Handmade Beetle brooch - Co...
Gabrielle Annestine at Better-bee creative£64.00
“whimsical nature inspired art craft and wearable art”
A little about me
I’ve always been creative. Making things, drawing, painting and experimenting with different crafts have been part of who I am for as long as I can remember.
Life took me in a different direction when I had my children. I became a mum, and eventually chose to home educate them, creating a very hands-on, creative and slightly unconventional family life. For years, my creativity was something I fitted around everyone else — making things with the children, decorating our home, trying new crafts and finding little pockets of time to create.
Over the years I’ve also lived with chronic pain, and more recently I’ve been diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Creating has become much more than a hobby for me. Art and making things gives my mind somewhere to go when my body is struggling. It gives me a sense of achievement, calm and something that belongs to me.
For a long time I kept my artwork mostly to myself. I’m naturally quite shy about putting myself and my work out there, and I never really imagined that people might want to buy the things I make.
Then, recently, the people closest to me started saying something I hadn't really allowed myself to consider: “You should put your art out there.”
Friends, family and other makers have encouraged me to stop hiding my creativity and see whether I can turn something I love into something that can support me too.
So that’s where I am now.
I’m putting my artwork and handmade creations out into the world, one piece at a time, with the hope of building something that allows me to keep creating.
I make things because I love making them. I love colour, texture, detail and the feeling of starting with an idea and ending up with something real. And if something I’ve created finds its way into someone else’s home and brings them a little bit of joy, that feels pretty special.
This little shop is my way of giving my creativity a chance — and hopefully, eventually, allowing it to help me keep creating too.
Thank you for being here and taking the time to look at my work. ❤️
Find Gabrielle Annestine at Better-bee creative on social media