Pleasanton Teen Maker Crafts Earrings Between Virtual Classes

PLEASANTON, CA — Emily Hughes, 13, got sick of the way bulky, dangling earrings weighed on her ears.

So the Pleasanton Middle School honor roll student began to craft her own over the summer. By the fall, she had started her own business: Poppy Petal Designs.

Hughes fits her crafting time around Zoom schedules and works hard to maintain her grades, despite the demands of her business, she said.

Hughes said she sells polymer clay earrings with accents such as metal and tassel to make the bold, geometric designs pop. Her wares include studs with intricate details such as penguins, hanging plants, reindeer and winter beanies. She sells her earrings through Etsy and Instagram.

Starting her business was difficult, Hughes said. But she encourages other youth makers to give it a go.

View her shop on Etsy.