It started out as a hobby and grew into much more
I've been an online seller for nearly 20 years and worked in retail for most of my working life. I'm a keen guitarist and music lover and I saw some guitar pick necklaces for sale on another marketplace and thought 'I could do that'.
I decided to give it a go. I was totally clueless, I had no idea what necklace bails were, or jump rings, or lobster clasps, so I did some research and started buying stuff, often buying the wrong size because of my inexperience. I got a few basic tools and made a few guitar pick necklaces. I was delighted to sell some and kept making more.
One weekend my niece came to stay with us and I taught her to make some necklaces. My wife hadn't really been keen to try until then but she saw us having fun and joined in, they both got hooked.
Then I started branching out to other necklaces and got addicted to buying beads and pendants. Later I got into making bookmarks and keyrings too.
I'm always keen to try new ideas and lately I've been experimenting with flame painting on copper with a blow torch, and wood / resin pendants.
If you'd have told me 10 years ago I'd be making jewellery to sell, I'd have laughed, but here I am.