Miami Student

Issue date: 11/16/04 Section: Campus

It's often said that some of the best ideas are first scribbled down on a napkin. First-year Kristin Elzey's handmade purse business "KeeCornell Keepsakes" is no different.Two years ago, after becoming fed up with her waitressing job uptown, Elzey quit to pursue an idea she'd been dreaming of for quite some time."I started fooling around with my dad's old ties and I came up with my first design, a shoulder bag," said Elzey. "At first I just did it for me. It was my creative outlet - I had no idea it would turn into a profitable business, or the purses would become so popular."Elzey started off selling the 100-percent silk purses made out of men's ties with plastic bamboo handles to boutiques in Cincinnati and Indiana."They've sold out, and instead of re-stocking I'm selling them by word-of-mouth and letting people contact me," Elzey said.No two purses are the same, as Elzey acquires ties from a number of different sources."Every purse is unique, because I don't have a collection of the same ties," she said. "People who know about my business donate ties to me, or I go to thrift stores or vintage shops. Sometimes I'll just use whatever I find lying around."Elzey explained that her purses serve another special purpose for people who are grieving over the loss of family members or loved ones who have passed away. This concept of having a keepsake is part of how she thought of the title for her business."A keepsake is something you hang on to for the rest of your life, and can wear at any stage in your life," Elzey said.Currently a business major, Elzey said she sees a bright future in KeeCornell Keepsakes. Having sold around 100 purses to date, Elzey has already used the money to invest back in her business. She is currently working on getting a trademark patented. "I don't want it to be seen as a craft, and I don't want people to be doing it on their own," she said.Two designs presently available are the handbag and the shoulder bag, usually $50 and $80 respectively. Prices run according to how many hours are spent sewing them.Elzey said new designs include a coin purse, a wallet and a larger messenger bag.Customer Grace Schuler bought her first customized handbag this past spring, for which she provided her own ties."They're just adorable purses," Schuler said. "I've never seen another one like mine, and I've gotten a lot of compliments on it.'Elzey offered a few words of wisdom for other prospective entrepreneurs to not give up on their ideas."Even bad ideas can become good ideas - just see where it goes," she said. "Don't be afraid to take risks."

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