pass on some of the knowledge as a morning boost or positive reminder to people.#1. What you think about, you bring about.#2. A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.#3. If we don’t change we don’t grow, if we don’t grow we aren’t really living.#4. Nothing will ever go away until it teaches us what we need to know.#5. Understand that your soul is not bounced by this earth’s human existence.

CDM: I’m sure you’re a role-model to girls all over the world, but who do you personally look up to as a role-model?AUDREY: I think I admire everyday people for their efforts! My Mom is an amazing recycler – she never ever uses a bag that’s disposable – my neighbour volunteers and spends all her free time at animal shelters helping them stay alive and get adopted, people in my city who stand in the cold once a week to feed the less fortunate… I feel like those are role-models that we all know and see on daily basis! If everyone tried to be a bit more like them the world would be a much better place overnight!

WOULD YOU RATHER:CDM: When you were younger, would you have rather skateboarded or played with your barbies and unicorns? AUDREY: A little of both! I had TONS of barbies but I would always cut their hair and cut up their clothing. I gave them some serious makeovers, but I also grew up with three older brothers who all skateboarded. By age seventeen I was basically living in a skatepark.

CDM: Watch ‘Breaking Bad’ or ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’? AUDREY: UGH hard one.. but ‘BREAKING BAD’! Come on, it’s genius on so many levels and I kind of love Aaron Paul / Jessie Pinkman.

CDM: Drink coffee or tea? AUDREY: Tea five times a day, everyday.

CDM: Eat a [vegan] donut or [vegan] cake? AUDREY: I think vegan donut… or maybe vegan carrot cake! Can I have both?!

CDM: A friendship-crush is someone that you have no romantic interest in whatsoever, but just really wish that you were best friends with them. Who would be your top five friendship-crushes, living or dead? AUDREY: I love this question! Elvis, Andrew Zimmerman, Mary Kate Olsen, Madonna circa ‘Truth Or Dare’ and Sena the race car driver from Brazil! Eclectic list, I know.

CDM: What are your five favourite things in the whole wide world and why?#1. Bubble baths: The best way to relax after a long day.#2. Pets: I love my dog and cat more then most humans.#3. Netflix: Instant movies and TV that you get to choose without commercials… brilliant.#4. Tacos: I think I was Mexican in my past life.#5. The Internet: We wouldn’t be talking now if it wasn’t for it, changing everyone’s lives on the daily.

CDM: What do you feel is your spirit animal? AUDREY: A FLAMINGO! I swear it really is I have been collecting them as a child!

CDM: What’s left on your bucket-list that you’d really like to achieve? AUDREY: I haven’t gotten to travel as much as I would like… India, Japan, Thailand are all MUSTS!

photos: liz besanson

www.crystalcactus.com

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