I'm so excited for you to join me here on my Devi & Co. boutique! My name is Sheley, and I'm the creative force behind Devi & Co Boutique and Devi & Co on Etsy , fine jewelry with a tropical slant. I've been working at this crazy business for almost 10 years now, and I finally decided that it's time to give my audience MORE. More amazing jewelry, more lifestyle and fashion tips, and more of ME! Here's what you need to know about me before we jump into this whole blog thing!

5 things you need to know about me!

1.  I come from a creative family

Thanks Mom and Dad! My sister is an amazingly talented seamstress and crafter extraordinaire (not to mention, mother of 4!) with an amazing youtube channel and up-and-coming blog! My little brother is a master screen printer and a kick-ass drummer! Guys, then there's my sister-in-law who runs Indie South in Athens, GA and has a keen eye for design and is an amazing curator. And, I cannot fail to mention my husband, who happens to be a published illustrator and fabulous musician with his own indie-rock band, Tracer Metula. I feel pretty blessed to be surrounded by people who know what it's like to have a creative vision. 

2. I bought my first beads in Bali

After graduating college, I moved to Indonesia to teach English as a Second language and quickly fell in love with the people and culture of the island nation. It was while visiting Bali that I bought my first beads from a handcraft market in Ubud. I had no idea what to do with the pearls and sterling silver components I found, so I decided to teach myself how to make jewelry so that I could always treasure those memories. Little did I know that ten years later, I'd still be obsessing over creating the perfect piece to forever capture my love for South East Asia and all things tropical.  

3. I use real orchid blossoms for my jewelry

Almost daily in my DMs or in person I'm asked "How do you make those flowers look so lifelike?" Well the answer is always the same- The flowers are real! The flowers are grown and preserved in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Each blossom is hand-picked and rapidly dried in order to preserve its color, then it is processed in resin! This gives the blossoms a glossy finish without all of the weight of actual glass. Best part is that you don't have to remember to water these babies for them to last a lifetime. Read more about this here. 

4. I still work full-time to support my creative business

Devi & Co. is my passion, and although the biz is growing, I continue to work full-time as a nanny to make it all possible. Balancing it all ain't easy, ladies and gents. The struggle truly is real. While it is certainly a goal to move away from a "job" to be able to focus solely on scaling Devi & Co.,  for now the income I'm making is going towards procuring finer materials for my collections and paying off student loans.  

5. I love teaching

When I started teaching ESOL in Jakarta right after college, I was really looking for a way to get paid to travel, but what I actually did was stumble upon a passion that I didn't know I had: Teaching. It was a joy to get to know about my new home from my students while helping them grow important skills for their future. I've been teaching in some way or fashion ever since! I've taught at independent language schools, local universities, privately in homes, in public school, and even as a belly dance instructor! I'm still teaching every day as a nanny, and hopefully too with this blog!Click here to learn even more about me and my journey with my business!