Jelea's story

In the summer of 2023, I was going to Rockfests, and thanks to Tiktok I got the idea of ​​a chainmail-style festival shirt. On a whim, I ordered pliers and a batch of jewelry rings, and soon I realized that 200 rings are not enough for even one strap. I was looking for a new solution, and I made them into my first necklace. I fell in love with making jewelry right away, but the idea was left to incubate for a few more months. In the fall, I ordered a new, larger batch of rings in different colors and completely immersed myself in the design and making of jewelry. I spent hours watching tutorials, looking for inspiration, practicing different patterns and experimenting with combinations of different sizes and colors of rings. Each piece of jewelry became my new favorite piece, and I could see the progress piece by piece. Creating beautiful jewelry from four-millimeter rings was a skill I never thought I had.

As I developed my skills, I also started to include pearls and pendants, which gave the jewelry more elegance and personality. With each piece of jewelry, I set out to challenge myself even more. I always wanted to make only more complex and detailed jewelry.

My family and friends followed my progress, and soon I was getting requests for jewelry for them. The idea of ​​a party shirt, inspired by a single Tiktok video, soon turned into a business idea, and a passion like I've never experienced before.

I still have the first necklace I made, shown in the picture, on my desk. It is no longer in use, but it reminds me every day of where it all started.

Who am I?

My name is Elli, and to be honest, I never thought I would end up as a jewelry entrepreneur. Or an entrepreneur at all. My life has a strong before and after timeline, what my life was before the paralysis, and what it is after. I used to work in McDonald's, and I did volunteer work on a sailing ship. The goal was military service, and after that a career on a cruise ship in customer service.

2020 my legs decided differently. First my right leg became paralyzed, and half a year later the other weakened. The work and the sailing ship changed to a wheelchair. It took two years for the diagnosis, during which I learned a new life and how to accept it. Finally, the diagnosis was conversion disorder, which brought with it the long-awaited news; recovery is highly likely. The timetable for rehabilitation is a mystery, but it does not bother me. I learned a lot through my disability, and I live in the moment. Although I of course can't wait to be able to walk again, I wouldn't trade this as an experience.

One of the biggest challenges was work. I had always done physical work in some way, and I didn't feel comfortable in an office environment. I tried to think of any jobs I could do with a wheelchair, but the applications usually fell due to years of sick leave and mobility impairment. However, I have always liked crafts, and even though moving from woodwork to jewelry was something I could not think of, I have never experienced such a strong passion for my work before. I feel that I have really found my own thing, and this is not just a temporary solution like office jobs would have been - I plan to continue this even after rehabilitation.

Today, in addition to jewelry, my everyday life consists of the gym, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. In the summer, when the weather permits, a 14-year-old husky and samoyed mix tags along on my "walks", which will surely also be seen as part of Jelea's social media.