Surprising Flames with K-mena’s Kreations
Published:Sunday | December 15, 2019 | 12:00 AMJessica Harrison - Gleaner Writer
Everyone likes surprises and Karmena McArthur, head cook and bottle washer of K-mena’s Kreations, is in the business of delightful unexpectancies in elegantly handcrafted products.
Returning home to Jamaica, the IT professional was not sure if she would be able to continue on that career path and considered turning her passion into income.
“I’ve always been pretty creative. I play the saxophone and I am pretty good at using my hands to make beautiful things. Its therapeutic,” she said.
The business first started out with jewellery making in 2015 after a colleague saw how diligent McArthur was when it came on to this seemingly simple hobby. Since then, the brand has been stirring up a stylistic conversation among locals in and around the Corporate Area.
The Candles
Things soared to new heights in this last year of the decade, as the brand was registered and the creative took on the challenge of candle making.
“I, just like most women, enjoy candles and various scents and I figured it would be a nice addition to the product list,” she explained her decision.
The candles come in sweet, spiced and subtle scents such as blueberry cheesecake, cinnamon chai and a pleasant sea salt and orchid blend. There is even a wax melt option that comes with a diffuser. Outlook, endorses the fact that these candles are perfect gift ideas, especially with the holiday season inching at everyone’s doorstep.
The unique touch, however, that K-mena’s Kreations adds, is a beautiful piece of handmade jewellery, that can be removed after a few hours of burn time.
“It took lots of trial and error. People think candle making is easy, but it really isn’t, especially if you are meticulous. I also had to consider the best placing for each piece of jewellery and ensure that the material would not be affected by the wax and its other ingredients.
Of course there has been challenges for the young entrepreneur. Issues such as finding affordable quality materials that will guarantee a quality product has been a hurdle she is learning how to jump.
“All the shipping from halfway across the world is quite expensive,” she expressed.
McArthur also hosted a ‘create and sip’ earlier this year. The first of its kind on the local scene, hosted a group of people who are interested in jewellery making. They get to learn simple tricks to the trade, all while sipping on the wine of their choice.
With her entrepreneurial and creative skills in hand, McArthur intends to make an impact on Jamaica in terms of maintaining a standard of quality products and boosting the economy by export. Here’s some advice she left for aspiring creative entrepreneurs: “Don’t allow yourself to be discouraged. You can turn your passion into income. Focus on the big picture.”