We had the good fortune of connecting with Taty Chaffee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taty, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Like many, I find that a nice pair of earrings can really elevate your outfit, but more importantly – your mood! If I wasn’t feeling cute BAM I would put on a pair of earrings and get that extra boost I needed. So as my earring collection grew, I thought that I could get my hands dirty as well and make things that I would like to wear too. So I went to Michaels and walked through every aisle until I found a medium that I thought could be fun.

At the very bottom, close to the ground, I saw Clear Cast resin and in the Michaels, decided to google it and see how it worked. I started dreaming up colors, glitters, flowers, everything I could use to make earrings! I made a few things, posted them on Instagram, and got a really nice response. I went through a few name changes, refined my vision, and that is how we have the Chafi Jewelry of today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I get so excited when I think about my finished product. A lot of my designs rely on the beauty of nature alone to really stand out. Highlighting many people’s favorite thing – flowers – allows me to incorporate different colors and textures. Mixing this media with stones, hand-painted art and pigments is my way of revering these natural gifts.

Professionally speaking, I’m still working to navigate social media and its demands, which I can often find overwhelming. It is so easy to compare yourself to other makers that have more followers, produce more engaging content, and seemingly never run out of ideas. But that is where I really had to come to terms with who I was as an artist and that these norms that we’re told me have to follow on social media cannot take my joy away from me. I’m here to make fun things that you’ll want to wear – who cares how many likes I get on my post!

Something I would like to express about my brand that I haven’t been able to do with my followers is the way that Chafi Jewelry hasn’t only been a way to express myself creatively or generate income – it has been my therapy. Last year I was diagnosed with a heart condition and following some medical trauma, I was also diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and OCD. When I feel my heart rate climb, or my anxiety getting overwhelming, I run to my desk and get working. When you buy a piece of jewelry from me, you’re buying a piece of me that feels a bit better than I did before. I don’t know what I would do without Chafi Jewelry.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Bay Area! There is so much to do!

Alright, let’s see – one week here. Well first, you have to get caffeinated, so off to Philz Coffee we go. It is a Bay Area staple where every cup is made freshly poured over just for you. No espresso here, just drip coffee that you’ll remember forever.

Santa Cruz: While technically further down the coast, Santa Cruz is just a hop skip and a jump through Highway 1 to end up in the cutest beach town where you have forest, beach, sun, and surf. You can most definitely spend a few days here going to the Board Walk, eating the best Indian food at the Malabar Restaurant, or spending an evening sipping different beers at the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery!

Haight and Ashbury: Now we’re back in San Francisco and while there are a million touristy things to do like going to the Golden Gate Bridge or Fisherman’s Wharf, SF is so much more than that. Quintessential San Francisco can be seen on Haight Street – famous in the 70’s for peace and love. My personal favorites on this street include:
Love on Haight – the most amazing tie dye store you will every set foot in
Cha Cha Cha – the most delicious Cuban food you will ever eat (aside from eating in Cuba I suppose)
Wasteland – the best thrifting you will ever do

The list goes on, and I will never do the place I call home justice. We truly have it all – nature, shopping, eating.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I really do have to shoutout my husband in this. There have been many launches, and times that I’m crunching the numbers, and feel like I’m not at the level of success that I thought I should be at. In every one of those instances, my husband Josh was there to lift me up, remind me of my talent and worth, and encourage me to keep going.

Without him, Chafi Jewelry wouldn’t have come this far by a long shot and for that, I’m grateful to have the support that I know is genuine.

Website: www.shopchafi.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop.chafi/?hl=en

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