Hello!

Hello! 

Thought I would write my first blog post to introduce myself and tell you a little bit more about me, my products and why I do what I do.

I’m Chantal, I live in Leeds, England with my partner and our two boys. I have always been very arty and attended Leeds college of Art, however it wasn’t for me so I didn’t stick it out very long! After that I worked in retail for many years, not very exciting but it gave me good customer service training. I didn’t do anything creative for a lot of years. When I had my children I became a stay at home mum, and when the kids started school I decided to try to get my creative juices flowing again! I told my partner I used to enjoy glass painting, so he bought me a set of glass paints and some jam jars for Christmas, and I’ve never looked back! At first I was just making things for friends and family, then I decided to try selling through Etsy. Well, I listed two items anyway, and unsurprisingly didn’t get any sales, so I paused my shop and carried on selling through Facebook. 

During this time, I was also diagnosed with an under-active thyroid (Hashimotos disease) and I was very ill for a few years. Nowadays, I still have more bad days than good, but having my own business and the flexibility to be able to take time off when I need it is what keeps me going. 

We moved house a few years ago and that was when I decided to really make an effort with my art. I listed lots of items on Etsy and I was so excited when I got my first sale, a bride to be glass for her hen party. After that I worked really hard to increase my range and try new crafts. I started pyrography and loved it straight away! I also started taking more time to draw again. I have tried some other things that didn’t quite work out, but it’s all good fun! 

More recently, I started to find I was drawn to the more spiritual side of life. I became fascinated with crystals, tarot readings, meditation, yoga and witchcraft. I started to create witchy wood burnings and they were so well received, they are now my biggest selling items! I also find I learn so much easier when I’m researching for new products. 

When I’m not working on Shinycraft, I enjoy spending days with my family, we love trips to the countryside and forests, I love going to concerts and my favourite band of all time is Green Day, I love football and am a big Leeds United fan.  I love Harry Potter and Superhero movies, My favourite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer and yes I am a geek! 

Hope I didn’t bore you too much and that you enjoyed learning a little about the person behind Shinycraft 😊