The Cayman Islands has a plethora of talented local artisans producing unique products, from jewellery to art, to consumables, to clothing and furniture. Before you fill your online shopping cart with overseas items, check out what’s right on your doorstep.
This issue of InsideOut looks at three such delightful offerings, with expertly crafted woodwork from Anne’s Craft Shack, uniquely Caymanian jewellery from Bee Line Design & Jewelry, and tongue-tingling jerk sauce from Seymour’s, in conjunction with Cayman Spirits.
WAURI BOARDS
Anne Neale started Anne’s Craft Shack in October 2019. Her love of crafting, and previous experience creating items for the National Trust on Little Cayman when living on the smallest Sister Island, made it the perfect business, utilising many locally sourced materials.
“A majority of my items are made from either driftwood or recycled local wood, also shells and seeds found on the beaches for jewellery,” she says. “I also bring in beads, such as Swarovski, to make items. I knit and sew items also, like my turtles.”
As well as floral decor, jewellery, pens and plushie turtles, Anne’s Craft Shack creates gorgeous handmade Wauri boards, also known as Mancala boards.
Anne credits her husband Keith as the mastermind behind all of their wooden items, including the expertly carved Wauri boards, which come with nickernuts (seeds from the gray nickernut tree) for hours of game playing.
“He enjoys woodwork and has done for many years,” Anne says. “We have both been craft people for many, many years.”
Products are sold on Anne’s Craft Shack’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as at Camana Bay Farmers and Artisans Market every other Wednesday at table 6.
CAYMAN-MADE JEWELLERY
Gale Tibbetts produces jewellery, paintings, wood and resin charcuterie boards and trays as part of her business Bee Line Design & Jewelry.
“I’ve been making jewellery, painting and creating arts and crafts most of my life. I love every minute of it. It is my happy place,” says Gale.
Gale began the line in an effort to promote awareness of breast cancer after the death of her sister Brenda, Aunt Bee, to her nieces and nephews, to breast cancer more than 20 years ago. A portion of proceeds from her sales go to the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens of Grand Cayman’s Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
Her jewellery pieces incorporate a variety of beads such as jasper, jade, agate, onyx, pearls, Swarovski crystal beads, and Caymanite.
Products are available at Pure Art Gallery & Gifts, Cayman Scents shop, National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, GOODNESS as well as at Camana Bay Farmers and Artisans Market on Wednesdays and Visual Art Society markets throughout the year. Take a peek at her products on her Instagram page @beelinedesignjewelry.
SEYMOUR’S JERK SAUCE
Jerk aficionados will no doubt be familiar with Seymour’s Jerk Centre, an island favourite established in 1980, which has produced some of the best jerk this side of Jamaica.
Silburn Seymour’s recipes may be secret, but now patrons can take some of that heat home with them. Seymour’s Original Cayman Jerk Sauce is made locally by Silburn and his wife Cynthia, and bottled by Cayman Spirits Co.
Two versions are available, spicy and mild, and both can be purchased from Seymour’s jerk stand in the Tortuga Rum car park, at the Cayman Spirits retail store, and by delivery from rumrunners.com. Soon they will also be available at local supermarkets.
This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of InsideOut magazine, now available at magazine stands and delivered to select homes in eco-tote bags sponsored by LIVING.KY.
Related Videos
