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

Cheyenne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learned to refurbish antique furniture from my mother. When I was younger, she would strip pieces down and fix them to how she wanted them. Looking back, I would not change my learning process because you learn from experience and experience comes with time. When working with furniture, one skill that will always be essential is patience. Patience with yourself and patience with the overall process of transforming a piece. The journey of learning definitely comes with obstacles, if I had a mentor who was willing to show me the ropes and open my mind to the different dimensions of refurbishing antique furniture, it could have opened the path to me learning more, nevertheless, I still had to push myself and educate myself regarding my craft.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a mother of two and a wife. I started Colored My Hands Gold from my need to create and be the boss of my own business. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve seen the beauty and value in Vintage and Antique furniture. I decided, restoring Vintage and Antique furniture would be my business, yet there was more to give. In addition to restoring furniture, Colored My Hands Gold has partnered with family members who are Artists and Craftsmen in leather goods. Colored My Hands Gold provides high-quality, one of a kind, durable products. When you purchase any one of our products, we want you to know and feel you have found a rare jewel.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Having the ability to stand back and look at my completed work and say to myself “You did that”. Looking at the finished product is the most rewarding aspect of being an artist because you are taking an idea you have in your mind and birthing it.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I came across an article about LUSH. I was very inspired on how they run their company. In my eyes, LUSH runs against the grain in terms of how they run and grow their business. They have removed themselves from many social media platforms, they are big on building relationships with their customers, and they focus on quality! I say, be authentic to your values and do not be afraid to run against the grain.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.myhandsgold.com
• Instagram: coloredmyhandsgold