hi everyone! i’m not sure who’s going to see this, but i want to share what i’ve been doing w my small business! if you have time, i’d appreciate if you stuck around <3
i’m from o`ahu, hawai`i, and i have a small jewelry business that i operate all on my own. i started off by making chunky jewelry (which i still do sometimes) but i have recently begun to dig deeper into my native culture and make pieces that are inspired by my native kingdom. it is my goal to not only show my culture through my pieces, but to support other small businesses in the process, as well. because of this, i try my best to source whatever materials i can from local businesses on the island.
i’m very passionate about my art, as it’s mainly what’s been keeping me afloat throughout my time at university. i have been working for almost two years at this point, and i’ve faced some brain-altering challenges, whether it be about the business itself or taking month-long hiatuses for my mental health.
despite the challenges i’ve faced, i still continue to produce what i consider to be unique pieces of jewelry that show hawai`i’s culture. a new project i’ve been working on is shell jewelry. i have a friend who goes diving and brings me shells. i then hand-drill holes into my shells and turn them into jewelry. it’s really a big switch-up from anything i’ve made before and i’m really proud of myself!!
i love, love, love to create. i’m a highly creative person. i love being able to share my culture with others, not only through jewelry, but through communicative education. i am an advocate for native hawaiians (in hawaiian, us natives are called kānaka maoli) and i aspire to share the true meanings of my culture with those i meet. although it’s still small, having a platform has given me a space to advocate for my fellow kānaka brothers and sisters.
in light of all of this, it would mean so much to me if you are able to help support my business in any way! my instagram is @beadsbypotter. i am also working on my etsy page at the moment. i strongly encourage you to check it out—it would mean the world to me! if you are able, please consider giving me a follow. it is my goal to get to 500 followers by the end of the year and i intend to host a giveaway for it! thank you so much for taking time of your day to read this. please remember to shop small :)
