As a housewife, Dee Clayton, a resident of Kagman says that she designs and creates fashion jewelry including earrings, bracelets, necklaces and other trinkets as a mere hobby.
“I love jewelry. I love making and wearing them and I am always amazed when I find people like my designs and want to buy them,” Clayton told the Variety in an interview at her booth during the 30th Flame Tree Arts Festival last weekend.
She said that since she has been creating her own unique designs, she still cannot help but be happy when she sees someone else wearing her creations.
Clayton’s fashion jewelry and trinkets are very affordable, starting from $2 for a pair of attractive hand-made earrings, and up.
“In these hard economic times, it would be wise to keep your prices to a minimum. When you sell jewelry at expensive prices, people will not look at your products,” she said.
Clayton added that whenever she makes an off-island trip, she always buys jewelry from different stores, taking note of the latest designs and mentally making her own even before she comes out of a store.
She then buys the materials and assembles her own creation. Sometimes, Clayton said that she dismantles a ready-to-wear fashion jewelry she bought from elsewhere and reassembles them again following designs she has created in her head.
Expanding her artistic ability and creativity, Clayton ventured into t-shirt design and printing.
Her most saleable t-shirts are those that have the “Chamorro Pride” prints on the front, and ‘96950’ at the back on top of a latte stone figure.
Clayton said that she can alos create customized t-shirts using the client’s own color, size and print preference.
T-shirt prices range from #12 and up, depending on the size and complexity of the print.
“This is all a hobby and I’m enjoying. The money is a plus,” she said.
Clayton said she used to have a stall at one of the stores in Garapan before but now she is happy working at home, coming out to showcase her products only when there are big events such as the Flame Tree Arts Festival, Liberation Day celebration, and other occasions.
She said that friends and neighbors who know where she lives often drop by to see through her latest creations.
“Sometimes, people would invite me to their parties and ask me to bring my latest designs, or a catalogue where I keep a file of my creations and we would be having something like a jewelry party. It’s not only fun but I also earn from it,” she said.
Check out Clayton’s fashion jewelry designs and wear something locally made. For inquiries, call 788-9720.{jcomments off}
