Rising Stars: Meet Ashley Wilson of Lawton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Wilson.

Hi Ashley, 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 am a wife and mother of a 13 and 5 year old. I have always felt a creative spark since I was younger. Whether, I was drawing, writing poetry, coloring or scrapbooking. I hadn’t found that one thing that I could truly pour my heart into. I have always wanted to try and do something with resin. Working full time as a Receptionist/Title Clerk, I write a lot and love a good pen. I found other people creating and personalizing pens and keychains online and I had thought “I’m going to give it a try.” I researched different tips and tricks others were doing and ordered some stuff online. I played around and succeeded and failed. I found that UV Resin worked better for me because it can be cured rather quickly under UV lights. I was able to design more pens and keychains this way. I started with creating things for families and friends and posting on my Facebook and someone I knew, who had a small business store asked me to put some pens in there. I did pretty well there actually. I was there for about a year and then Kori Ponicki purchased Creative Cove which is now currently Here In The Mitten in Paw Paw, Michigan. I started with a small supply there and have since grown to a much larger selection that includes pens and keychains. People seem to really love what I am able to create and it gives me such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. I love to be able to have a creative thought and wonder how that would look on a pen and just be able to design it. I have done custom things for people with personalized names and designs on them. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creativity.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. I think that is what is so meaningful when I really look back on where I started. I had a circuit machine fail and had to buy a new one. I had glue that wasn’t quite holding glitter like I wanted. I started with a regular polyacrylic to seal the glitter and that was just taking too long. I worked with several different resins to find the right one I love. I have several different pieces that are duds and I keep them as a reminder of how far I have come. I still have those mess ups, even now after doing this almost 4 years. I have had moments where I thought maybe I shouldn’t be doing this. But I love it too much. Those mistakes have helped shape me in what I do.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The items I stick to creating are Acrylic/UV Resin Key chains that usually have sayings that others can relate to and UV Resin and glitter designed pens. The great thing about what I do is I can specialize in whatever inspires me and what I’m feeling or what someone else brings to the table. I love hearing ideas from others so I can make other people happy with what I can create. That makes me proud when I can make others happy.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
5-10 years from now I would like to be running my own craft business and be able get my pens and keychains all over. Maybe even create more variety of items. I would like to be able to make this into so much more.

Pricing:

• All Keychains $3.00 each
• Single pens $8 each
• 3 Pen set $21
• 5 Pen set $35
• 7 Pen set $49

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/awilson2905
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/awilson2905
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lcsparkcreations?
• Other: https://tiktok.com/@lcsparkcreations