Taylor’s been involved with MMC since the very start (even though she wasn’t here as a maker in the beginning), but we are so glad she’s selling her gorgeous bracelets, necklaces, and earrings with us now! If you’ve visited our Bishop Arts or Galleria locations, you’ve probably already fallen in love with her fun, feminine, handmade gemstone jewelry. Today, Taylor’s taking us behind the scenes of Taylor Custer Jewelry, so bracelets get started!
Hi Tayor! Thanks so much for taking us behind the scenes today! Where do you find inspiration for your art?
I love shopping for gemstones, beads, and jewelry findings. Seeing what is out there inspires me and then it all comes together in my mind. I also pay pretty close attention to fashion trends and get inspiration from new trends I see while still trying to keep my pieces classic.
We love that your jewelry is trendy, but it never goes out of style! Do you plan for months before creating a new product, or do you create spontaneously?
In the past, I have been more spontaneous, but now I'm trying to plan a little more. Selling at the two Mosaic retail stores requires me to plan in advance more. I try to think about what is coming up and what supplies I need to order. For example, right now I'm already thinking about the holiday collection.
The holidays will be here just before you know it! Can you please walk us through a step-by-step process for creating your product?
When I created the Spring Floral Earrings (now available at both Mosaic stores), it was in February. I really wanted a larger floral component, so after ordering several versions of gold flowers from different suppliers, I found one that I loved. I knew I wanted to have a neutral stone with it and found the mother of pearl beads after looking at some suppliers online. A large part of my process is searching online or at a few local stores for supplies.
It’s evident that you really take care in choosing the exact right pieces for every project. What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day consists of working in my full-time marketing job at a local non-profit for the majority of my day. After I put my daughter to bed in the evenings, that is when I have time to focus on creating. On the weekends, I try to snap photos of my items when there is good daylight.
Oh wow! You do a great job finding pockets of time for creativity! Who’s the first person you show when you create a new piece?
I tend to wear pieces that I've just created as a way to "test" them. So normally some of my closest friends are the first to see them. It's a good way to see how many people ask about something or are interested in it. I test out everything before I sell it. Last year when I started making stretch bracelets, I wore them for a few months before selling to make sure my method would hold up long term.
That’s a great way to conduct market research and discover any pain points before selling a new product. We love sneak peeks! Can you let us in on any future products we can look forward to seeing on the shelves?
Right now, I am really focused on the 2021 holiday collection. I want to bring back some of my sparkly pieces from last year and make them available at Mosaic. When I think holidays, I think sparkle and bling. I'm also searching for amazing dark green emerald and chrysocolla stones which I think are beautiful for the fall/winter season.
We are loving that holiday bling, and we know that our customers will, too! Those earrings are the perfect way to make the holidays merry and bright this year! Thanks so much for taking us behind the scenes, Taylor. We are so thankful to have you as a maker at Mosaic Makers Collective!
Want to learn more about our makers or shop Taylor Custer Jewelry? Check out these additional resources:
- Visit our shop in the Bishop Arts District
- Shop Taylor Custer Jewelry online
- Go Behind the Scenes with more of our Mosaic Makers on the Blog