Crafty Folk: Afrikitten

Happy Monday Crafty Peeps! We're starting off another busy week in blogland with a BrisStyle member feature.  We absolutely love chatting with our members and finding out what makes their crafty world tick.  This week we caught up with Cheryl from jewellery label, Afrikitten.

1.  How would you describe your work?

I make jewellery - mostly rings - using various beadweaving techniques, combined with vintage crystals, buttons and other bits and pieces. My rings are big and colourful and pretty unique - I'm quietly confident that you won't find anything similar on Etsy. Not yet, anyway! I get bored repeating the same thing so my style is constantly evolving as I experiment with new ideas.
 

2. How did your Etsy shop come into being?

I actually don't know how I found out about Etsy. After discovering the joys of online shopping I spent an insane amount of time on the internet sourcing supplies and must have stumbled upon an Etsy store. I was selling on eBay at the time but never felt quite comfortable there. Setting up an Etsy store gave me a much better sense of belonging to a community that appreciates the love and care that goes into making something by hand.

3. Who or What inspires you?
Colour inspires me and I'm loving the bold, bright colours that are in season right now. I'm also inspired by floral shapes and mandala-like patterns, which work really well in my designs. When I first started beadweaving I was most inspired by the work of Laura McCabe.
 

 

4. Can you describe your studio / work area?

I dream of having a dedicated craft space - a separate room in the house with a huge table and all my beads neatly stored by size and colour in boxes along the wall. The reality is that I've claimed one half of our dining room table as a work area, which means constant packing and unpacking whenever we entertain. But it's a lovely, comfortable space with lots of natural light and big enough to accommodate our cat, who is mostly quite interested in what I'm up to.

 

5. What is your favourite thing in the shop at the moment?

It would have to be the huge chunky ring made with a 1940's rhinestone button - it's a real showstopper!
 

6. Do you have any other places that people can view/purchase your work?

My Facebook page is where I'm most active but I also have a Flickr page which I update regularly with my latest creations. You can visit my Etsy shop here too.

 A big thank-you to Cheryl for sharing her crafty life with us. Stay tuned for our next 'Crafty Folk' post where we will be featuring the work of Robbie from Silver & Earth jewellery.