“People will always hurt you, take away from you, make you feel incomplete, like less of a person…the one thing they can NEVER take away from you is your CREATIVITY!!!” ~ Amanda Lynne Johnson
How many of us did crafts as a kid? Were you lucky enough to have had a family that proudly sported your latest macaroni creation and showed off your Popsicle stick sculpture as the table’s centerpiece? Amanda was blessed enough to have been part of just such a family. She remembers her first jewelry project; hot gluing mirrored cabs and rhinestones together to make some totally awesome 80’s jewelry! Her family always encouraged her creativity and she credits them with helping her become the creative talent that she is today.
Amanda’s uncle was a gemologist so she was raised around gemstones (lucky girl!) and developed a passion for them at a young age. She graduated from Georgia Southern with a degree in fashion design and took this knowledge and her love of gemstones and created a line that is as unique and fun as she is!
When Amanda is not creating jewelry she has a host of other passions to occupy her such as ceramics, sculpture, scrap booking, and painting. She loves country music and sports as well as spending time at the pool or beach…sounds like a good life to me! But with all that, her passion remains gemstone jewelry that is serious eye candy.
Amanda began her company Amanda Lynne LUXE about 3 years ago and loves being able to make her own hours and living the creative life. Her work is shown in numerous boutiques around the Atlanta area and was even recently featured in the Amanda Lynne LUXE presents ROCK CANDY at the Sugar Does America Fashion Show! You can check out the video of this event here.
While Amanda certainly understands the hardships of running a handmade business, she is quick to tell others to not run from your dreams! She tells newcomers to the handmade marketplace to dive in and ask questions and if people say you shouldn’t, then try harder. She advises artists to use the internet as a tool to find new techniques and ideas as well as seek advice from others in the business.
Amanda Lynne LUXE has a large web presence; you can find her handmade work on Etsy and buy your own gemstones on her Etsy supply shop. You can also follow her on Facebook, Pinterest and her Blog. Check her out, but be prepared to feel like a kid in a candy store when you lay eyes on all the colors and styles that this talented lady dreams up.
“Maintaining a good attitude is a CHOICE don’t let obstacles get you down, SMILE through them!” ~ Amanda Lynne Johnson
beautiful stuff. great story.
Great Feature! Thanks for sharing!
What a lovely story of the family legacy and support that creates a beautiful life and artist. Great write up and I love the items you chose from her shops. 🙂