Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Grella.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Amanda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was a point in my life where both my kids were in school full time and I needed a hobby, something I would enjoy doing. I had always loved Spoon Rings and decided to make my own. Unsuccessful at figuring that process out, I decided to try something easier and made Keychains from vintage silverware instead. I was giving these out to family and friends as gifts when my husband suggested that I try selling them online. I was reluctant but decided to put myself out there to see what happened. Within 45 minutes, I had orders for more than 50 keychains. That was in August of 2015.
I filled those orders and more came in. Then I had a family member ask if I would make a necklace out of a spoon bowl. Again, I was reluctant and was not quite sure what I was doing, but gave it a try. I ended up loving it so much I wore it for a week before giving it to her. I had so many compliments on it and people asking me to make one for them as well. Then the orders began coming after I posted a picture of that necklace online.
That’s when I realized that I may have found something that I enjoyed doing and something that brought JOY to others. I decided to name my business after a favorite song from a movie our family loves, Mary Poppins. Just A Spoonful Of Silver was born and we haven’t looked back.
We went from only making one simple style Keychain, to making so many other pieces. We now create several different styles of necklaces, rings, garden spoon markers, earrings, coffee spoons, and now three different styles of keychains! My husband is a huge supporter and often helps me in my workshop creating rings. We enjoy going on excursions hunting for vintage silverware. We love anything with a lot of detail on it. I love to think about the history behind each piece and what I will create from it. Each piece is so unique and tells its own story.
Several weeks later, I was encouraged by a friend to again put myself out there and reach out to a local shop owner and see if she would be interested in carrying our pieces. That email to my now very good friend Kelly changed the course of Just A Spoonful Of Silver. Within several months, we were not only in Kelly’s shop but also in 6 other shops in Central Pennsylvania. Our family moved here to Fort Worth, Texas in November of last year to launch a new Church Campus. We are currently still in three shops in PA and are excited to say that we are in one here in Roanoke.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with any business, there have been a few struggles, but I would say the most difficult thing for me personally is since I am the only employee is that at times it was difficult to keep up with inventory that needed to be made as well as filling online orders. It was not uncommon that my husband and kids were either in my workshop helping me or at the kitchen table putting chains on necklaces, putting labels on items or counting how many pieces of each item I had.
Another Challenge for me is pricing my items. I am a giver so I would want to just make pieces and then just give them away. I love seeing people smile after they see the custom piece that I created for them. Or hearing a story about why a certain piece means so much to them. But, unfortunately, I can’t do that. I would not be able to go out and purchase the materials I need to make pieces without selling them.
So trying to figure out what the correct price is for each piece is hard for me. I would compare my work to others in the same field and think that is either too high or too low. I often have people telling me that I should raise my prices, that what I ask is too low. But I find that what I am doing works for me. It is what I would be willing to pay for a handmade piece for either myself or a friend.
Please tell us about Just A Spoonful Of Silver.
At Just A Spoonful Of Silver, we create a collection of Spoon Jewelry and Keychains from vintage silverware. We hand select each piece, something that is dull and not wanted anymore and turns it into something that is beautiful and unique. We love to create pieces that will stand out and be conversation starters. We love to create pieces that mean something to someone. We love the uniqueness and history behind each piece. One of our favorite things to do is take a customers personal silverware set that has been collecting dust in a box for several years and turn them into pieces they can wear as a remembrance of a loved one each day.
We love to stamp different sayings, scripture verses or even song lyrics that are encouraging and uplifting onto spoon bowls. There is just something about wearing a necklace that you can look down at during the day and be encouraged and may get someone through a rough day. Our Elephant necklaces that are created from forks are our most popular piece. They are so cute and unique… no two elephants look alike.
I feel so blessed by those who have supported us along the way and encouraged us to keep going. We have been able to bless so many in return. We have created pieces for a group of women going on weekend retreats, keychains with a company’s logo on it for an employer to give to his employees, pieces for fundraisers and raffles. But one thing that we are proud of is that through all our blessings, we have been able to bless others financially as well. We have been able to give back not only to God who orchestrated this in the first place but to families in need and to organizations we support. We are so thankful that we are able to give to so many through this blessing.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood would be during the summer I would spend time at my grandparent’s house with my cousins. We would hear the ice cream truck a few streets over and run inside and ask our grandpa if he would buy us an ice cream cone. He always smiled and followed us out to wave the truck down. Not only would he buy each of us a cone, but he would buy any of the neighborhood kids that may have been playing with us one as well.
Then he usually would buy an entire box of popsicles for us to put in the freezer for later… We loved it… and I am sure the ice cream truck driver did too!! My grandfather was always about helping others and blessing them if he was able to. I think that is where I get my heart of giving from.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.justaspoonfulofsilver.com
- Phone: (513)403-6166
- Email: amandagrella@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justaspoonfulofsilver/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justaspoonfulofsilver/?fref=ts
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/agrella/just-a-spoonful-of-silver/
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