Today we’d like to introduce you to Kruthi Kocherla.
Hi Kruthi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Clay Bonnets started because I wanted to save money so one day I could get a dog. At first I thought it was only about the dog, but then it grew into something bigger than I imagined.
I’ve always liked rocks and crystals. I could stare for hours looking at their colors and sparkles, and to me they felt like tiny treasures from nature. One day I saw someone making turquoise jade earrings out of clay — turquoise is my favorite stone — and I wanted to try too. When I made my first pair, I loved it right away. Not just the clay, but the feeling of turning my ideas into something real with my hands.
At first I just made stuff for fun. Then my family and friends started encouraging me by buying them, and that made me feel really excited and happy. That’s how Clay Bonnets was born. Now, I make earrings, bookmarks, keychains, and pendants — each one inspired by rocks, crystals, animals, nature — and each one handmade by me.
Every time someone orders, it makes me so happy because it means they like what I make. It makes me believe in myself more too. My dream is still to bring home my dog one day, but now I also dream about Clay Bonnets growing into something big that inspires kids everywhere. I want them to know: even if you’re little, you can still have big dreams and make them real.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been smooth, but that’s what makes it exciting! At first, I didn’t know how to make the clay soft enough, so I had to spend a lot of time conditioning it. Sometimes my designs didn’t come out the way I imagined, and I had to start all over.
I also don’t have all the fancy tools that professional jewelry makers use. So I had to get creative — using things we already had at home, trying different techniques, and experimenting until something worked. I failed many times, but each time I learned something new. Even with a limited budget, I’ve figured out how to keep improving and making my designs more unique.
Another challenge is balancing everything. I’m a kid, so I still have school, homework, and activities. Sometimes it’s hard to find time to make jewelry, especially when I have a market coming up.
And because I’m only 8, some people are surprised that I can actually run a business. But when they see my work and hear my story, they believe in me. That makes me feel really proud.
The struggles have taught me that big dreams take effort and creativity. Even when it’s not easy, I keep going because I love creating and I love seeing people smile when they wear what I made. Every challenge just makes Clay Bonnets — and me — stronger.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m 8 years old and in 3rd grade. I love sketching dogs and hummingbirds, and I can spend hours studying my rock and mineral collection — I have hundreds of them! I get really curious about how things are made and love figuring out patterns, colors, and little details. My parents say I see the world like an artist and a scientist at the same time.
What I’m most proud of is that even though I’m young, I keep going even when things are hard. I don’t have all the special tools, so sometimes I have to invent my own ways to create with whatever I can find at home. I’ve failed a lot, but each time I learn something new — and I think that makes me braver.
What sets me apart is my curiosity and imagination. I take the things I love — animals, my sparkly rocks, my sketches — and turn them into treasures. Clay Bonnets is just one part of that story. It’s where all the things I love come together and grow into something I can share with the world.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people know me as the girl who makes clay jewelry, but what they might not know is how much I study things. I can spend a long time looking at a single rock — noticing its colors, sparkles, tiny patterns, and even the faded spots. Those details inspire my designs.
I also mix my own clay colors instead of just using what comes in the package. I love experimenting until I get the exact shade I see in my rocks and minerals. Sometimes I make mistakes, but those mistakes often turn into brand-new colors that surprise me.
Another thing people don’t always know is that I love learning the history of the rocks I collect. For example, when I made earrings inspired by Lapis Lazuli, I learned that it was more expensive than gold in the Middle Ages! That made me curious, so I read about Cleopatra, King Tut, and how ancient Egyptians used it in jewelry, eye shadow, and even tombs. Knowing that history makes me feel like I’m carrying their stories into my creations.
A lot of this comes from the experiments I do with my parents on Saturdays. They make me curious about everything, and now I bring that same spirit into Clay Bonnets. I think that’s what sets me apart — I don’t just make jewelry; I explore, I experiment, and I tell stories through my creations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.claybonnets.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claybonnets
Image Credits
Photo Credits: Clay Bonnets Family
