about
Crafts & Love focuses on highlighting natural beauty through minimalist, geometric lines to create affordable, hand-crafted jewelry. Every piece of jewelry is handmade by Courtney Weil in her home studio in Atlanta, GA. Courtney has been running Crafts & Love full-time since 2013.
From Courtney:
So glad you are here! I fell in love with jewelry making at a young age. I was that quiet child who loved to tinker with beads and wire in her room. I also fell in love with organizing all the small components and beads I used in my creations. Jewelry making has always been the perfect combination of organizing and creating for me, and to this day I love the challenge of storing my growing collection of gemstones and supplies.
Throughout the year, I travel the country to gem shows to hand-pick my favorite raw, natural stones to use in our designs. I gravitate towards bold shapes and intense natural patterns. If a stone is iridescent in any way, it's mine!
I want my jewelry to be the easiest part of your outfit - simple pendants and short charm necklaces are constantly in my rotation. These minimal silhouettes create the perfect moment to highlight an epic gemstone or brass detail.
Today, I hand-make every piece of jewelry in my home studio in Atlanta (we're proudly ITP). Atlanta has been home since moving here to study Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. While obtaining both an Engineering degree from Georgia Tech, then a MPH from Emory, I continued my jewelry hobby as a side-hustle. I also married my best friend during this time, and he has continued to be the biggest cheerleader of my business journey. During grad school, I impulsively took a job selling cupcakes at my favorite local small cupcake shop. I was craving a job that was a bit mind-less and a break from the intense academia I was surrounded by at school. (Also, salted caramel cupcakes were involved, so obviously I was in!) What I didn't realize was that taking this job would introduce me to the small business world, which I ultimately fell in love with.
I fell in love with the hustle and day-to-day grind of owning a small business. The decisions and vision involved in successfully sustaining and growing a small business are thrilling.
2019 was a fun year because I was able to hire my first part-time studio assistant! It was a breath of fresh air to be able to talk and work alongside a friend. Sadly, 2020 happened and everything, including my business, was shaken up. Like every small business, I had to pivot during this time.
A lot of time and growth has passed since those early days on Etsy -- countless tradeshows, long days at festivals, and thousands of pieces of jewelry made. Personally, we expanded our family during this time too. Throughout each pregnancy and every wild phase that followed, Crafts & Love has been my little escape to be myself (and by myself) for little breaks of time. This time to be creative, use my hands, and make income for our family has been so precious to me. I continue to run Crafts & Love as a full-time mom of three boys, and I absolutely adore exposing them to the ups and downs of small business life.
Above all, I love creating jewelry as a small moment of joy for my customers. I truly hope you find a new gem to brighten your day. Thank you for supporting my crafty journey and taking the time to read about our small business!
Contact Courtney: courtney@craftsandlove.com