WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — It’s no secret the pandemic has been hard on everyone, and many small business owners have been forced to get creative to keep their doors open.

Amy Sanchez, founder of Amy Sanchez Inspirations, a one-of-a-kind hand-crafted jewelry line, said focusing on her jewelry line during the pandemic may have been the best decision she’s ever made.

“It just blew up. I had hundreds and hundreds of sales,” Sanchez said. “It was almost impossible for me to keep up with it, which is a really good problem to have, so it’s been really exciting.”

Sanchez said she started using Facebook and Etsy to sell her products, as well as setting up shop at the Downtown Art Walk.

“I’d say I had more time on my hands than usual, as I think we all did, so I had a lot of time to let the creative juices flow and just get back into creating pieces out of all the components that I had,” Sanchez said.

While her business keeps growing, she said this didn’t just happen overnight.

“I have been making jewelry probably since I was in high school, maybe before that, just as gifts for friends and stuff,” Sanchez said. “I lived in California for about seven years, and I got a job at the place that handmakes all the silver supplies that I use.”

Sanchez said it’s a great feeling to finally reap the benefits of her business.

“Having all of my money thrown into it for so long, it’s nice to finally see the return on that and see that it hasn’t all been for nothing,” she said.

Sanchez would tell every business owner to always follow their dreams and have faith that it’ll all work out, even in a pandemic.

You can shop with Amy at the next Art Walk on October 7, or you can find her online store here.