A student at Florida State University has a knack for creating unique jewelry and capturing treasured moments on film, while working on her double major.
Trinity Kennedy is a second year student at FSU majoring in both human resource management and international relations. She began attending FSU in fall 2019 after earning an associate’s degree through dual enrollment.
While juggling schoolwork, Kennedy also expresses her artistic talent by creating jewelry for her brand, Trinkets by Trin.
“My high school art teacher encouraged all of the soon-to-be graduates to participate in a senior send-off show to showcase their handmade crafts at a booth,” Kennedy said. “That convinced me to ask myself, why don’t I just start making earrings?”
That small moment was the birth of Trinkets by Trin, which has escalated to Kennedy setting up booths at local art events, renting a table at a local thrift store, and joining the platform of jewelry selling on Etsy.
Whether her customers are friends, family, or complete strangers, her work is admired by many, since her booth at The Other Side Vintage is constantly bringing in extra income. Her peer and fellow FSU student, Maddi McIver, has purchased her jewelry.
“I really admire how wide her creative range is,” McIver said. “I mean, she does makeup and vintage clothing and photography and earrings of multiple styles and mediums, she has so much going on for her. At FSU, she visited and spent probably two hours photographing my cat in my extremely tiny dorm room. She just offered to do it, because she’s a great person and she wants to make people happy with her art.”
Kennedy’s online business consists of polymer clay-based earrings and necklaces and handmade scrunchies. Her Etsy account currently has 33 sales and is highly rated with five stars.
Peyton Addison, a close friend of Kennedy’s, has watched her success grow throughout the beginning of her business to her current platform.
“I think it’s amazing how she balances her school work and Trinkets by Trin so well,” Addison said. “She doesn’t slack on either and continues to make new, well made and well thought out products that are always unique for Trinkets by Trin, even when she’s busy. Every week, it seems she has new stuff up, and I always love what she lists.”
Besides her creative projects and balancing her double major, Kennedy is an active member — and current president — of FSU’s newly created Thrift Club. In their club meetings, Kennedy shares her knack for finding individual pieces and discovering her unique style by exclusively shopping at thrift stores and garage sales.
“My style is definitely an evolutionary process,” Kennedy said. “It comes mainly through Instagram, whether it’s pages that I follow or artists that I enjoy. My go-to clothing essential right now is a good jewel-toned button down.”
Although COVID-19 may hinder Kennedy’s succession at her physical booth, she is still accepting personalized commissions through her social media. You can find her jewelry, photography, vintage goods, and creative makeup looks on her Instagram @trinketsbytrin or shop her Etsy account at https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrinketsByTrin.