“I make 6 figures a year selling hand-painted ornaments!”
“When my 15-year position as an office manager at a radio station was eliminated, I needed to find a way to make money. I had a side hustle selling refurbished furniture and handpainted ornaments, and I thought it would be a great time to grow the business. One hot summer day, I attended an art show, and in addition to the furniture, my husband accidentally put the ornaments out too—they sold out in an hour! I realized selling only the ornaments was the way to go, and so I started Thelma L. Hamilton Designs (ThelmaLHamilton.com).
“I create personalized ornaments for new babies, grandparents, wedding gifts and wedding keepsakes. Every single one is hand-painted and personalized with names, dates and colors. My wedding gift set, which has three ornaments embellished with genuine Swarovski crystals and is packaged in a white box, is my number-one seller. While it’s a year-round business, November and December is an extremely busy time of year.
“I sell the ornaments for about
$35 and up on my website, Etsy, Amazon Handmade, to gift shops and at craft fairs—which account for about 50% of sales. I make six figures a year, which helps pay for home improvements and is invested for the future. The best part? I get to celebrate Christmas all year long!”