Teri Calbert grew up in Springfield, Missouri and began creating fashions at a very young age. “I would sit with my chalk board and fashion ads from the local newspaper and recreate the pictures and then alter the look to my liking.”

Like many designers, the mere act of creating her own designs has been a lifelong passion. “Creating, no matter the medium, is one of my passions. I would spend hours growing up making anything I could out of whatever I had on hand.”

Teri still lives in Missouri, but has moved to Camdenton, where she is designing her own jewelry – Calbert's Creations. And now she is able to create her designs on a daily basis, although she craves the day she can quit her “regular job” and design full-time.

“Currently, I make jewelry using mostly polymer clay and precious metal clay. I love taking pictures with my camera and editing them on my computer, especially altering them from their original look and then creating wall art using different mediums.”

She loves the release found in exercising her creative energies, regardless of how tough the design world can be. “I love being able to release my inner creations through my jewelry and art ... what I dislike the most is the competition. It's stiff. Some people thrive on it, but not me.”

Despite the competitive industry and another full-time job, Teri constantly has designing on her mind. “I find inspiration everywhere, everyday.  No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I can get a jewelry piece idea or a photograph idea from even the simplest things.  Whether I'm driving down the road, watching T.V, looking on the Internet or magazines.  They all give me ideas.”

“I believe fashion is not just a look, but how we live.  We all strive to 'have the look' and I believe that is how we live.” She believes every aspiring designer should practice: “patience, hard work, and persistence. Don't accept no for an answer.” Teri Calbert is a featured UsTrendy designer; her designs can be found at http://www.ustrendy.com/calberts-creations/.