Meet Laurel Moon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurel Moon. 

Hi Laurel, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started creating jewelry years ago when I walked into a beaded jewelry shop and impulsively signed up for a jewelry-making class taught by Emily Sturm. It was so much fun that I became hooked! I started creating designs and selling them in local stores and eventually began to sell at art fairs and craft shows. I’ve been selling since 1996 and it’s so much fun to connect with customers as they find a special piece that resonates with them. 

Alright, 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?
Pivoting is natural in nearly any business! I’ve had to pivot a few times. I’ve always sold beads as well as jewelry, so when I had trouble getting into shows that were oversaturated with jewelry, I leaned a little more into my bead business, and when the beads slow down, I lean a little more into jewelry. 

As a designer, your style changes many times over the years, and I developed a strong style with glass beads, faceted crystal, and sterling silver. Once that style began to get a little outdated, I changed to using semiprecious stones, brass, and copper, and incorporated ceramic pieces and leather as well. I love seeing people react to the new looks! 

One of the biggest pivots I’ve made was to start creating etched copper. I’ve always been interested in symbology, and I wanted to take some of the special antique and ancient symbols and motifs that I loved and make pendants and links that I could sell and also use in my own work. It took a lot of research and experimentation. Over the past five years, I’ve continued to perfect my process but there have been many setbacks along the way. There are a lot of sad pieces of copper in my etching studio – but those just represent the progress I’ve made! 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am most proud of learning how to create etched copper designs. That process took years of learning, experimenting, time, and effort. I have worked very hard to create a nice look and also find unique and unusual artwork to feature in my pieces. 

What does success mean to you?
Success is a tricky word to define because it means something different to everyone. I personally define success in two ways. 

We all have projects, events, etc., where we can be successful or not. Recently I was involved in a charity auction, and it was more successful than we expected, which was amazing. There’s always the next event, the next show, the next launch of a new line of designs. 

There is also long-term success. I define this as being like a very slow rise of a hill. Each day we take a new step, and even if it is a step “down,” we have to have hope that the next step might be a step up. Each moment in our journey is special in its own way. As long as we keep mostly moving forward, we keep generating better things for ourselves, and we keep ourselves motivated for the journey. 

Contact Info:

• Website: laurelmoon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurelmoonjewelry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurelMoonJewelry/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/laurelmoonjewelry

Image Credits
Laurel Moon
Kim Blumenstein