Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Michaels.
Leah, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started in 2014 with a radio ad… for a beading convention. That’s right, beading conventions do exist, and as it turns out, they are DIVINE. Of course, there were aisles upon aisles of beads, findings, tiny treasures, you name it. I happened across a booth that was offering free take and make necklaces. I watched for a while, fascinated before I joined in. We had a box of various images to choose from, and once we had chosen the image that we liked, we took a piece of polished glass and adhered a special glue to the glass, then placed it gently on the image, taking care to center it perfectly.
After a few minutes, we took scissors and trimmed the excess paper off, placed it into a brass setting with a special adherent, threaded a chain through the loop on the setting, and voila! Instant keepsake. I was immediately hooked with the entire process. I purchased the starter kit with everything I needed to get started, not knowing on that February day that I had just embarked on an amazing adventure. I made all of the necklaces in the kit in one day, and I wanted to make more. Fortunately, the company at the convention also had an online store, so I ordered more materials, and then more.
By April, I had made over 100 necklaces. I sat back and realized that if I were to continue at this pace, I may need to start selling some of these necklaces to justify making more.
My first thought was to open an Etsy shop. I did know anyone personally who had one, but I went through the process, which was very easy. The most time-consuming part was photographing each of my pieces from several different angles, and describing each piece in great detail. When I opened my Etsy shop later that month, I only had 25 pieces. I did not start off with a bang, I’m sorry to say.
In fact, it was early June before I heard my phone make the cool “Cha-ching” sound that Etsy makes when you have made a sale. I remember I was in the car, and my husband was driving. I squealed with delight and could not wait to get home and pack up my first necklace to go to Oklahoma. Since then, I have made 278 sales on Etsy, but I still get a little tingle of excitement when that little sound happens on my phone. I have made sales all over the world, including Japan, England, France, Canada, Australia, and Poland.
At the time that I started my business, Etsy required that I choose a shop name that no one else on Etsy had. It seemed like an easy prospect, but there are millions of shops on Etsy.
I knew for sure that no one would have the name “Wootz” in their title, because it is the nickname that my dad gave me when I was a baby. The “Charmed” portion came from the fact that each of my necklaces includes a special charm that pertains to the image in the necklace. For example, if I had selected a moon image, I might add a spaceship charm or star charm.
After about eight months of just selling online, I had amassed enough necklaces to want to sell at local craft shows. I had no idea where to start, so I chose a flea market nearby that I had frequented as a patron. They were open one weekend each month, so it worked well with my full-time job schedule. The very first day we sold was in January, and we were chilled to the bone and sold ONE item. The next day, we “made rent” as we call it. In the craft show world, you always aim to at least make back what you paid to set up your booth.
I am proud to say that after 110 shows, we have always made rent. We have had many good shows, many great shows, and plenty of not-so-great shows. Having fur babies at home, we made a rule to only do shows in a 50-mile radius of our home. Along the way, we have made many friends with our fellow vendors, and we have even developed a following of loyal fans. It is quite flattering and humbling when someone tells you they came to a show just for you.
Yes, the profit is nice, but just to see a young girl skip away with a smile on her face, wearing her brand new necklace, makes it all worthwhile. People ask what age range I cater to, and I tell them “four to forever.” Those who “see” my work, really understand it and love it. I currently have about 600 necklaces in my inventory at any given time, ranging from subjects such as Harry Potter, celestial, cats, dogs, zoo animals, famous icons, birds (my favorite subject), Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, bees, flowers, etc.
I also work on a limited basis in resin molds, macrame, embroidery, and wood. Some of my pieces incorporate treasures I have picked up from estate sales, antique malls, and the like. No two pieces are ever alike, so everyone gets their own unique work of art. I do not just make necklaces, however; I have branched out to earrings, bracelets, rings, bookmarks, key rings, cuff links, tie clips, hairpins, brooches, and individual picture charms that can be added on.
Some of my favorite pieces to make are custom orders for people that want a loved one’s photo in a necklace, or a meaningful image in a keyring.
I would not be able to do what I do without the help of my awesome husband of almost ten years, David. He has supported me 100% from the start of my Etsy shop to waking up at 5 am every Saturday to set up jewelry in all types of weather for 2-3 hours, then selling for 7-8 hours, then taking it all down and repeating it all over again the following Saturday.We love spending the time together, and he is the best PR rep ever.
I have no intention of slowing down; everywhere I look I find new inspiration. I keep a little notepad on me at all times so I can write down any new ideas that I may have for a piece. I still work a full-time job from Monday through Friday, so any spare time that I have is devoted to my shop. I love that I can work as much or as little as I like without guilt or deadlines. I want it to stay as fun and lighthearted as it was almost five years ago when I first started.
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?
Overall, I would say that it has been a fairly smooth road. Of course, the first year or two of my business, I spent more than I earned, but I enjoyed what I was doing so much, that it did not matter to me.
One particularly diffciult show was a 3-day show, and we had to leave our product out overnight (covered, of course). Overnight, a huge storm blew through and carried people’s canopies away and destroyed many of my fellow vendors’ merchandise. We were very fortunate that we only lost our canopy. By some miracle, our tables were still standing, and all of my jewelry was bone dry.
I have had times of trial and error, figuring out what materials work better than others, what not to do, and what to always do. I am always learning from my mistakes, and striving to get better along the way.
Please tell us about Charmed by Wootz.
Charmed by Wootz offers a very unique product, in that our options are limitless. We can take any image and make it into a wearable work of art. Occasionally we have come across vendors who also make images under glass, but none of them add the charm that I do to each piece to truly set it apart.
We are known throughout the DFW area as “quirky, fun, and just plain different.” When I am asked to describe my jewelry in a nutshell, I say that we have truly unique fun jewelry with a distinctly vintage vibe. I like to say my jewelry does not take itself too seriously.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My absolute favorite memory as a child was seeing the ocean for the very first time. I was eight, and we traveled to Galveston Island for the week. Our hotel was right across the street from the seawall.
I remember waking up early, asking my grandmother to walk me across the street and down the stairs directly to the beach. The sand felt unlike anything I had ever stepped upon before. When the tide came in, it felt like the whole ground was moving, but I was standing still.
I remember the salt air on my lips, and sandpipers racing up and down the shore, and the sun peeking over the horizon across the water. It was pure bliss.
Pricing:
- Button earrings are $5 each or buy 3 get 1 free
- My ball chain necklaces are $10
- Most of my necklaces range from $10-25
- I do not have any items over $35
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/charmedbywootz
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @charmedbywootz
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/charmedbywootz
- Other: www.pinterest.com/charmedbywootz
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
