Two years ago Teena Nicole Tyrrell was without a job.

She tried to find work but couldn’t — and so she got creative.

The 48-year-old recently started her own accessory design business. T’Nicole Designs makes everything from men’s bow ties, ladies’ fascinators and birdcage veils, to children’s hairpieces.

“I was out of work for two years,” Ms Tyrrell said. “I was working at Bermuda Police Service as a secretary in the Somerset department, but I left there to live overseas for a little while. When I came back to the Island in 2012 I was unable to find work.

“I was constantly looking for a job — and I mean everywhere. I had begun to get very discouraged many times over those two years. It wasn’t a nice feeling. For me it was the worst experience because I am someone who has been working since the age of 15.”

Last July, she came up with a plan.

She was out looking for some hair pieces for her four-year-old granddaughter S’mai. She saw the same boring headbands and scrunchies everywhere she went.

“I like different and fun things so those didn’t work for me,” Ms Tyrrell explained.

“I happened to be going through YouTube and Pinterest later that day and came across the DIY video tutorials and I started to watch them. That’s when I realised I could do that. I started to research other companies that offered similar accessories and not long after that people were calling me to get me to make pieces for them.”

Since then she’s watched the small business gain traction through word of mouth.

“I have been receiving a lot of calls for sales and a lot of interest in, mainly, the bow ties,” she said. “The girls’ items, people have been buying a lot at church events and getting them for newborns and baby showers and things like that.”

She said it’s an incredibly rewarding feeling seeing her creations being worn out and about. Some of her biggest fans are family members. Her brother Craig Tyrrell will typically call her up on a Friday or Saturday to ask for a new bow tie to wear to work the following week. “He’s even coined them bow tie Mondays at his job,” Ms Tyrrell explained.

Meanwhile, S’mai, is always happy to get her hands on the unique hairpieces. “S’mai loves them and wanted to take pictures and stuff. I have tons of pictures of her in her accessories,” she said.

Being out of work made Ms Tyrrell realise just how much support she had.

“I’m lucky because I had a lot of support from friends and family when I was out of work,” she said. “My fiance was also there supporting and helping me, but for someone who has always worked and taken care of herself it was very hard to have to make do with that.

“While I was unemployed it’s amazing how many acquaintances of mine that I would bump into who had been out of work for two, three and even four years.

“I was really shocked when I found out about some people who were in the same boat as me.”

She encourages anyone in a similar situation to use their skills or talents to generate income.

“It takes consistency, faith and persistence to get back on your feet after something like that,” Ms Tyrrell said.

“Some days I would question why I was creating these accessories and buying more material and making more things when I wasn’t selling anything.

“But then all of a sudden it started to pick up. So I encourage people to have faith in themselves and their craft and what they are doing. Just know that it isn’t for nothing.”

Ms Tyrrell was recently able to find full-time work with the Supreme Court Registrar. She continues creating her accessories in her spare time and occasionally sells them at the Farmers’ Market in the Botanical Gardens.

Contact her via e-mail, TeenaNicole@live.com, or through her Facebook page, T Nicole Designs.