My Story

    • Heya! My name is Gillian, my nickname growing up was GilliBean, I am a self taught Canadian Artist/Maker and I have been designing and creating jewelry since 2013.

    My previous jewelry company was called Beads, Buttons and Beanz, where buttons were the primary focus of my work. 

    The reason for this was because it all started with My mum bringing me a bag one day after I had been fiddling and playing in a bowl of hers on display at her house. I instantly felt like I needed to show them off! I wanted the world to see what a boring bag of buttons can become, beautiful pieces of art around my neck and so I made one, adding some string and wire to the beads and I created my first necklace.

    My mum had been over later on and saw what I created with the silly bag of buttons . Honestly, I will never forget the look on her face. She knew I had created something special out of a dull bag of buttons and she was quite proud of it. She really was my biggest fan.

    We both knew then and there I was gonna make many more and she was going to go find every last button out there! 

    We had both created monsters!

    My Mum was the master queen of all second handing.  When she found out you liked something, she would hunt for it. She’d get most from thrift or yard sales, freecycle and so on.

    At one point I had at least 100 pounds of buttons accumulated. Hyper fixated like a mad hatter with ideas, I Obsessed and sifted through them creating necklaces, earrings and bracelets.Truly one of a kind , durable wearable art .
    Some of my most popular pieces included button tassel earrings and collar necklaces made from vintage buttons, beads, and wire.

    I participated in numerous craft shows and even had my jewelry showcased in local shops. I ceased producing jewelry for Beads, Buttons and Beanz in 2017 due to other life pursuits and spatial constraints. My mum got sick with Dementia and my drive kinda fizzled out. Like a light switch. 

    It feels like an eternity ago.

    My initial entrepreneurial venture was truly a wonderful experience.

    Nearly eight years later, I have decided to resume creating beautiful pieces for people to wear. 

    I have ideas and I wanna spread the love ❤️ 

    I have chosen to rename my company, as I have grown significantly as a person and Artist.

    Deciding to name my company “Bean Outside the Box“ my creative adventure and my exploration of craft, will undergo constant evolution. 

    It’s gonna Morph into something great, I can feel it. 

    I pride myself in making jewelry out of things that had a past life. Like my Mum, I will continue to hunt for them.

    My creations are made of an array of different mediums. My collections of materials are mostly acquired from second hand, gift or salvaged. 

    Some of them include:

    -Copper, brass, stainless steel, and silver. 

    -Beads, notions, and charms.

    -BUTTONS.

    -Gemstones, raw and polished. 

    -Fibers, textiles, leather, and thread. 

    -UV resin and Apoxie Sculpt

    -Lead free solder

    -Alcohol inks and paints 

    -Love and imagination

    I currently Live in Ontario, Canada with my Husband, 2 kids, and 4 dogs.

    I am a gardener by Trade.  

    I am forever grateful,  another gift acquired from my mum.