Welcome to my first Meet the Makears blog.. get it meet the MakEARS! This is the very beginning of getting an inside look at the magic behind some of your favorite small shops!
Today I will be featuring three of my favorite ear shops on Instagram. Wicked Ears, Soulfully Cali and Unique Ears By Ili. Each of these ladies have an awesome story to tell so keep reading to learn more about them and how their business got started!
So lets jump right into it!
1. UniqueEarsbyIli- Ili
Ili's Story:
In 2016 Ili was diagnosed with a stomach virus that prevented her from working so much so that her job decided not to renew my contract. Jobless she turned to the one thing that cheered her up, art.
Her boyfriend also bought them annual passes to Disneyland to help cheer her up some more. This is when Ili made her first pair of ears. Guest's at Disneyland were blown away by her ears and wanted to know where they could buy their own, Thats when her boyfriend suggested to open up a shop. Ili took what was left in her bank account and bought supplies to start her shop!
The Business:
In just under two years Unique Ears by Ili has grown beyond the imagination. Ili prides herself on giving her customers the absolute best of everything, So much so that she literally spend months on specific ears until she can can come up with the most accurate representation of that character. Ili comes up with the most magical designs that brings life to your favorite Disney characters. Each are crafted so meticulously capturing every detail, These ears are definitely one of a kind!
Note From Ili:
"I am so grateful for every single person that follows me, messages me, comments, likes, subscribes and of course anyone that has ever made a purchase. Most of all I am grateful to have A man in my life that supported my creativity, motivating me to keep going when everyone I knew would tell me to stop. I am now my own boss and will continue to make ears for anyone that wants them and I encourage everyone to believe in themselves with whatever goals or dreams they may have."
You can buy ears from Uniquearsbyili on Instagram!
Message or Email her for Inquires.
2.SoulfullyCali- Becca
Becca's Story: Becca began SoulfullyCali with her friend Kara over the summer of 2016. One night before she was going on a trip to Disney she wanted a pair of ears with more of a flower crown. She looked on the internet to see if there were any basic tutorials, while she couldn’t find any tutorials she was able to kind of find out what supplies you needed to make a pair of ears.
From there she taught herself and made a pair for her trip. On the trip, so many people asked where she got her ears she thought she would list them on the Etsy shop they had already began. From there, I continued making different wire ear styles while trying to figure out an even more durable way to make ears and a way to make them more customizable.
The Business:
While on the search for a more durable product, Becca's father's company had 3d printers that Becca was allowed access to. She began to teach herself how to use the different printers and then Becca then was able to come up with interchangeable ears! Not only are they more durable but provide a way for folks to have more customizability. Beyond making ears, they have expanded to other products such as apparel and pins. While we mainly focus on 3d ears, we continue to provide wire ears as well since that’s where we began with this shop!
Note From Becca:
"Thank you to everyone who supports our shop! We wouldn't be able to be where we are without the love and support from the Disney community and all of our wonderful customers!
To purchase from Soulfullycali check out their website!
3. Wicked Ears- Shenai
Shenai's Story:
Shenai is a WDW annual pass holder and recent law school grad from the New York area. Her love for sparkle was what started it all. She has always been obsessed with anything glittery and bedazzled. She went through a phase in her life where she bedazzled everything, shoes, phones, clothes etc. So one day she thought...Why don't I make some ears before my trip?
The Business: During trip in December 2014 she finally made a pair of sparkly ears to wear and they were a HIT!
She was constantly stopped and asked where they can purchase them. When Shenai got back home in January 2015 she opened Wicked Ears and has been creating Diamond Ears ever since. Shenai is a one woman show and worked extremely hard to come up with the concept for the diamond ears. Shenai said making the ears was a lot of trial and error. She still has the very first pair she created and they have come a long way!
Note from Shenai:
"I am shocked every day by the number of followers I have. I get messages all the time about how they love my ears and I am so so grateful for all of them! I tend to sell out super quick and while I get some messages of hate because of it.. I get 10 times more from others telling me how proud they are of me and it truly brings a tear to my heart. I am so grateful for all my customers and followers, if they didn't love what I made I would have stopped a long time ago. So while I have a crazy personal life, I keep making them for those who love them."
To purchase fromWicked Ears you can check out the website, just click on the name!
Hope you enjoyed the first edition of Meet the MakEars!
Every two weeks I will be showcasing another couple of small shops. Please feel free to reach out to these shops and talk to all of these amazing people!
Click the shop names in the title or in the last lines of the shops description for links!
If you are interested in being Featured on Meet the MakEars go to my contact page and fill out a form or you can message me directly on Instagram!
- Nicole Ashley