Celia Jayi specialises in hand beaded portraits using colourful embellihments. We first met in Palm Vaults a few years ago to talk about her path into craft. She’s now a mother of two children.

How old are your children and what are their names?

I have two beautiful kids. Ivan who is the eldest at 18 months and Brielle is 5 months.

How does being a mother make you more creative?

I can’t say it has made me more so. But it has made me more observant. So, I notice details more in random kids’ objects for example. Cool textures in their toys, books and their paintings. All are things that I have now become so familiar with and it has all happened because I am now a mother.

Has motherhood boosted your confidence in any way?

I can’t say if my confidence has necessarily increased but motherhood has definitely made me feel more appreciative of the position I am in. Being a full-time mum and working on my craft amazes me daily and with each achievement it reminds me that I can keep doing what I love even with two young kids! This ultimately gives me the push I need each day to strive for success!

How do you manage your time between work and looking after your kids?

It is still a learning process, on how to adjust my time as no two days are the same with two young kids. I try my hardest to stick to a routine. I make sure to spend enough time during the day with my kids, whether that be taking them to play groups, soft play etc. Or playing at home. I spend most of my evenings whilst the children are sleeping on my craft and begin beading. That way I can focus on creating the most beautiful pieces.

What’s the difference between the way you work now and the way you worked before being a mother?

Before I was mum, I had all the time in the world! I still spent a lot of my time beading. Now my free time is very limited. I try to do what I can wherever I can, I fit in beading whenever I get any free time and whatever I don’t finish in a day, I continue the following day.

What’s your work environment like? 

I work from home most of the time and it is usually in the evening. I make sure to keep my beads away from the kids. My son Ivan loves the colours!

What can we expect from you for the rest of this year?

I plan on creating more beaded portraits… so watch this space. I then hope to eventually showcase my work with my first ever exhibition! It would be a great achievement and a dream.

Read our previous interview here and follow Celia on Instagram