This past year was my first full one creating polymer clay earrings, and I cannot believe how much happened. I learned such an incredible amount, like what styles work, how to be more efficient with my time, how to optimize craft shows, and so, so, so much more! Now that itās 2023, I can look back on 2022 and chronicle the calendar through my favorite polymer clay earrings from the year!
These are my top-10 favorite polymer clay earrings from 2022, but theyāre not in any order. Itās hard enough to narrow the list down to 10, donāt make me rank them any further! I donāt want to hurt any of their feelings. Theyāre all great in their own special ways, but Iām willing to admit that these 10 are extra special to me, all for their own unique reasons.
My 10 Favorite Polymer Clay Earrings From 2022!
The Teapot
It would be impossible to review 2022 without mentioning The Teapot!
Iāve been a huge fan of The Office for a handful of years now, and so when I discovered The Office Ladies podcast in 2020, I instantly became a listener. I had an idea: to make personalized polymer clay earrings for Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, the hosts of the podcast and two of the stars of the show, in hopes that they enjoy them. In June 2022, I shipped them out and anxiously awaited any response.
It took months, because it took them years to look at their mailroom after the pandemic hit, but finally in September, it happened. Fischer and Kinsey found my earrings, and among all the many things fans had sent them since the spring of 2020, they chose to feature my earrings multiple times on their social media pages! It brought me attention, some sales, but most importantly, some amazing validation that Iām on the right path.
The Teapot earrings are one of the designs I sent to them, and Iām so proud of what they are. I think theyāre a must-have for any fellow lover of The Office, and Iām so happy to be the artist behind them!
Fleur
Delicate, traditional, and elegant, I am in love with my Fleur earrings! Iāve made them in a variety of colors and even found a way to get some glitter and gold flakes involved to turn these into something even more.
Thereās just something about the shapes of these that Iām drawn to. I think the best way I can put it is, they make a statement without saying much.
Gatsby
These are one of my favorites for the same reason as the Fleurs. My Gatsby clay earrings earned their name because they remind me so much of The Great Gatsby, the Roaring ā20s, and times past.
Thereās something charming about these earrings the same way gothic architecture or striped suits evoke a nostalgia for an era that most of the people alive today never even lived through. But even though my birth was still generations away at the time when these Gatsbys would have been all the rage, I canāt help but feel a sense of attachment to those days whenever I wear my pair.
Mermaid Hollow
I was so excited when I came up with this design but wasnāt entirely sure if I would be able to pull it off. Then I saw the final product, and I was instantly in love.
My Mermaid Hollow earrings combine translucency and class, and they make me feel so beautiful whenever I have them in. If I wear my hair up on a sunny summer day, the light bounces off of them so nicely, and it makes the delicate pearl dangling in the middle appear as though itās floating in mid-air.
Mermaid Hollow is undoubtedly one of my favorite polymer clay earrings from 2022, and Iām so honored to be able to share them with you!
Samantha
I have to choose these ones - theyāre named after me, after all!
But I gave them this name on purpose. The Samantha clay earrings took an incredible amount of time to plan, create, and pull off with great effect, just like Red Leaves Studio, and just like everything worthwhile in life. The intricacies of the succulents, roses, and flowers found on a pair of these earrings are painstaking to handmake, but itās so, so worth it every time. Every time I make a pair of these, I feel an immense amount of pride in my work and gratitude for the talent Iām fortunate enough to possess. Hereās to many more years of Samantha!
Pearl Ocean Long Dangles
These make me feel like Iām floating in the middle of the ocean, watching the sunlight dance along the surface of the calm waters. Blue, green, silver-white, and even purple can be found in my Pearl Ocean Long Dangles, and every bit of color is brought to attention when these are exposed to light. The hanging drops represent water as well - these earrings are all about a soothing, ocean aesthetic. Everything about them screams, āsplash!ā
Haunted House
These are some of the most intricate pieces Iāve ever created.
It took a lot of meticulous work to put these Haunted House polymer clay earrings together, and Iām so proud of the result! Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Halloween, and these earrings capture everything I love about the holiday. The mood is a bit spooky but not too over the top, the starry night sky looms overhead, and of course, thereās a pumpkin. These earrings werenāt made for the month of October - the month of October was made for them!
I also gifted a pair of these to my mother for Christmas, because I knew they were her favorites as soon as she laid eyes on them. They have to be included in my top 10 earrings of 2022 for her, if nothing else.
Monarch Butterfly
Butterflies are simply beautiful, and thereās none more renowned for its aesthetics than the monarch. Iāve made many variations of butterfly clay earrings before, but nothing speaks to me like these do.
My Monarch Butterfly earrings are a spring staple for me. Few things make me feel like weāve climbed out of the misery of winter like these dangling from my ears, reminding me every time I see myself in a mirror that the sun is once again beginning to shine. And when I actually see a monarch butterfly while Iām wearing my Monarch Butterfly earrings? How could it get better than that?
Sweater Weather Knit Circles
I know I just said some bad things about winter, and I did mean them, but you can find positives out of anything in life. Even winter has some good things about it, like snuggling up in a cozy spot and enjoying the warmth while you watch the cold from your window. These Sweater Weather Knit Circles are that moment to a tee, wrapping your ears up with all the comfort and coziness that your actual sweater provides you during the colder months.
Winter sucks, and Iām not ashamed to say it. But you know what makes it at least a little bit more tolerable? My Sweater Whether Knit Circles.
Blue Marble Double Fleur
Can you tell I like the fleur shape?
Thereās something about this shape that speaks to me. Itās classic, clean, and polite. So I thought, what would happen if I stacked them on top of each other and added a marble pattern? The result: love.
I think my Blue Marble Double Fleur clay earrings are some of my best. Dazzling is the best word I can use to describe them. A mix of colors, a resin shine, and a beautiful shape - Iām always thrilled to wear my pair, especially for more formal occasions. They provide me with a little boost of confidence that lets me smile easier and communicate better in environments I maybe wouldnāt otherwise thrive in. I think they can do the same for others, too!
ļ»æEdited by Justin Meyer.