Haley Grant, senior in interior design, is from Wedowee, Ala., and recently began selling her hand-crafted jewelry. Her products can be found at rockonrings.etsy.com or at The Villager downtown.
Q: How/why did you start your business?
A: Well, I've made jewelry for a long time and just recently, after Christmas, I started trying to sell them. Basically, what really got me started to be really serious about it was I thought that I lost my financial aid for the semester. Luckily I got it back, but I was just racking my brain to find extra income. I already work two jobs, so I don't have enough time to add another. Hopefully it will pay off.
Q: When did you start selling your crafts?
A: I set up my Etsy account on Jan. 17, so not very long ago. I've always been a little crafty kid. I would make jewelry, make friendship bracelets for my friends and after that I got into beading. My family would have me make gifts for other people for them, and they would buy things from me every now and then. I never really tried to promote it. I just did it as favors for someone and for fun.
Q: Why rings?
A: I do other things, but I just feel like that's what I could market the best for my friends. I felt like that was the most popular thing. I can make them really well and I like rings best. I do make bracelets and earrings and pendants and stuff, too, but I felt like rings are what would appeal to a college campus.
Q: Where do you get your rocks?
A: Different craft stores and bead stores. I sometimes order them online, but I try to always use natural stones and natural materials. Every once in a while I'll use glass beads, but I like the earthier look better.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration?
A: I like bright colors and earthy things. I'm kind of outdoorsy so I tend to lean toward that kind of theme. I look on blogs and things like that to get inspiration from other people, but I think that mine are pretty unique in that I always use natural stones. And just because of the irregular shapes of all of my stones, not one of them can be exactly like another.
Q: How do you hand-make rings?
A: I use nickel-free, silver-plated wires because if people are allergic to metal then they're usually allergic to nickel. I have a ring mandrel; it's a cone-shaped tool that has different sizes along it. I can make a ring as large as size 14 or go down to a size two. I can do half sizes and quarter sizes as well. I start by wrapping the wire around the mandrel and then wrap it around the base of the circle of the ring, and thread the bead on and wrap it around the bead to stay sturdy. It's different for every stone because some are a little more difficult than others. If they're bigger or an irregular shape it takes some playing with.
Q: What were your expectations?
A: I really had no expectations. I was just going at it for fun hoping I can make a little money off of it. I'm having some good luck. I'm selling my rings at The Villager downtown. I talked to the manager and she loved them, so now they're selling them. I haven't gotten any orders on Etsy yet but I still hope for that.
Q: What do you think the future holds?
A: I'm really pleasantly surprised at how things have come so far. I mean, I guess I just have to wait and see. I'd like to think that I could have a little steady business going.
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