Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabrina James.
Hi Sabrina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I guess what ultimately got me here today (running my own business full time) was taking a chance on myself, listening to my husband’s advice that “It’ll all work out” and continuing my jewelry-making journey through all the seasons of my life.
I’ve always been a creative person. My dream job as a kid was to be a fashion designer. I had notebooks full of terrible drawings of outfits and ideas. I never was a great “artist” when it came to drawing, but I have always been drawn to fun color combinations, textures, beautiful stones + breathtaking scenery, etc.
So I am not surprised I ended up in a visually creative career making pretty things. It is crazy to look back now and remember my dream of designing and see that eventually, it did come true – just for accessories!
I’ve always loved jewelry, and many times find myself picking the jewels first and then coming up with the outfit to wear with them. My only issue has been my sensitive ears and skin. Somewhere along the way, I bought some jewelry-making tools and started swapping ear wires on my “cheap” jewelry so I could wear them comfortably.
Then I bought some beads and charms and experimented with some jewelry styles and was instantly hooked. Looking back at those designs makes me laugh now, but everybody has to start somewhere. I love that I found something I was passionate about and took the leap to show them to the world and see what happened.
At first, all my Etsy orders were from friends, family, and coworkers. But over time, they’d recommend my jewels to friends, people would find me on their own from searching Etsy, and I’d meet others at the pop-ups and barn sales I started attending.
What started as a creative outlet and fun hobby, turned into a side hustle while working my full-time job, then the “safety net” that allowed me to become a stay-at-home mom after my first child was born. I slowly started working (from home) again when Lucas was around 6 months old, but by the time Mila was set to make her debut.
I realized I didn’t want to spend so much of my time and energy working while I stayed home with my babies. I was worried we couldn’t handle it financially, but I knew that if spending the time and energy I put into that job into my own business, it could thrive, so that gave me the confidence to quit and see what might happen next.
When my daughter was born, I was most definitely tired with a newborn and toddler. However, I felt a rush of motivation and inspiration to build and grow my business.
The more I worked on my jewelry and my brand and connected with my customers on social media, the more I fell in love and felt the urge to keep going. My business has grown and changed with me and I have loved experiencing it every step of the way.
These days my kids are in school, and I work from my home studio making jewelry, taking photos, creating content, updating my website, drafting emails, filing taxes, and all the things that go into running your own business. I feel so lucky that I was able to stay home with my kids for so many years while also finally finding the career I was meant to have.
I am forever grateful for this journey of mine, and always looking forward to what comes next!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
As I mentioned before, the road has had many twists and turns, but my journey unfolded pretty slowly and steadily over the years. It sort of grew with me as another one of my babies to become what it is today.
The hardest part has also been the best part – the fact that I got so busy that it transitioned from my part-time thing to a full-blown business. It was my side hustle for so long that it took me a minute to realize just how much time and energy I was putting into this business. It was a mental hurdle to actually view it as the full-time job that it is and edit my life accordingly.
Eventually, that meant getting the kids into daycare to open my schedule for some normal working hours. I just always felt that since I work at home they didn’t “need” to be in school.
But I can tell you now that it was the best decision for me and my family. I don’t stress about having to pack so much work into so little time (like after their bedtime + during naps that rarely happened) and somehow keep up with all the housework too.
I’m thankful that we found a solid setup for our family and that I let go of the mom’s guilt to let it happen. Now they enjoy learning and playing with friends while I run a business that I love, and I am not so distracted and scatterbrained when we spend time together.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself a master maker. I buy beads, gems, charms, and other components that catch my eye and put them together until I find a style that I love. I am mostly known for the fun earrings I create, but also for the dainty necklaces and beaded bracelets too.
I am most proud of myself for trying new things, always working on improving the quality of my pieces, and staying true to myself and my style while also letting my style evolve with me. Plus, I am insanely proud of myself for continuing to work hard at this business I’ve created and never giving up on this passion project of mine.
What sets me apart from others would portably be my personality. I try to infuse it into my pieces and my brand. There are MANY jewelry makers out there, and even if some of us have the same style or vibe, what makes small businesses so amazing is that we are all unique.
I also try to engage and connect with my customers and followers that have become more like friends on social media because they are the reason I feel the urge to keep creating, and I am forever grateful for their support. I love that running my own business means I get to do things the way I want.
It might mean that my Instagram isn’t beautifully curated and my content ranges from jewels to kids to motivational quotes, but I want people to know the person behind the jewelry so they feel connected to the business they are supporting.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Accessories will be around forever, and that makes me happy!
They are the most fun way to add a little personality to your outfits. I don’t exactly have any insight on upcoming trends, but I am excited to see them and continue creating new styles no matter what happens to be on-trend!
Pricing:
- My items typically range from $20-50.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stone-and-nash.myshopify.com
- Instagram: @stone_and_nash
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stoneandnash/
Image Credits
Shots by Cheyenne
