Etsy Interview with Resign: Resin Design

My name is Jenny Atkinson, founder and sole employee of Resign...Resin Design. I'm an Aussie (hence the weird spelling) currently expatriated to the US with my husband, 2 children and 2 dogs. We've been living in America for nearly 5 years now, having spent most our time in Tucson before recently relocating to Wisconsin, which I am loving!

How and when did you start making jewelry and your other items?

I've always loved the look and feel of hand cast resin (which is very popular in Australia,) but upon moving to the States I was unable to find anything like the objects I desired, so with time on my hands, I decided to try it myself. After much research and experimentation, here I am sharing my story with you. Initially I just made a few pieces to wear myself and didn't think any more about it. The impetus for my Etsy shop Resign came when my daughter went back to Australia for school in January last year. I hated the thought that she would be so far away and quickly realised that I would need to find a new focus so I wouldn't miss her so much.

When and how did you originally find Etsy?

I stumbled upon Etsy about 18 months ago during my many hours of online market research and was delighted to find such a great avenue to 'test the water' for my pieces. Being a bit a computer dunce, I couldn't believe how easy and inexpensive it was going to be to set up my own shop and to then have a world of potential customers at my fingertips. Since setting up my own shop, I've also become a keen Etsy buyer, constantly impressed by the diversity and quality of the pieces I find.

What is unique about Etsy and what about the website do you like the most in regards to your shop?

Prior to opening my Etsy shop Resign, I did very little online shopping so I can't really compare Etsy to anything else out there, and because I've been so happy with my Etsy experience I haven't even looked at other sites selling handmade. In my limited experience, Etsy offers a professional, efficient and fun online shopping experience in a very supportive community. I love that you can customise and basically run your shop as you like. Visiting the different shops is its own unique experience and the diversity of shops is truly amazing.

What inspires you the most in regards to your creations?

My biggest inspiration would be colour. Virtually any colour is possible and I love how inviting my pieces look on mass, either grouped in colours or all mixed up...makes me just want them all! Occasionally I'm inspired by form, but I usually just start with a lump of clay and see what I end up with when I'm making new designs.

What is your favorite piece you've created and why?

That's a hard one...I guess I'm a little biased as I usually love them all! My favourite bangles are the Organic ones, there's just something about their shape that I'm really drawn too. I've made them absolutely packed with silver glitter in the past and teamed them with black or white Organic bangles...a favourite combination of mine. I also love the Bitty Bowl and Spoon, I don't have any currently in my shop, but am working on making some more in the not too distant future. When I started modelling the Bitty Bowl, I had no idea exactly what form it would take, and was delighted with the end result...it's like the perfect imperfect shape.

What do you want to accomplish with your online shop?

My goal at this stage is to increase my sales, but only to the point where I can still manage on my own. I have a figure in mind, and with sales steadily increasing, I feel confident that it is a realistic goal. Ideally, I would like to achieve this through online sales, rather than wholesaling to boutiques, as my work is very labour intensive (all that sanding). I have wholesaled to a few boutiques in the past, but in my infancy, I still struggle with offering the huge discounts they demand when I'm the one putting in all the hard work! Even though the lure of a big order can be very enticing, having worked on a few, I have come to realise that I don't enjoy making my pieces as much for a wholesale order as when I'm just doing my own thing as inspiration strikes. Of course I will have to change my thinking if I ever decide to take things to the next level!

Do you have any new creations in the works? If so, what can shoppers expect to see from you soon?

I have some more pieces for the neck waiting to be finished, so shoppers visiting Resign can keep an eye out for them, and as I mentioned earlier, I want to get back into homewares again. I have an idea for a new condiment dish/plate which I think should work well, but it's still a little way off as I haven't even modelled it yet! I'm always adding new colours to my existing lines as well, and as no 2 pieces are ever exactly the same, it's a good idea to grab anything that takes your fancy at the time, because even though I can roughly duplicate most things, they are never identical.

Where can readers find out about more information regarding your jewelry and other creations and possible special offers (including additional websites, blogs, facebook, etc)?

I'm afraid I'm just not a social networker! According to a lot of what I read on Etsy, apparently I should be more involved, but I'm just not and probably never will be. I have been fortunate to be featured on some really impressive blogs in the last year or so though, which have done wonders for traffic through my shop, and for that I will be forever grateful. It has also introduced me to the wonderful world of blogging and I am now a follower of a few of those great blogs. These are a few of my favourites that I've appeared in...style-files.com lorilangille.blogspot.com la.rimule.free.fr and tryhandmade.com.

I'm waiting to engage the services of my brother in law to start my own website, but until then, the best way to find my work is at my Etsy store, Resign. I'm adding new pieces all the time and as the colours are endless, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have something specific in mind!