Devin McNutt has been making jewelry from vintage tins for years, and in 2013 — when the owner of the bead store Devin managed decided to close up shop — Devin decided to take the leap into full-time entrepreneurship with her own jewelry business: Saffron Creations.

After a few years of DIYing her packaging (picture long nights of hand-cutting her earring card backs), she came to Wellstruck to give her brand a professional refresh. Devin chose to start with a Starter Brand and packaging design for her handmade jewelry.

Our goal with any rebrand is to honor the past while freshening things up for the future. With that in mind, we were inspired by typography found on vintage tea tins for her logo (since her jewelry is made from actual vintage tins). For her color, we decided on a deep navy that really allows her jewelry (and the occasional touch of saffron yellow) to pop.

Once her rebrand with Wellstruck was complete, Devin shared her brand style sheet with the team of photographers at Quarter Moon Co. They used it to inspire a cohesive set of brand imagery that makes the brand feel even more special — and she can now use this branded imagery on her website and social media. It makes us absolutely giddy to see clients put their Starter Brand to work!

A few months after her rebrand, we interviewed Devin of Saffron Creations so we could share more about her business, her decision to invest in branding, and the results she’s seen since.

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Tell our readers what you do!

Devin: I make jewelry from vintage tins. I start by collecting intricately patterned tins that were manufactured in the 1960s and 70s to contains products such as tea and cookies. The majority are from England, but some are from Holland, Germany and even the USA. I essentially cut them apart and combine pieces of the tins with hammered sterling, brass and gold to create timeless, collectable jewelry. I'm inspired by the patterns and bright colors on the tins and love giving them new life and purpose.
 

What makes your business unique?

Devin: What sets my business apart from other handmade jewelry companies is the fact that each piece that I create is either an extremely limited edition or actually one of a kind. There are no "cookie cutter" designs that can be reproduced indefinitely. The making of each pair of earrings and necklace involves careful consideration of the vintage patterns and colors. The tins are not only the material, they are the inspiration. This is part of what makes Saffron Creations jewelry truly collectable and unique.
 

What were your challenges before hiring Wellstruck?

Devin: Before hiring Wellstruck I struggled with cohesive branding for all the components of Saffron Creations. Not only did I need good packaging design, but I also needed that packaging to read well as part of a larger display at juried craft shows where I often vend.
 

Why did you choose Wellstruck?

Devin: I met Sarah while attending one of the Wellstruck Lady Boss events in Philadelphia and was impressed with her branding work with other local makers that I was already familiar with.
 

What did you like about the process?

Devin: I liked how Sarah broke the process down into small steps that made everything seem less overwhelming and more feasible as someone already busy with running a business. I loved how she interpreted my brand so well and was able to make really spot-on suggestions.
 

What are things like since working with Wellstruck?

Devin: I truly believe that the jewelry card Wellstruck designed for me has given my work a higher perceived value to my customer. Before, my cards were an afterthought and really just served a functional purpose, which was to organize and display my work. Now, the cards match the quality of my jewelry and really allow it to shine.

Since my brand refresh, I've received so many compliments on my display and branding while vending at craft shows. It's the first thing people notice and that's what draws them in to take a closer look.
 

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?

Devin: My advice for other entrepreneurs is to get help. Face it: you're not good at everything and you don't have time to do everything. Network with other people in your field, get feedback and recommendations. Barter. Try to use as many "free" resources as you can and when those run out, pay someone else to do the things you don't enjoy.
 

If readers are interested in your work, what should they do?

Devin: Become a member of Saffron Savvy! Members get access to new collections 24 hours before they launch to the public, receive annual birthday coupons, and get exclusive discount codes.

Congratulations, Devin! Keep killin’ it.

Learn more about the Starter Brand package