We were lucky to catch up with Katrina Miner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katrina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

A lot of what I have learned has come from trial and error. I have loved trying out new crafting styles my whole life, but it wasn’t until I was gifted a sewing machine for Christmas in 2020 that I truly became dedicated to learning. I was most motivated by my love of cosplay and the desire to create costumes. I started small, with items such as reusable kitchen towels and silly-looking teddy bears that were rough around the edges, to say the least. It was much the same when I started learning how to use a die-cutting machine. I started simple with cards, felt flowers, etc., and then slowly, over time, tried more challenging projects that required new skills. Of course, we live in a day and age with endless tutorials, free patterns, and other online resources to guide us, but sometimes, the best way to learn something is by doing it yourself.

I am a hands-on learner, so although I have learned a lot by trial and error, I could have sped up my learning process by taking more time to learn the basics of my machines. I have always been eager to just try and make it work. Sometimes, it takes me longer than I’d like to admit to struggling with something before I search for advice on how to fix it.

I believe some of the most essential skills for learning any craft are patience, motivation, and passion. There have been many times when I need to step away from a project because the material is not reacting as I thought it would, my sewing machine gets jammed, or something else goes wrong. Being patient with myself is a skill that I have had to work on over time. Getting so wrapped up and frustrated is easy when something unexpected happens. In those moments, you just have to take a deep breath and know when to take a break. This is why motivation and passion are so important as well. You have to love your craft to endure any potential setbacks you may have along the way.

No matter the setbacks I may face, my passion for crafting keeps me eager to continue developing my skills. I’ve found the biggest obstacle that tends to get in the way of learning more is simply time. Sometimes, the day seems to fly by while I’m crafting. “Time flies when you’re having fun”, right? Trying to juggle a day job, get ready for conventions, manage my online shop, and have a personal life can make it difficult to try new things. However, when I find the time to try something new, and it works, it is one of the best feelings!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Katrina Miner and I am the owner of Trina’s Trinket Trove, a small business based in Rochester, N.Y. My business specializes in handmade board game and TTRPG accessories, upcycled goods, pet accessories, bags, sustainable swaps, and more! Some items you can expect to find in my shop are dice trays with beautiful holographic designs, multi-page bookmarks perfect for keeping track of spells, leveling, etc. in your RPG books, inspiration tokens, dice bags, one-of-a-kind upcycled clothing made from thrifted items, sun catchers, cloth gift wrap that can be used year after year, stickers, and fabric badge reels. Many of my creations are inspired by my personal interests and hobbies, some of which include anime, gaming, Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, living a vegan lifestyle, and spending time with my cats.

I began to craft more frequently after receiving my sewing machine and die-cutting machine. I was making gifts for friends and family, and after a while, I was encouraged by those around me to begin selling my creations. Initially, I was hesitant and afraid that if I made a business out of the items I was creating, I would no longer enjoy making them. However, once my crafting space was running out of room for new creations, I decided to try adding some items to Etsy. I was so nervous at first and very shy about telling anyone I decided to open a shop. I was afraid of judgment or that my items were not good enough to sell. Thankfully, my family and friends are incredible supporters, and I made my first sale within the first few hours of opening my shop! The very first item I sold was a pink dice tray I made with a holographic moon and flowers. Sure, the person who bought the dice tray was my sister-in-law, but it was still a huge confidence boost! From there, I kept adding items I made and kept making more of the ones that sold. The most popular item still to this day are the dice trays.

Offering dice trays with whimsical designs such as mushrooms, moons, frogs, crystals, cats, etc., in holographic, gold, and silver foil designs helped set my items apart from the other TTRPG accessories you may find. I began by making accessories I would want to use but hadn’t seen available on the market. When I decided to sell my creations and the same style resonated with others, it made me really happy! I also offer custom work, which is one of my favorite things to do. Seeing a customer react to their vision come to life is so rewarding! I strive to encourage self-expression with my creations, so over time, I’ve grown my stock to have a huge variety of styles and colors. That’s not to mention all the other goodies I keep stocked in my shop, too! Whether you’re into gaming, unique accessories, slow fashion, or spoiling your pets, I have a little something for everyone in the Trove!

I am so proud of how far I have come since starting my small business 2 years ago. I began by only selling one or two items a month on my Etsy, and now I have over 400 online sales; I sell in-person at several markets, comic, and gaming conventions a year, and have had the opportunity to collaborate with other artists in the community. I know this is only the beginning, and I can’t wait to see how far I can go!

Have you ever had to pivot?

My background is in education, and before opening my small business, I was a preschool teacher living in Maryland. Like many of us, my job looked quite different once covid hit. I began teaching online, and although many teachers dreaded it, I felt as though I was thriving. I eventually needed to move back to Rochester but was able to keep my online teaching position due to the pandemic. Although it was not an easy adjustment, it was so rewarding to give my students an opportunity to learn and connect in a time that was dark and scary for many of us. I was given new opportunities through this position and was challenged in ways I could have never imagined. This only made it more rewarding to see my students smiling through the computer screen each day. The small team of us, who continued online after students began going back to school in person, worked hard to create a program that could reach the students who could not access education in a traditional sense.
Unfortunately, once the majority of students returned in person, it became difficult for the school to continue funding the program. Although I was happy students could return to a more familiar school setting, it was very hard for me when the program eventually shut down. I felt as though I really put everything I had into giving the children a great education, and I knew there were students out there benefitting from programs like ours.
At this time, I started crafting more; it brought me peace of mind. Although I would love to return to teaching one day, this was a pivotal moment in my life. I was pushed to take time for myself and think about what I wanted to do next. That’s when I decided to open Trina’s Trinket Trove, which has been incredibly fulfilling in new ways!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

In my opinion, the most valuable resource you can have is community. I’ve come across so many new opportunities just by talking to others. I recommend doing everything possible to talk to other artists at events, join Facebook groups, and follow other small businesses or creatives on social media. When I was ready to start selling my products in person, I really did not know where to start. I tried to search online for local craft shows and conventions, but it was difficult and overwhelming.
Now that I have a network of people and groups I am a part of; it is not uncommon for me to receive a message from someone in the community saying, “Hey, check out this event. I think you’d be great for it!” I am so grateful for my community, and it feels wonderful to return the favor and help others who may just be starting out. It’s so refreshing; everyone seems so happy to be doing what they’re doing and sharing knowledge with each other.
Most people I have met on my journey have been incredibly kind, and I have even made a few friends along the way!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://trinastrinkettrove.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinastrinkettrove/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095532721096
• Other: https://linktr.ee/trinastrinkettrove

  https://www.tiktok.com/@trinastrinkettrove