Rising Stars: Meet Bridget Hale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bridget Hale. 

Hi Bridget, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My love of clay started when I was in high school. I went to Lakota East High School, in Liberty Township, Ohio, and while I was there, I took a ceramics course for 3 years. Working with clay was my favorite part of my whole day, and I still have so many happy memories from that class. However, when I graduated, I went to Bowling Green for Early Childhood Education, and I didn’t have a way to continue working with clay anymore, so I had to let it go. In 2018, I was on my Snapchat with a college friend, and she had these amazing earrings. I asked her where she got them, and she said that her friend made them out of polymer clay. I had never heard of it before! I kept that little nugget in the back of my mind for almost two more years. It wasn’t until 2020 that I finally decided to give it a try. I began attending therapy virtually during 2020 in order to address my anxiety. A central theme that we kept circling back to was that I didn’t have any hobbies, and I didn’t have anywhere to channel my energy besides into my teaching job or into our apartment. I was afraid to start, and I made excuses for a few months about why I couldn’t try it out. 

Over Winter break, I found myself feeling restless. In true “Bridget” fashion, I decided impulsively to set out on my mission to buy all of the supplies I needed and to just jump in. I had no idea what I was doing! I watched a few YouTube videos to get a little bit of an idea of what I would need, and I bought a few blocks of (what I now know to be) terrible clay! I got some cheap jump rings and earring stud backs from a craft store, and I bought a knife because I literally didn’t even think to buy cutters! I sat down, and I made the world’s ugliest pair of earrings. But I literally loved them! I didn’t know what I didn’t know! I was super proud of them, and I wore them to dinner with my mom that night, which is hilarious to even think about now. 

As bad as those were, I will always keep them to remind myself where I started. Because after that first pair, I started trying out more techniques. I finally got myself some basic cutters, and I invested in some nicer clay. Within a week, I had a few people offering to buy some pairs that I had posted on my Snapchat and Instagram, and on January 1st, 2021, I shipped out my first 7 pairs. I was immediately excited and hopeful for this new hobby, and I started my Instagram page, “Clay by Bridget,” in the first week of 2021. 

I began selling earrings exclusively in my stories and from posting on Facebook. By February, I had sold almost 100 pairs! I knew that I needed to make things “legal”, and I set up my Etsy page that month in order to more effectively list and sell what I was making. I was so shocked and humbled by the support I was getting from my friends and family, and my Instagram slowly grew. My goal for the end of 2021 was to hit 1,000 followers, and thanks to a few lucky reels, I was able to do it! As I’m writing this, my page currently has over 18,000 followers from all over the world. I have shipped to Japan, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and 44 of the 50 states (my last 6 states are Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont). I have made so many friends through my page, and I have found my artistic voice again. I enjoy every step of the creative process from start to finish, and it has never felt like “work,” even though it has supplemented my teaching income and given me financial freedom in my life. As cliché as it sounds, Clay by Bridget has changed my life. It has given me a hobby, a passion, and a stable backup income. I am always so excited to come up with new ideas, and I am honored when people wear my art for special occasions like baby showers, family portraits, and even their wedding day. It’s even so special that people wake up on a normal day, get dressed, and choose something that I made with *my* hands to complete their look. It’s an indescribable feeling! 

Since starting this business, I have “graduated” from therapy, and I have finally found a hobby that checks every box in my life. I’m so excited for what the future holds, and I am humbled every day that so many people want to be along for the journey! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Truly, this business has brought me nothing but peace! I decide the next steps, I call all of the shots, and I choose for myself where to go with it. I told myself from the very beginning- the purpose of this hobby is to bring peace and happiness to my life. If it starts to feel stressful or like work, then I am not honoring the commitment that I made to myself. Sometimes I do get overwhelmed, and my husband is always right there to remind me why I started, and that I am in control. Like with anything, if I see a new technique I want to try, I don’t always get it right away. I have to practice and find my own way. I have to watch videos on color theory in order to try to mix color pallets that I see in my head. I have to search the internet for findings and charms, and new cutters that fit my style. But I love it! It’s like shopping, but I don’t have to feel guilty because it’s an investment! 

Honestly, the most stressful part as of late has been starting my own website! The fees of Etsy have grown exponentially, and with the amount of pairs I sell, it makes financial sense to start my own site…I’m just in over my head with that project! But it will all be worth it in the end! I try to enjoy every step of the process, and I remind myself that, like my students, I am a lifelong learner in this life, and every day is a chance to learn something new. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
All of my earrings are handmade from start to finish. I start with ordinary blocks of clay, and I mix my own colors. I try to always create my own color recipes so that my art is different, and I pride myself in making jewelry that is high quality. All of the materials that I work with are hypoallergenic so that they can be worn and enjoyed by all. I take pride in that I can work very quickly. I have very steady hands, and I can complete intricate designs in short periods of time. When I’m feeling really inspired, I can crank out a whole collection of earrings with 30+ styles in just a few days. But this speed and precision has developed with hours of practice! I would say that most of my earrings are basic, everyday styles. I love symmetry and geometric shapes. I love incorporating nature, such as seashells or Fall leaves into my earrings as a way to celebrate the changing seasons. I want my earrings to make you smile when you put them on, so they can bring a little bit of joy to your life like they have brought to mine. 

I think what truly sets me apart from other shops is my passion for developing relationships with my customers. I hand-write a personal note to every single person who buys from me, which means I have sent over 1,000 notes at this point! I never want people to see me as a “brand” or a “store.” When you buy from me, I want you to know how much it means to me, and I will always take the time to do this, no matter how many orders I get. 

What do you think about happiness?
I feel excited every step of the way. I love finding new clay at the store. I love mixing up a new color that I’ve never seen before and wanting to make a million things with it. I get excited about new cutters and shapes, stencils, and textures. When I come up with a color palette or a design that I love, I literally want to share it on my Instagram immediately so that I can share my excitement with others. Sometimes I’ll just be sitting in my clay room working, and KC (my husband) will come check on me, and I’m literally just smiling. This hobby gives me everything. I feel fulfilled creatively, and I get affirmed through comments/likes/shares/saves on social media. I have learned to take pride in myself in my work and to ignore the negativity (#nobadvibes). I have learned to be myself and that my people will find me. 

But overall, what makes me the happiest is that people want to wear my art while they live their lives. They’re hugging their babies while wearing my earrings. They’re getting married in my earrings. They’re taking family pictures in my earrings. They’re waking up on an ordinary Tuesday and deciding that in order to complete their look, they want to wear my art out of every other choice they could have made. When I walk into the teacher’s lounge at my school, and all of the ladies are wearing Clay by Bridget, it literally makes my whole day. This business brings me so much joy, and when you wear my earrings, it makes me so happy to know that it’s brightening your day too. 

Pricing:

• Typically prices range from $10-$35

Contact Info:

• Website: www.claybybridget.com
• Instagram: @ClaybyBridget
• Facebook: @ClaybyBridget
• Other: Etsy.com/shop/ClaybyBridget