say hello to the adorable elke!

We are immensely delighted that one of our incredible past participants (for two years in a row), Elke Bergeron, will be joining Makerie weekend as a teacher this year! Elke comes to us right from our own backyard of Boulder, but has spent 10 years working as a designer in the fashion industry in New York City. All of her designs are handmade, modern and fabulous and very much reflect her beautiful creative spirit. We love that she says, "the best part about what I do is that I get to play all day creating things and there is no one telling me what ‘direction’ I should be going in. Every found object takes on a new life and you never know where it will lead you." This year, Elke will be teaching students how to make Modern Leather Accessories with everyday materials and we can assure you that participants will leave her workshops with some incredible pieces of their own!

Get to know the adorable Elke below.

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What is your favorite food obsession right now?

The whole "chocolate, caramel & salt" combination is incredibly tempting & I generally cave in.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

An artist. I don't think I actually thought what kind as long as I could make art.

What's for breakfast?

Kashi with lots of fruit & a nice spoonful of Noosa yogurt on top with a hot cup of coffee.

A wish that came true.

Being asked to be a teacher at the Makerie! When I went to the first Makerie I thought, "Now THIS would be a great job!"

A favorite gift you received.

An old rusty, beautiful, antique metal bucket that says "Slickery Axel Grease." It is truly unique & it's my favorite color!

A condiment you love.

Does truffle salt count? 

What you love most about what you do.

I like being my own boss. I get to change my mind about product without anyone telling me I'm going in the "wrong" direction. I truly get to make what I love. I also can't imagine not making things by hand. It is so satisfying to see the progress and differences when something is made individually one at a time.

The most challenging or difficult thing about what you do.

When you make something by hand, there are so many details. Even in something that may look so simple. Sometimes I have a hard time when I get to the end of a project and I still have to put on the labels or something. I also have a REALLY hard time with repetition and making the same thing over and over in the same fabric. That is probably why I specialize in "One of a Kind" & rarely make more than two in any given fabric/style.

______ is at the top of my inspiration library.

Vintage stores!

Any tricks for finding life balance?

Flexibility. Each day for me can be a different schedule so I sort it out in the beginning of the week and plan goals that need to be done by the end of the week. I try to work as much as I can when the kids are in school and be available to my family in the afternoons. If I keep that in mind I actually get quite a bit done without feeling that I'm sacrificing any one thing to much. I also find about an hour, early every morning to hike with the dog. That sets the right tone for the rest of the day.

Any trade secrets/words of wisdom you'd like to divulge?

Surround yourself with encouraging, positive friends & partners. Life is too short for pessimism. Anything is possible.

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Thanks Elke!