A little side hobby as a jewellery designer! @izabludesigns

Dear Diary,

I am Cynthia Carpenter and I am a jewellery designer based in Baltimore, Maryland.

I grew my following on social media by boosting my posts on Instagram. It gave me a massive increase in followers. Waiting to hit 10k then I’ll ease up a bit on boosts.

I started monetizing my work by opening an Etsy shop. I made an Instagram account and also sold through there. I despise spending time managing my shop. I had to learn about Etsy, and also about SEO. I would much rather spend my time creating in my studio. Though, being able to create listings on my phone instead of on my computer was a HUGE timesaver. It’s so much easier to create via the Etsy app on my iPhone as opposed to my laptop. 

@izabludesigns (2022)I was a bit overwhelmed with the response for these Sacred Heart Pendants... [Instagram]. Available at:https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc1EAQBOFQC/?img_index=1 (Accessed: 3 July 2025).

Do I feel pressured to follow trends on social media? No, nay, never. I start trends, not follow. In regard to jewellery, everything has been done. You just have to create your own version. Trends are constantly evolving; and they’re as fickle as the weather.

Lastly, the most important  piece of advice is something I am trying to achieve myself: establishing your brand/image early on. It should be as unique as your fingerprint. You want a product that is recognizable as yours. THAT is a major challenge for me because my style is so diverse, I feel like I need to develop more cohesiveness in my work. I don’t like restraints so it is my nature to rebel against limiting my stylistic creativity. But, for the sake of appearing as a more “serious” artist — I may try a few collections that feature several pieces with the same “theme” or type of stone ie. all turquoise, amethyst, moonstone, etc. 

I see several jewellery accounts that use only sterling and turquoise with a south western flair, whereas some artists are strictly sea glass or botanical. Mine is a bit of everything. I ask myself if I can continue to get away with that, but I constantly feel the push toward cohesiveness.

That’s all for now,

Cynthia

Featured image: @izabludesigns (2023)I’ve been hoarding these gorgeous Kazakhstan beauties from @bleuegemcollective.turquoise for a few years... [Instagram]. Available at:https://www.instagram.com/p/CovXzmYOiIt/?img_index=1 (Accessed: 3 July 2025).