Just inside the Milk & Honey Coffee Co. entrance is a vibrant display of Clay Like Me handmade earrings. Artist Evelyn Rocha spent the past four years honing her craft to produce her in-demand pieces. Fans flock to the online launches of her latest designs.
Topeka City Lifestyle talked with Rocha about how her faith and family inspired her journey.
Q: Have you always been an artistic person?
A: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a child, I loved doodling and drawing. When I was fifteen, my family moved to Mexico, where I got into jewelry making with beads. My mom and I made bracelets, and I taught myself to make gold-filled and silver-braided rings. I learned by watching other people at the place where I got my supplies. We started selling our creations. I've always had that artistic side, even in my teens.
Q: What inspired you to start making earrings?
A: I am from California, and my husband and I moved to Topeka about five to six years before I started Clay Like Me. For five years, my husband had to work two jobs to earn the equivalent of what he was making in California to make ends meet. It was hard having my husband gone because I consider him my best friend. It was really, really hard.
During this time, I prayed for an opportunity to work from home so he could give up the second job, especially since I started homeschooling when COVID-19 began. I bought some clay from Joanna's one evening, and it sat unused in my hutch for like three months. After praying one night, I felt that still small voice of God say, "I already gave you what to do, and it's just been sitting there."
I thought, oh my gosh. The clay! Using my kids' toy roller, I began rolling out the clay and watched YouTube videos to teach myself the process. As time went on, my skills improved significantly, thanks to an $80 Italian pasta machine that God led me to at God's Storehouse for $5. It gave my work a more professional look, and I continued to refine my craft.
Displaying my work at Milk and Honey was the starting point for selling my earrings. I also sold products at various pop-ups and markets around town. Now, I primarily operate from home and have established an online presence with a substantial following.
Q: How did you come up with the name Clay Like Me?
A: Initially, I did not have a name for my business. My earrings were displayed on generic brown cardboard earring cards that I purchased from Amazon. However, my husband, who has experience in marketing, emphasized the importance of having a business name and suggested including a relevant verse to connect with the name. We brainstormed one evening, he proposed the name "Clay Like Me," inspired by the idea that we, like clay, God molds and shapes us through various experiences to become something beautiful. We decided to tie the name to the verse from Isaiah 64:8 that talks about how we are the clay and God is our potter.
Q: What advice would you give to women thinking of trying something new?
A: Find what you're passionate about, and don't let your inexperience hold you back. Don't be scared, and don't let the fear of not being good enough hold you back. Practice makes perfect. You just have to keep going and keep practicing.
Follow the latest news and launches by joining the Clay Like Me Facebook group. The latest earring styles are displayed at Milk & Honey Coffee Co., 2200 SE 29th Street.