Who Is Crystal Kini?
Crystal Kini (AKA Jean Roat) is an artist, a crafter, a wife, and mother.
Crystal has been crafting for most of her life (but we're not telling her age!)
She has worked with silver and beads, wood burnings and etchings, soft sculpture dolls, and clay.
For over 3 years, Crystal has been taking bellydance classes for fun and fitness. Under the guidance of Vikki of Hipnosis, Crystal has sharpened her skills in Tribal Style bellydance. She now is a member of the student bellydance troupe Tribal Spirit. Participating in bellydance has also inspired her latest crafted creations--a variety of bellydance costumes and accessories in her special style. Crystal's design interest align with her preferred style of bellydance, Tribal, but bellydancers of all styles (Tribal, ATS, Gothic, Tribal Fusion, and Cabaret) will find her bellydance costume and accessory items a perfect addition to their performance garb.
Crystal's interests in both bellydance and jewelry/jewelry-making led her to a treasure of Afghani Kuchi-style jewelry. She now shares her unique finds, many one-of-a-kind pieces, with fellow bellydancers via this website and at bellydance haflas and workshops throught the Northeast USA. She has also hand-crafted a unique line of bellydance accessories, including unique and versatile Clippy Bits.
Crystal is also an avid quilter and has quilted over two-hundred hand-made delights. Many of the quilts were donated to Quilts for Kids, a charitable organization that provides handmade quilts to children hospitalized with life-threatening diseases. Crystal has also spear-headed a local group of quilters who produce more charity quilts for Quilts for Kids monthly. She has designed a number of simple but beautiful quilt patterns which have been prominently featured on the Quilts for Kids website. (To see more of Crystal's quilting endeavors, please visit Quiltmasters)
In her free time (You mothers out there will appreciate the humor of that statement....), Crystal also teaches weekly quilting classes at The Quilting Circle in Bensalem, PA, where many of her quilting and crafting tools and accessories can also be purchased.