Looking for cute handmade jewelry? No need to go off campus! Deeva Scott '22 makes earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and anklets. Bernice Sun '24 interviewed Deeva about her creations for Designs by Deeva...
What do you usually make?
I make a variety of pieces! When I first began making jewelry I primarily made necklaces and bracelets, and have now expanded to also crafting rings and anklets. I always love trying out new designs which can extend to a lot of things. Custom orders are always fun because I really enjoy bringing people’s creative visions to life. What beads to include, what length they’d like the piece to be—it’s always an interesting process. Some customers also give me creative leeway in their orders, indicating that they have a concept in mind and letting me “run” with that idea per say. But primarily for the business, I sit down with myself and brainstorm new pieces of jewelry. Depending on the beads I have in stock at the moment, it’s always a fun challenge for myself to think of different color and bead combinations to create a piece. Pieces include a diverse number of beads—letter beads, stars, smiley beads, pink pearls, angel wings. Feel free to check out @designsbydeeva on Instagram to see some designs :)
Where do you find inspiration for your jewelry designs?
I constantly found myself wanting to accentuate my outfits with jewelry, and I wanted to take a step outside of my norm of usually wearing gold or silver. This is how what I now dub the Smiley Clutter Necklace came to be. The Smiley Clutter necklace is made up of a variety of beads—millefiori, skulls, pearls to name a few—with a smiley bead in the middle. I wanted a fun and creative piece of jewelry that was unlike a piece I owned that I felt really spoke to me. Inspirationally, a lot of the pieces are born like that. I think about the current season, my mood, what I envision myself, and then craft the design. A number of pieces are also truly born from browsing a craft store and thinking, “I would want that as a pair of earrings!” I had no intention of starting a business until I got a lot of interest from friends—sometimes even nice strangers—who complimented the necklace and wondered where they could purchase it. I’m really thankful for all the support I’ve gotten thus far and am really looking forward to seeing where Designs by Deeva goes in the future!
Photos courtesy of Designs by Deeva