I would like to introduce you to one of the most gifted and extremely creative, jewelry makers I have had to the pleasure of knowing. I’m an avid fan of her work and it’s no secret that I enjoy wearing her pieces! She’s an unsung heroine and tonight the Spotlight shines on Ms. Ailyn Tien of ATD Jelwery!

Welcome to the Spotlight Ailyn!

Would you please tell the peeps a little bit about yourself? Do you have a family?

I am first and foremost a wife and mother.  I have been married to my husband for 19 years, we have been together for 24 years. Together we have 3 beautiful children. My family is what and who I am. Family to me is not that of blood but of bond. My family is made up of both.

How long have you been making jewelry?

I have been making jewelry for approximately for two years. I fell into it by becoming impatient waiting on someone to fix a bracelet of mine. I decided to see if I could do so myself and then started to tinker around.

What types of Jewelry do you design and for who?

I design all types of jewelry from intricate to bold, from classic to modern all depending on who I am designing for. My costumers come from an array of backgrounds, ages and lifestyles. It is a joyous challenge to create something around someone for them.

What inspires you to create the custom made jewelry you design?

My inspiration comes from the person for who I am designing for. With a some questions and some  short conversations to get a feel of the type of person you are, what are you likes and dislikes, favorites and personality as a foundation.

Coke or Pepsi? True Blood or Game of Thrones? Ok I’m being silly, but seriously what do you do when you are not designing jewelry?

Designing jewelry, believe it or not, is my free time. I truly enjoy it (unless a piece is being particularly  difficult) and it helps me relax. I am not a big television person though if I am alone and I actually have control of the remote, I set it on Discovery or SyFy. I am such a dweeb in that aspect. I have a thirst for knowledge and love to learn.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Jewelry is a hobby that has turned into a small business. I enjoy reading, writing poetry and researching of things that may catch my attention and I am being introduced to Photoshop which I am readily enjoying.

I am so with you on Photoshop! It’s one of my addictions that and well Candy Crush Saga (and no they didn’t pay me to plug that but hey we are all starving artist so….)

Do you have anything you’d like to share with others that you feel passionately about?

My oldest is autistic; so each April for the month a percentage of my earnings goes to the Autism Awareness Foundation. (All items made outside of April that are Autistic related I donate a percentage of the cost in April.) http://www.autism-society.org/

My husband’s mother is a breast cancer survivor so ALL pink items that I make and sell a percentage goes to the breast cancer society in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  http://www.breastcancer.org/

Those are two causes I donate too from my sales of jewelry in the past and plan on continuing to do so.

Below are other causes in which I actively voice and donate too outside of my business but am looking into creating items to raise awareness and funding for the cause.

Animal Welfare/Abuse – All my 4-legged children are rescues.

Child Abuse Awareness is something I voice strongly as a survivor myself.

And Multiple Sclerosis which is something new that I has hit the family recently. It is something I am learning about and educating myself on.

I have also donated a percentage of my sales to the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy Relief.

To order some of her custom made jewelry please visit her website: http://atdjewelry.com/  or drop by and LIKE her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ATDJewelry?filter=3

Thank you Ailyn for dropping by and sharing your gifts with us. You serve as an inspiration to me and your love of family and people in general is evident in the spirit of your giving! I wish you much success in all your endeavors.