Looking for unique, eye-catching earrings that won’t weigh you down or make your ears sore after a long day at the office? Dew You Boutique offers customers handmade clay earrings of all shapes, colors, and sizes to suit every style and spruce up all wardrobes. What started as a crafty way of relieving anxiety and stress throughout the COVID-19 pandemic turned into a profitable passion for owner Elisabeth Patterson. As a mother with a full-time desk job, Elisabeth makes time in her busy schedule to create new inventory to sell, frequently staying up until the early hours of the morning. Since spring 2020, Elisabeth has been perfecting the art of clay jewelry making, and reflects fondly upon her first few batches of clay earrings she made while learning the ropes.
“I actually still own them,” laughs Elisabeth. “They are not the prettiest, but I am still proud of them because it shows how far I have come.”
With years of experience now under her belt, Elisabeth has gained an impressive social media following on Instagram, where much of her business takes place. Local salon and boutique owners frequently reach out to Elisabeth for customized items to sell in their shops, and Elisabeth’s followers are able to see the wizard behind the curtain of creating clay earrings. She has even had the pleasure of creating custom pieces for bridal parties as well.
“I chose to focus on earrings because I truly believe no outfit is complete without them,” Elisabeth explains. “What’s great about clay is that no matter how large the earrings are, they’re so lightweight that you’ll forget you’re wearing them.”
Another benefit of the clay earrings at Dew You Boutique is their hypoallergenic hardware, making them a solid choice for those with sensitive skin. Elisabeth works solely with polymer clay and utilizes a pasta machine to flatten the clay before it is baked to harden. Surprisingly, like many other industries, clay production has suffered throughout the pandemic, making supplies few and far between. Elisabeth is on top of knowing where to shop to find the colors of clay she needs, and it is not unusual for her to wake up at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m.to be one of the first customers to hit “add to cart” when a supplier restocks its online store with some of the most coveted clay colors.
Until recently, Elisabeth and her best friend ran the boutique together, but a change in career paths left Elisabeth as the sole operator of Dew You Boutique. Although she juggles a packed schedule as a full-time employee, mother, and Dew You Boutique team of one, she considers the boutique to be her brainchild and thrives when she can be creative. Aside from working with her hands to craft beautiful creations for customers, she relishes seeing customers happy with their purchases and feeling beautiful with the help of her earrings.
Because social media is imperative in marketing a small business, Elisabeth also had to learn the ins and outs of marketing and social media. Throughout researching various social media platform algorithms and learning how to engage social media users through consistency and trial and error, Elisabeth has found that she has a knack for marketing and producing online content. As a critical thinker, she is able to reach her target demographic through visual storytelling on Instagram, allowing her to show her newest earring designs, behind-the-scenes of her earring-making process, and the versatility of Dew You Boutique as a brand.
Elisabeth’s advice to those with an entrepreneurial wild hair themselves? “Be consistent,” she says. “You need to make your business a priority and be willing to do whatever it takes to make it succeed.”
Although Elisabeth strives to one day open up a storefront to sell her products, customers can find Dew You Boutique earrings, jewelry, and phone grips in local salons and boutiques such as Evelyn Rose Boutique, and formerly in URBN Grl. Elisabeth often participates in pop-up shops and markets, where she has had the opportunity to connect with fellow business owners throughout the greater Winston-Salem area. Soon, earring enthusiasts can also be on the lookout for Dew You Boutique’s merchandise in local hotspots such as The Humble Bee Shoppe and The Board Babe Charcuterie Café. Being surrounded by supportive community members and business owners has made Elisabeth’s transition into the world of owning a small business much smoother, and she looks forward to collaborating with others in the community as her brand continues to grow.
To shop all things Dew You Boutique, visit www.dewyouboutique.com, or direct message @dewyouboutique on Instagram for all business-related inquiries. Check out Dew You Boutique on Facebook, and email dewyouboutique@gmail.com to learn more about Elisabeth and the brand.
