Mara’s Handmade Jewelry
Mara Davis’ love of jewelry-making began when she was gifted a jewelry-making kit. She shared her creations with her family who encouraged her and suggested that she sell her jewelry. Acting on her family’s encouragement, Mara’s Handmade Jewelry business formally launched in June 2022 on Instagram (a photo and video-sharing social media platform). The fourteen-year-old from Algona hand creates earrings and
accessory jewelry pieces. Mara’s jewelry-making process entails selecting
beads, gems, stones, or other materials, along with wire and hooks, and then forming a design and using tools such as wire cutters and jewelry pliers to finish each handcrafted piece. Every pair of earrings is unique.
The designs are inspired by Mara’s imagination and creativity, as well as ideas she gleans online or from costume jewelry. If you have an idea in mind, Mara can create a custom-designed pair to personally suit your style. Or, if you have broken jewelry pieces, Mara can reuse the salvaged
materials to repurpose into a newly custom-designed piece.
Mara’s family wholeheartedly supports her business endeavor. Sister Malyn helps Mara market the jewelry and post it online for sale. Mara’s parents helped her financially to purchase start-up supplies and they continue to support her business. When Mara’s sister, Morgan VanZante, got married this summer, each of the bridal attendants wore Mara’s hand-made earrings.
Mara has learned a lot about product costs and pricing, as well as marketing. Initially, she sold only online through Instagram, but she has added a Facebook page to broaden her audience. She displayed and sold her jewelry by participating in the Tietz Entrepreneurial Center’s Youth Entrepreneur Showcase at the Kossuth County Fair this past August. The Showcase was Mara’s first face-to-face selling experience. After being a bit apprehensive and shy the first day, Mara enjoyed meeting people and telling them about her creations, and she appreciated the opportunity to broaden the awareness of Mara’s Handmade Jewelry to the community
and beyond.
Not only is she an artistic teenpreneur, but Mara is also an athletically talented young lady. She is an active Algona Middle School student involved in cross-country, wrestling and track. Last year Mara earned sixth place at the AAU State Wrestling Championship. Recently, she crossed the finish line of the 2022 Tornado Alley Run as the champion of her age division, and she placed runner-up at the middle school state cross-country meet.
Mara sees a bright future ahead for her business. She hopes to add new designs and other jewelry accessories. You may see and shop Mara’s Handmade Jewelry online via Instagram and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MarasHandmadeJewelry.
