Meet Donna Coontz | Handmade Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Donna Coontz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donna, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always loved jewelry, especially pieces that you could wear every day. That’s how I came up with the name “Gems For Everyday .” I started making pieces that would go with outfits that I had and would get lots of complements from strangers who said I should sell my jewelry. So I thought I would give it a shot.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a self-taught jewelry maker and designer using sterling silver, semi-precious gemstones and gold-filled pieces. I design, create, photograph, post to social media, package and ship everything myself. I started about 10 years ago fixing broken pieces of my own jewelry that I had bought. Back then you had to buy jewelry-making books at craft stores and learn from that. I’ve also had some in person how-to lessons from jewelry artists over the years. Now I’ll watch jewelry making YouTube videos to perfect a technique if I run into a problem. I’m also a perfectionist and sometimes it’ll take several attempts to complete a design that I’m happy with. Having an Etsy Shop allows me to work at my own pace that fits my lifestyle. You’re your own boss which I like a lot.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many new places to go to in this area. I would bring them to Waterside, Clearfork and Magnolia Street areas where there are so many places to eat and shop. Or for a little bit of nostalgia I’d take them to the famous Stockyards to watch the cattle drive. Also I like wondering around Sundance square too especially if there’s an arts festival going on. I’d try to fit in some outdoor things like the botanical gardens, Japanese gardens and even maybe the zoo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My biggest support and encouragement comes from my family. They’re my sounding board especially my daughters. They’re the ones that pushed me to start looking into selling my jewelry.

Website: https://etsy.me/3ihbkEt

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gemsforeveryday

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gemsforeveryday/