Mom O Matic’s Automat Charming Jewelry

Chicagoist:

We like to make it a personal mission to make ourselves look like a bunch of crazy wildflowers. Local Mom O Matic’s Automat is helping us in our quest with their vintage buttons and plastic bits transformed as fun, bold jewelry (we adore this church basement charm bracelet, pictured).

Mom O Matic herself, Tanya Svoboda, 36, has been a Chicagoland resident her whole life, married her high school crush, and lives so close to Brookfield Zoo that she can hear the elephants on a quiet night.

Tanya gives Made in Chicago her thoughts on subliminal messages, found art, and the love of kitsch.

How do you make your art stand out from everything else out there?

I’m attracted to quirky things so I try to photograph my items against paper or photographs that amuse me. Sometimes I’ll even sneak in little subliminal messages in the backgrounds.

Where do you want to go with your art? Where do you see yourself in five years?

5 years ago I was pregnant, broke and overwhelmed. 5 years later I’m happy, broke and inspired. If it would be possible to remove “broke” from that list I would be pretty thrilled.

How did you start making stuff?

There is a button stall at the Elkhorn Flea Market in Wisconsin that first started my button obsession. This sweet elderly lady ties vintage buttons to card stock in the most amazing patterns. I have them framed all over my house and have to credit her with giving me a desire to play with buttons.

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