Today we’d like to introduce you to Marla Sabey.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have had this passion for earrings since I was a little girl. Sometimes they make me feel pretty, sometimes powerful, sometimes I just put my hair on a ponytail to show my earrings off and I just loooove playing with them. But I honestly never imagined that one day I would be making them.
Back in July of 2020 a friend of mine gave me a pair of earrings that I loved. I wore the earrings all the time and one day – out of the blue – I was looking at the earrings and thinking “I really think I can make something like that”. So I did a little research and found out the earrings were made with resin. Then more research on what I would need and how to work with resin. I ended up buying a “resin beginner kit” to give it a try. But when it arrived, I was having a busy week and I just put the kit somewhere in the closet and simply forgot about it.
On December 31st, 2020 I was home feeling a little down. I had planned to go visit my family for Christmas and New Year but the pandemic was not over yet and I couldn’t go. Then I remembered I had the little resin kit and decided to give it a try. The first batch of earrings I made came out completely different from what I expected. They were not horrible but they were far away from being good. The second batch did not cure properly so it was a loss. The third one was a little better but still far away from being something nice. And I started to realize the whole process was more complicated than I was expecting. I started to get frustrated and was ready to give up. Then one day, by the end of January, I had to go to Trader Joes and I decided to wear one of the pairs from the first batch (even though I didn’t really like it) just to see how I would feel wearing something I had made. When I was at the register, an adorable lady who works there looked at me and said: “Your earrings are so cool! I love them!”. I said Thank you! I made them! And I left with the biggest smile on my face. That day I got home and I decided I would try a little bit more before giving up.
Well, from January till July I was making earrings and practicing and learning how to work with resin, and colors, and different pigments. I was in love with the whole process, with the colors mixing and matching, and with all the possibilities I started to understand I could have. After over 300 earrings that were just tests, I finally started to make earrings that I really liked and every time I would go out wearing them, I would get compliments. So I started my little online shop which is connected to my Instagram page. Since then, I have been learning how to do my own marketing, how to take good pictures, and how to do pretty much everything a business should be doing to sell their product. Even though I still have a lot to learn, I have been enjoying the journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a road of lots of mistakes, some investment of money and time and a lot of learning. First, the struggle of learning how to actually work with resin and the best pigments. Then learning how to create an online shopping site, how to take good pictures, what are the best times to post on social media, what are the hashtags, etc. That part actually is still a little overwhelming since I am not an expert on social media and not even a big user of it.
But the biggest struggle was to believe in myself. The fear of people not liking what I make, the fear of investing my time and money into something and finding out that people wouldn’t like it. The fear of not being good enough – that was a big one! Ironically I have always been the friend who encourages you and tells you to not let fear stop you. So I decided to give myself the same advice I would give to a friend. After all, I was loving my earrings, and wearing them, so I knew I should keep going.
A few weekends ago, I was invited to be a vendor at an event of yoga and meditation. I confess I almost didn’t go because of fear again, but I went anyway. And it was the best thing I could have done. I sold almost everything I took and people were wearing my earrings all over the place. Almost everyone who was there got at least one pair of my earrings. I left with a feeling I have never felt before. Something I don’t even know how to describe, but it was good. It was actually really good! And it is just the beginning!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work with resin. My biggest thing is my earrings. I would dare to say that right now, that is my specialization, but I am also starting to make some necklaces, anklets, some little statues and even playing a little bit with wood and resin together. The earrings I make are one of a kind. Even if I tried, I couldn’t make the same pair twice. That’s the beauty of working with resin and the pigments. I never really know how they will turn out until they are cured – which takes 24 hours after I had actually poured them.
I also believe a lot in energy and that’s why the earrings are made with so much love and also cured under the moon. I always leave them curing outside under the moon since the moon also represents powerful feminine energy. And that’s what I hope people feel when they wear them – Loved, Beautiful and Powerful.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Honestly, nothing very specific. I have done some research online to learn whatever I need to learn but that is all. What really helped me was the support of my husband and family and friend along the way.
Pricing:
- From $20 to $50
Contact Info:
- Email: sabeyatelier@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabeyatelier/
Image Credits:
Vivian di Tullio
