We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amber Miller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amber below.

Hi Amber, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

It was a simple Christmas present that was given to me years ago by my cousin, multiple wooden pendants to make resin necklaces. I started off learning how to make resin jewelry from the little tutorial card that came with the wooden pendants. For the first few weeks, it was trial and error. From then on, YouTube and Facebook groups are what really helped me learn how to properly use resin and make resin jewelry.
If I would have watched YouTube videos and joined Facebook groups to begin my journey, I would have already been ahead of the game. It would have helped me learn so much quicker than I did.

The most essential skills for me throughout this whole process was learning to give myself more grace. I have always been very hard on myself. The phrase, “You are your worst enemy” couldn’t ring more true. I crave to be the best at what I do and when a piece of my art would not turn out as I wanted, I would shut down. I wouldn’t work on my craft for days. It was, as if, I forgot that I am human and I make mistakes just as everyone else on this planet. Throughout time and multiple pep talks with myself, I started adjusting my perspective on my mistakes. An art piece doesn’t turn out as I want it? Great, now is a perfect time to learn more on YouTube or Facebook groups on how to get it right next time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Amber and I was born and raised in a small town in Michigan. My home base now is in Utah where my passion for creating resin jewelry began. It all started with a gift that was shipped to me from my cousin back in Michigan. She mailed me wooden pendants to make resin necklaces. I didn’t really know what resin art was until I received that gift. There was a little tutorial card that came with the pendants for using resin and flowers to make multiple cute dainty pendants. It took me months before I decided to give that tutorial a try. One day, I decided to put a piece of a flower in the wooden pendants and cover the flower in resin, but I didn’t stir the components of resin together long enough or slow enough for that matter. If you don’t stir the resin components long enough, it can look cloudy or stringy. If you don’t stir the resin components slow enough, you are left with numerous bubbles in your art work. Well, the pendants turned out stringy with numerous bubbles on and around the pieces of the flower. They looked hideous, so I threw them all away. I kind of wish I kept one, just to see how much progress I have made over time.

In 2021, I started seeing progress on my jewelry work and that is when I made my Business Instagram Account. I put myself out there by selling my necklaces through my Instagram account just to see if I could really do this. Within the first few days of putting the resin necklaces on my Instagram account, they sold out. Of course, it was from people that I already knew, but it didn’t matter to me, because I made my first sales ever.

In 2022, I did my first market and continued to do multiple markets throughout that year. Some markets were successful, some not so much, but it was great practice for me. I also opened my Etsy shop that year. I didn’t have much faith in that shop to begin with, but once I started making sales, it made life feel so surreal! Whether it was markets or my Etsy shop, to have a stranger take home a item handmade by yourself hits differently. I was very intimated on doing all of these things in 2022, but I wouldn’t regret any of it. It made me realize that if other people could be successful doing something they love, then so can I!

When I first started my resin jewelry, I only made necklaces. As time has gone by, I have dove more into making more resin earrings, bracelets, keychains, trays, and even custom orders. I believe every resin artist is unique in their own way and that is what sets us all apart from each other in our work. When you work with resin, just like other mediums, there are numerous ways to make your art different from others or stand out which is why it is so wonderful!

I am most proud of my progress on this resin journey. I really fell in love with doing resin art and that makes it all the more enjoyable! I have expanded my knowledge so much from my first time working with resin and to look back on that is astonishing to me! I can’t wait to see how much more I can learn by doing this craft and hopefully inspire others to not give up on their craft.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It is hard for me to pick just one most rewarding aspect of being a resin artist. One of the most rewarding aspect of being a resin artist is taking the art piece/ jewelry to the finish line. Even though my favorite part of the process is the ending where I de-mold the piece, seeing everything come all together every step of the way, just makes me realize how much time and passion I do put into each piece.

Another rewarding aspect of being a resin artist is connecting with other artists. Becoming a resin artist has made me appreciative of another artist’s work. It is very intriguing for me to hear their story and how they started in their craft and where it all derives from their life.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I would love for my resin journey to turn into my full time job one day, however, I am soaking in these moments of me relishing in creating resin jewelry as a side hustle for now.

Contact Info:

• Website: Themorningglowstudio.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/themorningglowstudio?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=