A MUM has turned her love of craft beer into a unique and flourishing business.
Carys Miles, 40, of Copford, is the owner of a very special jewellery and accessory brand called Craft BEERings.
The idea for the business came to her five years ago when she and her husband Pete discovered their shared passion for craft beer.
The stunning artwork on the cans of their beverages had started to catch their eyes, so Carys decided to begin upcycling them.
She said: “It was a period of time where I needed a creative outlet, so, of course, I cut them up and mounted them on earring fittings like anyone would.
“The very next day, I visited our local bottle shop and asked if they may be interested in stocking them.
“Although he was a burly man without pierced ears, he could certainly see the appeal and asked me to bring some stock in as soon as possible.”
Following the project's initial success, Carys decided to make even more jewellery, before eventually designing a logo and starting-up social media pages for her brand.
After deciding on pricing and finding more stockists, she then pitched-up at her first event only a month after starting her journey, receiving positive feedback.
The pandemic and the birth of her second child slowed the business down temporarily, but she has since come back stronger.
She has even just been nominated for the Essex Small Business Awards' Innovation Award, something she says is her biggest achievement.
“I started taking my business a little more seriously, improving my display and, more importantly listening to friends, family, peers and the customers to extend my range to deliver what people wanted to see,” Carys said.
“I really enjoy the craft beer festivals as I have now started meeting the brewers and artists who are making the cans - they absolutely love seeing their designs used again.
“This has led to some wonderful connections and I now have my earrings stocked in a number of tap rooms and gracing the ears of many craft brewers.
“I am incredibly proud of what I create and want to shout to the rooftops about what I make and have achieved.”
The winners of the Essex Small Business Awards will be announced this April.
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