09/06/2026
Kind of a vulnerable post, so feel free to skip if you'd like.
I spent over six hours yesterday just painting this tray of earrings. Six hours. That's me mixing the liquid clay to the color I want to paint with and painting each individual earring.
They aren't done yet. They were baked again last night (not included in the six hour timeframe). Now that they are cool, I'll go back and clean them up, seal them, drill them, and then assemble them. Some of them still need additional pieces added to them before they are even ready for those steps-them they'll need to be naked again. Then they'll be ready for the earring cards that I'll put each pair on and then I'll go through and price each set.
This is all after I've already conditioned the clay, created my own color combinations and designs, rolled it out, cut it, baked it, and then went through each individual piece and sanded or trimmed it so that the edges looked clean and professional.
This is not me complaining. I LOVE making these. I love the process (some parts more than others 😉). This is a job I've taken on because I want to be able to keep creating, and nothing makes me happier than when people sincerely compliment something I've created. The fact that people are actually willing to pay money for something I've made? Still kind of blows my mind.
So what's the point of this long-winded post? I guess it's just me venting, and asking everyone to think before they speak. When someone has nasty comments (to my face) about how my products are too expensive (most pairs run between $14-$20), that they aren't paying that for earrings, or that they can make them themselves...I don't need to hear it.
There are plenty of artists who make things that I see at shows that have items I don't buy. Maybe because it's not my style. Maybe it's not in the budget this week. Maybe I just can't justify spending that amount on that object. That's all okay. But that doesn't mean I don't think their work is worth the price they are asking. So I'll smile, compliment their work if I like it, and wish them a good day. It's really not hard to not make an unnecessary comment.
You can't order these off Temu. You can't go to Walmart and buy a pair. Every pair of earrings I make are truly handmade, and truly one of a kind. Maybe they aren't your style, and that's okay. Maybe they are too expensive for you right now, and that's okay, too. But, please, unless you have something constructive to say, keep your icky comments to yourself.
