>>> the maker <<<
picture by my sister in law Ashley who beautifully captures natural emotion + my portrait painted by my mother in law Mary whose talent is truly breathtaking
I am wife to a wonderful young man and mother to two beautiful, strong spirited young children. For me it is indeed truth that inspiration is a driving force. I have a passion to create. Something. Anything. Inspiration motivates my day and my decisions. Inspiration is to my spirit what air is to my lungs, what blood is to my heart. The blog world is a nouveau way for me to collect my thoughts, my inspirations and our happenings. I began my virtual existence bayoubohemian.com when my youngest, a baby boy, was only 6 months old or so. We lived in a much smaller space then and the opportunity to spread out my supplies to work with jewels, metal, or cloth were near null. I was yearning for an outlet. Surfing the internet was an easy, choke hazard free escape with loads of inspiration lurking behind each click. I was going deeper and deeper into the abyss of visual inspiration while reading of other mothers and creators documenting their experiences, their inspirations and telling of their passions. I one day decided to create my own journal. My very own virtual place that stands as a reminder of where I have been and where I wish to go. A place that catalogs who I am today that I can reflect on tomorrow. A place that just may inspire another bohemian spirit juggling the challenges of motherhood and family while trying to nurture her own soul.
bayou bohemian is the creative work of me, Je'Llyn. Inspired by nature, folklore and living simply, a homegrown aesthetic with a nod to eco-design. Nurturing the beauty in the unconventional, I enjoy breathing new life into special finds, gathered and collected, that have a story to tell, with roots to the past, harmoniously blending handmade + vintage + 'trash' with fresh trends in fashion. My authentic collections are simple, versatile and often vintage-inspired. When working with fabric I prefer using natural cloth like hemp, cotton, ethnic textiles and reincarnated vintage textiles. My jewelry is handcrafted with remnants and relics. Chunky natural stone, leather, found feathers and fabric scraps come together creating easy to wear adornment. Locally salvaged copper recycled into something beautiful, something for everyday use.
>>> the work <<<
I get sincere pleasure from creating something fresh and functional with only the slightest manipulation from its original form and I get even more excited when my designs serve multi functions and purpose. I don't know what it is exactly but there's just something about that...it feels truly rewarding.
My work is often diverse as I am always eager to create what I am inspired by moment to moment, day by day. "Don't worry about unity from piece to piece what unifies all of your work is the fact that you made it." - Austin Kleon
I mostly try to put what is readily available around me to good use. Making a better today with tomorrow in mind because after all we leave this place to our children.
