How I Discovered and Started Making Polymer Clay Art and Accessories
Happy 1 year Anniversary to My Polymer Clay Accessories Business JustMolly.Art ! I can't believe I was able to hold on to this and commit at the same time to the thing that I truly value, enjoy and kept me sane when I was looking for, I could say a role for myself as the uncertainty of the pandemic and the repetitive question on my mind saying "graduating? or not graduating?"
It wasn't overnight.
That's what I'm gonna have to say. I have tried different types of side hustles last year (2020) starting from May to around early week of September as I thought of jumping from one idea to another and can't really discern what I really want to do, or more likely what is it that I think I'm gonna be good at.
My last requirement for me to graduate is to be able to produce and create a film as I took up Digital Filmmaking in college. From supposed to be filming it around June 2020, it got extended to 2021 as the restrictions keep on getting tighter but mostly it got so confusing and people had to adapt with it as online learning started to be implemented since face to face classes is still not possible. I started experimenting while waiting for our college's announcement on when we'll be able to continue to create our thesis.
As I was scrolling through my phone gallery, I can't help but to notice the dates of each photo when I was still starting and saw how I really started making polymer clay last September 3, 2020. Got my very first order from my boyfriend's Mom (Sept 25) and another one from a stranger around October 22 and then it all started when I released my Filipino Street Food Collection.
I want to share how I got into polymer clay in this post and might soon start a series on establishing a polymer clay business that can also be your guide if you plan on starting any small business out there that can be related to arts and crafts, food or your skills that you want to showcase on social media.
-------------------------------------------------------------
What I said earlier that it wasn't overnight is true in so many levels. Because there are lots of thing that I considered in every path or skill that I wanted to learn and invested in and hoped I could make profit out of it. The money that is being invested in the materials, how long will it take me to produce a quality product to be sold out there or more likely how many tries does it have to take to attain the look or taste that I wanted or what the consumers are looking for. Lastly, even if I would be able to get that "thing" to look or taste like how I wanted it to be, how will I market it? will people buy or will it just be my family who'll purchase out of pity or how far will I even be able to endure the feeling of regretting if things don't work out and if I should still pursue it or give up on it.
Around May 2020, I bought a sewing machine to start a business in making Face Masks. It was hard as the closest thing that I know to sewing is fixing some of ripped clothes and blanket. But right after I put my hard work to this one face mask that took me almost 3 days to finish and a lot of research, a bunch of other small businesses started to pop on my feed producing massive stocks of masks with different and unique designs. At the same time hearing an announcement that it is better to use a surgical face mask rather than the cloth face mask. Then I started to look for a different activity or something that I can learn and make money from.
June 2020 I baked for the first time and invested my money with baking materials. I got inspired by a friend whose a pastry chef and thought that I could also try to make macarons. I even ordered the almond flour online as it was so rare even my hypermarket and bake shop does not have it, and even if so the bake shop has a long line outside their door as limited people are only allowed to go inside. Went for a few tries but failed all the time. Then I started to create my very first batch of colorful donuts, it looked really cool but it tasted like pancake.
After a few weeks of trying, I started my small donut business by July 2020 and luckily sold a bunch of boxes.
Till I discovered @/bybritanny on Instagram from a friend on YouTube who were unboxing resin pieces that Britanny created. I fell in love and checked her account. It looked magical to me as I get easily fascinated by beautiful things and how things like that are being made. I also watched her TikTok highlights which inspired me because she shares behind the scenes work in progress like demolding, putting the flowers, packing and sending it to her happy customers.
I then started to invest now by August 2020 to resin and thought maybe I can make some profit off of this, I have made around 3 or 4 resin product like 2 coasters and 2 pendants. I remembered waiting for it to cure but it just won't and I got really devastated because I really loved the design. In the end I threw it and sold my resin art starter pack which includes the molds and cups (I used all my resin at this point) and experimenting more means buying more resin which is quite expensive even for a very small bottle and its measurements and how it's being mixed still confuses me up until this day. But I would still really want to try it in the future.
By the last week of August I was looking in to investing this time now on polymer clay, an ad came up on my stories about this polymer clay fundraising to help jeepney drivers and so I thought why not try this medium? I remembered a friend from high school used to create earrings out of polymer clay and sell it to my classmates till one girl calls her out and told her it isn't allowed. I began researching about polymer clay and thought that this might be it, that I should give it a try again and maybe this time it will work out.
Growing up, I remembered watching a museum in Marikina City that has miniatures and told myself that one day I will be able to go and visit there, and it was one of my dreams or the little Molly's bucket list growing up. I am really fascinated with how it is being created and so I went ahead and invested once again in polymer clay materials and searched for Filipino Miniature makers, that was when I discovered Ate Scher from Chibi Cravings on Facebook. I fell in love with her works and saw that she even shares tips in making miniatures which I thought was really kind of her to share it to anyone whose willing to try it. I even messaged her and asked more about it to which my surprise, she responded. I mean, looking how lots of people liked her page and for sure people who are inquiring and wants to buy her messenger probably have piles of messages that she has to go through and she managed to replied to mine and I am really grateful for it.
That is how I realized I wanted to make polymer clay accessories and it should work this time and if it does I will commit to it and will strive to learn and improve each project that I create. My goal is to inspire other people as well to try and explore what they can offer. I also wanted for JustMolly.Art to expand and be able to delivery globally and create not only polymer clay accessories but also different functions of fake food like using it as a magnet or prop and make clay dishes and incense holders. I hope someday, when there's an opportunity I will be able to do this and connect it with making props for films. Making giveaways for a wedding would be really nice too and is one of my bucket list for my business and hopefully you, my dear reader will soon start what you always wanted, if you're looking for a sign, this is it.
Making polymer clay accessories for a year now has also helped me in other ways besides from being able to find a purpose but I got to provide some medicines for our family dog. Since she has atopic dermatitis, she's prescribed by the vet to have a maintenance medicine which is called 'apoquel' that costs around 190 php per tablet. Before our family dog flew to the States, I'm glad I was able to provide some of her medicines and toys through making accessories.
I also graduated college with a Bachelor degree in Digital Filmmaking and I would also want to thank my past self for the choice that I made to start a small business which I really love and enjoy.
Comments
Post a Comment
Hello My Lovely Readers and Co-Bloggers ! Thank you so much for all your Wonderful Comments ! I'll try as much as possible to reply to them all :)