Today we’d like to introduce you to Amani Dashiell.
Amani, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Hi everyone, I’m Amani Dashiell. The owner of CrownClassix (handmade jewelry). I’m 24 years old, I was born in Wilmington, North Carolina and raised in Killeen, Texas. I had both parents but I grew up in a one parent home with four siblings. In total, I had seven siblings. So I wouldn’t say life was easy but we did have the necessities. In 2010 my oldest brother passed away in a car wreck and life spiraled downhill for me. I began in homeschool in 8th grade, due to grief and helping look after my newborn nephew. Shortly after, I fell ill and had to be on bed rest for about four months. So high school was challenging, attempting to get back into the swing of things.
By my junior year, I went to four different high schools before I decided to drop out. I was exhausted in every aspect. I regained my confidence slowly but surely thanks to my family. My mother instilled strength, my father instilled discipline, my oldest brother instilled confidence and my grandmother instilled wisdom and craft. They wouldn’t let me give up. So I kept pushing forward and May 2014 I got my GED. I was so excited to relay the news. I went to visit my grandmother before I made any decisions about what I wanted to pursue as a career. I visited her for two weeks and every other day we went to Joanne’s, Hobby Lobby and Michaels. She got paint, she got jewelry, and she got crochet kits. Before I knew It was crocheting and painting and helping her make all kinds of things. Still recovering from my youth, I realized this is what I love doing, this is how I cope, this is how I express myself. After I left my grandmothers I went home and immediately went to hobby lobby. I purchased gold plated wire and quartz stones. I worked all night until I made a crown. Cuts, stabs, scratches, you name it I had it but It turned out absolutely amazing. That was when I knew making jewelry was my gift.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think anyone’s road is smooth. How do we succeed without failure? We don’t. The road is still rocky, but this is what I love doing. Although some days I wake up and depression blocks my creativity. My thoughts become cloudy, which makes it hard to execute any ideas no matter how hard I try to focus.
Please tell us about your work.
Everything that I make is handmade. I create what I feel. A lot of the things that I create are just an idea. I don’t sketch, I just think and then I create. I specialize in quartz crowns, necklaces, anklets/bracelets, ear cuffs, rings and earrings. I’m most proud of my crowns and earcuffs because they represent me. They’re a reflection of my creativity. They’re a mirror image of how my mind fluently produces ideas and then executes them.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wish I would’ve invested more time in the beginning. I should’ve taken more time to actually focus on enhancing my craft, instead of going to school first as a full-time student. Being buried in books took away from my creativity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CrownClassix
- Email: crownmulania@icloud.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/crownclassix?igshid=q8aa7bjtcz07
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amani.dashiell
Image Credit:
Stylist: StyledByDaaay
Photographer: Anthony Blake
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