Whilst desperately searching for a silver lining in this pandemic, the artist in me immediately saw quarantine as an opportunity to try my hand at some new creative hobbies. One thing that I’ve always wanted to try is working with resin, and my TikTok feed had recently been full of resin-related content, so I considered that a sign that I should go for it.
Thankfully, I had already bought most of the supplies I needed, at the beginning of spring break, before any stay-at-home orders went into effect. I only needed to order a couple things off Amazon, before I was ready to start getting crafty!
Before I began, I was pretty intimidated by resin as a medium, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I found that working with resin is so much fun, and I was having the time of my life.
I started by experimenting with different materials and molds. Most of what I was making consisted of pieces of jewelry or keychains for me and my friends.
When I began publicizing the small things I was creating, I received inquiries about whether I’d ever consider selling the jewelry I was making. That wasn’t really something I’d thought about before, since I was just messing around with something new. For me, resin was simply something to pass the time in self-isolation; I didn’t think anyone, other than maybe my mom, would even want anything I’d made.
For that reason, I was hesitant to even consider turning my new-found hobby into anything more than a pastime; however, I eventually began to think about starting a small business on the side. Even if I didn’t sell many things, the money I’d earn would be more than enough to offset the cost of my hobby by selling a few pieces here and there.
To prepare, I did a bit of research on what site I should use to sell my product and utilized my limited knowledge on brand design to create a logo for myself. Then, I launched a shop on depop.com on Mar. 28 and started a separate Instagram account to feature my creations.
Since then, I’ve received more interest than I ever thought I would. Although I haven’t had my shop open for very long, I’ve experienced so much support from my friends and family, as well as customers who don’t know me personally. Art is an incredibly vital part of my life, and I’m beyond blessed to have so many people support my creative endeavors.
While I may have just begun working with resin to fill a void during quarantine, the hobby turned into an opportunity to make some money on the side, as well as gain a bit of business experience!
If you have a hobby that you’ve considered turning into something more than a pastime, I encourage you to go for it. You never know how it’ll turn out.