Meet Sarah Miller | Owner, Awkward Auntie

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

Hi Sarah, why did you pursue a creative career?
It took me a while to realize that if I’m not doing something creative with my hands, I’m not happy! Making and creating things make me happy, so in starting Awkward Auntie, I was able to find a way to share my happy with others.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I create home decor using cement as my medium. I hand dye my pieces and try to come up with methods during the pouring process that make each piece as unique as possible. It’s impossible to make the exact same piece, which was initially my biggest challenge but has turned into something I’m incredibly proud of. And I also think it’s become something that sets me apart, every piece is essentially one of a kind. Leaning in to the uniqueness of each item has led to me taking some risks and trying new things that have paid off. For example, in an effort to add more texture to my pieces, I stumbled upon a method that allowed me to add crystal accents to the tops of certain pieces. Crystal-accented pieces are now my best-sellers!

I’ve learned that everything can be spun into a win if you learned something.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh, I have my list of spots to take friends and family when they visit here, and they’re super cliche but worth it. I love walks around Town Lake and up to the top of Mt. Bonnell. For food options, we have to hit up some Tex-Mex spots (when I go home to NH, all I crave is Tex-Mex but it’s nowhere to be found) like Matt’s El Rancho and Gueros (the first restaurant I ever ate at in Austin) and then I love other places like Hop Doddy, Turf and Surf/Lavaca Street, Via 313. My dad said the pork chop at Perry’s was the best he’d ever had so that’s now on the list, too. I also like taking people to shops I love like Nina Berenato Jewelry (who was my first wholesale order) and markets, which are plentiful in Austin. Hitting up the east side so we can pop into different breweries is a definite must as well (there are so many awesome breweries in Austin, it’s hard to choose a favorite).

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?
I’m dedicating my shoutout to three people: my parents and my best friend Sharasa. All three of these people have been crucial to Awkward Auntie’s success and growth.

My parents have completely let me take over their home in NH. When I spend time there they allow me to keep creating and even buy pieces from me for their friends and work colleagues. I got my work ethic from them, and I don’t think they realize that when they comment on how hard I work that the only reason I’m that way is because I watched them work and hustle and struggle to make sure our family was taken care of.

Sharasa is probably my biggest cheerleader. She has been talking my pieces up from the jump. She believes in me more than I believe in myself. If you go to her home, my pieces are all over the place. I run almost everything by her, and even though there are some things we don’t agree on, she never stops encouraging me to grow and try new things.

Website: www.awkwardauntie.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awkwardauntie/

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