Meet Adri Garza: Clay Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adri Garza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adri, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Morning Luna was born because of two ideas that merged together during the beginning of the pandemic. The first being a long time thought of always wanting a boutique/store of sorts and the second through a desire of wanting to make a pair of earrings for myself. Since I knew very little then about clay, I yielded a few pairs in a single batch. That combined with a discussion with one of my best friends prompted me to lean into the idea of having my own business. I began drafting idea names the very next day until one landed.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Morning Luna is still so new, in fact this month will mark our 6th month open. I’m proud to have started a business in the first place, especially during a time of such uncertainty and hardship for many. It is a blessing that does not go unnoticed. I am also very proud of the personal connections I’ve made with my customers. From the start it was important to me to provide joy to the shoppers of Morning Luna, but they have brought so much joy to me. From conversations in the DM’s of the @shopmorningluna instagram to the pictures they show me of them styling their earrings, its so much fun to be a small part of their day when they choose Morning Luna to wear. Being a small business owner, I have learned, most certainly comes with its share of challenges. From the beginning, I wondered if I would even make a sale, given the uncertainty of the economy. What I didn’t expect was the influx of creatives and thus the shortage of clay! Being a clay maker, that obviously poses a big problem. So many of my design desires have been put on hold, but it has given me the challenge of creating within the means (or clay) I have or can obtain. Im happy to say that I am pleased with the outcome and have a trunk of ideas for the future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Houston is such a great city and I often feel a tourist myself exploring new places! Sadly, with the pandemic my exploring has been fairly limited, but I am always happy to visit and dine out when I can. My fav eateries to frequent and wear my Morning Lunas to are Tinys 5, who can say no to mint lemonade and cookies!?, Commonbond Bakery, especially for their tomato basil soup, and Toute Sweet. Outside from eating, my family loves visiting the butterflies at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, strolling around Discovery Green, and going to the zoo. For a little more grownup fun, El Big Bad is my go to for margaritas!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people who have individually and collectively inspired me to begin and continue Morning Luna. First and foremost, my husband and daughter alongside my family have always supported and encouraged any endeavor or idea I’ve had. Their love and encouragement is a blessing that I will never take for granted. Outside of them, my bestie and Dallas based small business owner, Zaira was among the few who I first discussed the idea with. She immediately pushed me to “go for it”. She is a great source of encouragement and motivation for me. You can check her shop out on instagram- @shopreadysetchic I also want to shoutout one of my other best friends, Natalie, she has been instrumental in promoting Morning Luna from the start. She is always ready with words of affirmation and it truly means so much to me (side note: she was also my first model). Lastly, I was inspired by other creatives who decided to take the leap into small businesshood around the same time I did. I met Brittany, of Brittanys Boulevard and Kelly of The Pom Pom Peeps through blogging and watching them follow their dreams pushed me to do the same. I am so thankful to each person named directly and indirectly for their love and support in whatever form it has come. I love you all, thank you so much.

Instagram: @shopmorningluna
Facebook: facebook.com/shopmorningluna
Other: You can also find my personal page at @babeintheburbs

Image Credits
Adri Marie Photography