Santaquin Woman's Business Expands from Community to Global Market

Sara Olson, owner of White Blossom, with over ninety pairs of her beautiful handmade earrings she sells in the community and, now, in markets abroad. Read the complete story in this week's edition of The Payson Chronicle.

A talent for designing comfortably light and fashionably pretty has led to the start of a home-based business for a Santaquin woman. Sara Olson’s sharp sense of style and skill for creating it have resulted in the creation of an enviable stock of earrings, which she now offers for sale locally as well as internationally, through boutiques both locally and on an international scale online. She has named her business White Blossom, a name that suits the lovely collection she fashions by hand.

“I just wanted to make earrings--I love earrings,” Sara said, explaining her initial step leading toward her new business. “It’s something that I wanted to do.”

Sara began designing pieces in her home that matched her impressive style and desire for wearable designs. “I love big earrings, and I like that these are lightweight,” she explained, “so I can wear the big [styles] and they don’t hurt my ears.”  After searching, she found a small style that was perfect for her as she began to venture into earring design.

Her earrings caught the attention of friends and drew compliments that encouraged her to expand her collection and their market.   “When I made my first couple of batches--[in] different colors--I started getting a lot of interest, got a lot of people who were wanting me to make them some earrings. So I would sell them and take that money and buy more, and it kind of just got big.”

And as interest grew, so too grew Sara’s wish to create an even better pair.

She bought a stock of copper pieces in November and scoured Youtube videos, gleaning information from jewelers and artisans on materials and techniques.  She discovered patina paint to be ideal for metal and began using it to hand paint her pieces.  “[Patina paint is] made for metal,” she said. “It’s not like an acrylic paint that’s going to wash off. I just knew that, once I was going to do this, I was going to do it the right way.”

Selling her hand-designed earrings publicly came last fall, when Sara set up a booth that brought her work to local customers at a boutique held in Santaquin.  The result offered even greater encouragement for her to expand the new business.

As a professional hairstylist with an in-home salon, she started selling her earrings there to clients and friends in the neighborhood.  She has also started making them available for sale through home parties, offering earring incentives to hosts who wish to sell as well as own a pair or two themselves.

Shifting the business online began with the snap of a few photos, as well as a few more sales through Facebook, an internet social network.  And Sara’s friend, Jamie Robbins, added some of her earrings to the collections of gifts available for sale through her online shop, Mountain Daisy.

Expanding the market even further a few weeks ago, Sara opened her own space on Etsy, an online marketplace that brings together sellers and buyers of handcrafted and vintage goods.  She started by posting thirty-five styles, some of which can be ordered in one of numerous colors, and others made to order by desired length.  Preparation for this venture would take over twenty hours, according to Sara.

Selling online has its share of benefits, as well as challenges, she adds.  “You have a bigger audience,” she said, “but you also have a lot more people you are competing against.” Standing out in the crowd on Etsy, for instance, called for a modification in her business’s name.  She added the number 13 to the end of the title, to avoid being mistaken for one of the other White Blossoms online.

But in spite of the competition, her earrings are selling.  Her first Etsy sale was made a week and a half ago, “And I was so excited!”  The order was made by someone in Georgia, to whom Sara soon shipped earrings made from her Utah County home.

“That was kind of fun,” Sara said, smiling deeply.  It was a promising event at the start of a business venture, crafted by the hands of a creative local woman.    

Check out the lovely, stylish designs that make up White Blossom for yourself.  Online, they can be found at mountain-daisy.com, or on Etsy by running a search for WhiteBlossom13.  Sara’s earrings are on display in her hair salon at home, and they promise to appear at other locations as her business continues to expand.  To bring the handmade jewelry made in-home to your home, schedule a party by calling Sara at 801-494-9040.

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