handmade by a merry mishap

hello my friends, how are you doing? how was your weekend? tell me, i want to know! is it fall there where you live? i saw the most stunning images from a very fall-ish september in england, on my friend’s blog {saidos da concha}, and i have to say that i am hoping for those cozy rainy days, with tea and homemade cookies! oh talking about cookies, i baked some chocolate & almond ones on saturday and they were so delicious! well, but moving on, today i want to bring you a sweet lady that changed her etsy business a few months ago and now she has the most enriched shop with vibrant colours and delicate jewelry pieces! i am talking about jennifer hagler, from {a merry mishap} blog… and this is also the name of the {shop}, as well!

i asked jennifer a bit of her story and she shared a few personal aspects that explain why this adventure of hers has started! let’s read what she wrote, shall we?

“i started making jewelry after finding a simple tutorial on how to make a geo pendant from polymer clay. this came on the heels
of having our son diagnosed with a very rare disease. i was looking for something to occupy more of my time because if i sat still
too long, i found myself emotionally overwhelmed and i knew i had to pull things together for my son and family. for some reason,
cutting these little clay geos was very relaxing, maybe it’s the repetition?”

“initially i started with selling a few “leftovers” in my shop and i thought to myself, when they’re gone, they’re gone. so many people
bought the earrings that i had to make more. then custom orders started to come in and soon i found myself making bracelets, rings and necklaces. six months later, you’ll find me up early & working through my son’s nap, making beads and earrings and covering my desk with all sorts of metal fasteners, chains and pliers! some days, i wish i could have an extra set of hands but every day i am so thankful that people have responded positively to my jewelry and have allowed me to continue doing what i enjoy!”

“i didn’t expect this sort of response from people, but now my shop has become an extra income for our family of three, which is hugely important because i get to stay home with my son and still contribute. it isn’t just extra financial help though, i truly enjoy making jewelry and find myself constantly imagining new shapes and designs, which give me new found excitement for working every day. plus, i have the best customers! every single person has been so very nice and i love that i am able to talk directly to the person buying, wearing, and gifting these pieces!”

“at this time in my life, lack of time is my biggest challenge. being a stay at home mom, my son is my first priority. giving him my time and full attention is crucial because we can never have this time back, and until my husband gets home form work, he depends completely on me for almost everything. since i am every aspect of this business, designer, media designer, photographer, marketing editor, customer service and shipping center, i am continually looking for ways to streamline my process and be more organized. organization is the key!”

“i’ve been surprised by the success of my business. it’s not like i sat down one day and said, “today i’m going to start a business of making and selling handmade, polymer clay jewelry”. it just sort of happened and i have had to learn and prepare along the way. blogging has played a big part though, as well as the usual suspects, twitter, facebook, flickr and pinterest. i have yet to advertise with anyone but i do have my shop badge on a couple of friends’ blogs, which has proven helpful as well.i am willing to try most things at least once, so giveaways or product reviews have been things i have tried as well.”

“inspiration seems to find me most of the time. since this is pretty new, i haven’t found myself in a creative rut just yet, thankfully! i am inspired still by the materials i work with and what sort of fasteners are available to me. i also mix a lot of of own colors and color alone is inspiration to me. i don’t have time to shop thrift stores and find those cool vintage pieces that i can take apart, i have to find parts that are somewhat unique, but that i can order enough of so that when people ask me to remake an item i’ve sold, i’m prepared.”

so, what do you think? aren’t these just lovely and amazing, at the same time? not only jennifer designs beautiful and almost romantic pieces always with the same material, but changing the colours and shapes… and that piece turns into this modern accessory that will complement every outfit, turning it into something very stylish! you can read her {blog}… which i strongly advise you, as she is such a talented finder of stunning houses! i always recognize her findings everywhere! and the shop is right {here}!

images: jennifer hagler for a merry mishap (click on each image for further details)