We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Judy Byer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Judy below.
Hi Judy, 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.
I purchased my first resin kit at the beginning of 2021, following my husband’s suggestion to give it a try. I began with several pours into different molds and watched numerous online tutorials on item creation. It involved much trial and error, mastering various techniques, and establishing a system that suited me. Eventually, after extensive use of molds, I ventured into pouring over wood, which I found delightfully diverse. I crafted my own wooden shapes—turtles, dolphins, and seahorses—and delved into experimenting with a broader range of colors and patterns. This led me to explore ocean techniques, which seemed simple in videos but were quite the opposite in reality. I dedicated countless hours to perfecting the art of creating lacing and achieving that elusive, frothy wave appearance. I’ve come to believe that there’s no shortcut to learning resin pouring; it’s all about experimenting and understanding the resin’s behavior. Patience, organization, and consistency in your actions are key elements to achieving a successful pour.
Judy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve always taken pleasure in crafting, from quilting and crocheting to sewing, working with cement, and now resin pouring. My creations were usually gifts for friends and family. Encouraged by friends who believed my work was marketable, I decided to try selling my creations at a craft fair. This decision was also practical, as I was accumulating many finished items and needed to make room to continue my hobby.
Resin’s versatility is what captivates me; it allows for a wide range of creations. I’ve crafted everything from coasters and keychains to gift tags, wall art, and refurbished tables. The positive reactions from customers never cease to amaze me, and they truly value the nature-inspired pieces I create, drawing inspiration from both land and water. I’ve incorporated dried local flowers into tables and wall art, and also designed water-themed pieces. A bestseller of mine is ornaments made from tree branches in my backyard. I cut the branches into disks, dry them, sand them down, adorn them with a resin wave, and then drill a hole to attach jute for hanging. I must admit, my fondness for warm weather and beaches makes crafting wave-themed items particularly fulfilling for me.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
There are certain aspects that non-creatives may not consider. One is the journey to reach a point where you deem your creations worthy of sale. When crafting, I think about whether I would be satisfied as the buyer of this item—is it of high quality, is the pricing fair, will it endure over time, does it bring me joy? There are many steps involved in creating an item from the initial pouring to presentation or packaging, pricing and finally to deciding how you will market them.
Another aspect for non-creatives to grasp is the time invested in honing your craft to perfection. Achieving the confidence to sell your products involves extensive trial and error. This process includes a significant investment in materials, time, experimentation, frustration, learning, and inevitably, creating products that are flawed or fail entirely. In my workshop, there are numerous items I’m dissatisfied with; some have been discarded, while others await further refinement. Working with resin, in particular, presents challenges due to its rapid curing time, leading to instances of flash curing or incomplete mixes that result in a blemished finish, or discovering trapped hairs or bubbles after several hours. Maintaining a positive attitude and persevering is the best advice, as there will always be some outcomes that please you more than others, and that’s completely acceptable.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
This is a side hobby for me and I have found that participating in local markets has been by far the best source of new clients. Bringing my products to various craft markets gives folks the opportunity to see the products in person so they can truly see the colours and finishes of the resin and see how different lighting can show the depth of the colours or the shimmer and shine (something that is hard to capture in a picture). By talking with people, explaining the process of how items are created and letting them know I am the person who created the item, all are very important in gaining new clients and repeat clients.
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