Believe it or not, an earring business can be born out of fabric wall hangings. It happened to Sandra Bro, the creator at Sandy Bro House.
“I had started making fiber and yarn wall hangings and I had some friends that liked the shape and color and wanted earrings,” said Bro, who then decided to take up polymer clay (not to be confused with ceramic clay), which is similar to a plastic and bakes in the oven.
While experimenting with shapes, styles and varying techniques, her impromptu earring business started to snowball.
“I laugh when I think back to how we used to hold the wall hangings up to our ears, saying they’d look great as earrings,” Bro said.
The artist has dabbled in necklaces but her main offerings are earrings. She’s created custom sets for special occasions, even crafting pieces to match dress colors. Because of the composition of polymer clay, when you simply bake it, it hardens and becomes lightweight.
“People are always surprised they are not heavy — even the brass components are very light,” Bro said.
Bro’s joy comes from the creative process.
“It’s kind of like you are solving problems,” she said. “I really like that part of it, taking something that’s raw and not having an idea of what I’m doing. The best plans may not turn out like you had in your head, but I’m doing it for the pure pleasure. The whole process makes me happy, even baking and sanding them.”
When it comes to styling tips, you might consider wearing your hair up so the jewelry can be the main event, or pairing earrings with more neutral and basic pieces to let the earrings shine. Bro thinks there’s “no age to art and no age to design,” so while the younger generation prefers larger styles, it’s really up to the wearer. They can be dressed up for a wedding but also worn with jeans and a T-shirt.
If you ask the artist, the best part of the whole process is just being creative.
“If you are making things, you are thinking and alive and out there, and everyone needs a creative outlet,” Bro said.
For more information on Sandy Bro House jewelry, you can find her work at Light Gallery + Studio in Grand Rapids and LA Miller in Rockford. Check out the online shop at sandykbrohouse1.etsy.com.
