On Friday, May 7, senior Hannah DeSoto created Wave Dancer Jewelry, a jewelry page selling earrings to foster creativity and love. The initiative comes after DeSoto raised over $535 through Threads for Kids, a page she launched to fundraise for Rady’s Children’s Hospital by selling clothes and jewelry. To learn more about her new business Wave Dancer Jewelry, The Lancer Link spoke to DeSoto and asked the questions below.

LL: What motivated you to create Wave Dancer Jewelry?
HD: Initially, I was selling my jewelry on a different instagram called Threads For Kids in an effort to raise money for Rady Children’s Hospital. Once I started consistently creating and selling my jewelry, I decided to make a little business! I’m at the very beginning of my journey in jewelry making but I’m looking forward to bringing Wave Dancer Jewelry to my campus next year and to continue creating new things!

LL: What is the process like to create each piece of jewelry?
HD: First, I buy the materials (beads, wires, earring hooks). To start the jewelry making, I cut a piece of wire with my pliers and then I string beads onto the wire until I like the way it looks. After this, I use a different set of pliers to close the wire into a circle shape for the earring loop. To finalize the earring, I loop the earring hook around the hoop’s loop and tighten with the pliers.

LL: What materials do you make your jewelry out of?
HD: I use various kinds of jewelry pliers, wire, earring hooks, and lots and lots of different colored beads.

LL: What is your favorite piece of jewelry you’ve made, and why?
HD: I loved the first piece of jewelry I made because after a ton of trial runs, I finally was able to make the earrings the exact way I wanted.

LL: What is the most challenging part of creating and selling jewelry?
HD: Creating the jewelry is very easy and fun but when it comes to selling the jewelry, it gets a little tricky. I’ve only used my instagram and social media platforms to sell my jewelry so my options for buys are pretty limited. This makes it difficult to get a lot of exposure but I hope to continue developing my business in a way that creates more engagement and brings about more interest.

LL: Why should people buy your jewelry?
HD: Each piece of jewelry is made carefully and with lots of love! I find joy in making each piece unique and with vibrant colors that help each and every buyer feel excited and confident when they wear their purchase.

LL: How does Wave Dancer Jewelry connect to your other initiative, Threads for Kids?
HD: Threads for Kids is the first place I started selling my jewelry in an effort to raise money for Rady Children’s Hospital but after realizing how much I liked creating jewelry, I decided to create Wave Dancer Jewelry as my first try at running a small business!

LL: How can people buy jewelry from your business?
HD: People can purchase jewelry on Instagram @wavedancer.jewelry. I’m hoping to start an Etsy account where they can purchase my pieces as well!