Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chelsey Benton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chelsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was working with Military Veterans as a social worker and making jewelry on the side as a therapeutic/creative outlet. In August 2019 a friend, who owns a unique local retail store, invited me to be the “Artist of the Month” to display and sell my jewelry. I was so nervous to share my creations with her customers but the response was incredibly positive! The demands of home life, being a caregiver, and as a mom made it challenging to continue my social work career. I resigned from my job in the beginning of the pandemic and fully embraced a new venture as a jewelry maker and small business owner.

Chelsey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been a lover of jewelry since childhood and often struggled to find pieces that I vibed with or envisioned accessorizing with various outfits. Visiting bead shops became a favorite pastime that eventually led to making my own jewelry.

After the spotlight month at a local store, I opened an Etsy shop and later a website where I sell my handmade pieces. Earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are made with genuine gemstones, glass, metal, and wood beads. An in-house commercial laser is also used to cut leather, wood, and acrylic charms, bracelets, earrings, and pendants.

I place a high value on uniqueness, which is why many of the pieces I make are limited quantity or one-of-a-kind. I intuitively choose stone pairings and create many of my designs in the moment. Consumers are given information regarding healing properties of each crystal used in the pieces, both at in-person shows and on my website. Custom orders are always welcome and I truly enjoy collaborating with individuals to create something personalized to fit their needs!

With a background in social work and wholistic life & creative coaching, I often share nuggets of inspiration or vulnerability as I fully believe authenticity, transparency, and inner work is crucial for each and every one of us.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I always say I’m a recovering people-pleaser. At a young age I held the belief that if I made others happy, they would like me for “me” and not for my external appearance. This, of course, was a toxic belief that robbed myself years of joy, blocked me from following my intuition, prevented the pursuit of my dreams, and placed heavy focused on external validation rather than what made me proud. Whew! That’s heavy. But, I feel I’m not alone in this and, if I share my story, it might help someone work to curb those people-pleasing patterns. As a business owner and creative, it’s sooo easy to fall back into a people-pleasing mindset. There is absolutely a certain level of working to ensure the consumer is satisfied with their purchase, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of my creativity, values, or time.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Truly the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having the freedom to do just that. I love walking into my creative space, turning on some music, and getting to “work”. This venture is more than a business to me. It’s a creative outlet, therapeutic, fun, brings opportunities to connect with so many people, and challenges me to grow on a daily basis. The evolution of it is fulfilling

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.CeeKayCreations.com
• Instagram: HTTPS://Instagram.com/ceekaycreates
• Facebook: HTTPS://www.facebook.com/ceekaycreates