Pride, Work, and Necessity of Side Projects: Erma Tijerina’s laser cutting, sewing & more

What are you working on—on the side?

One of my favorite side projects is laser cutting. Whether I’m laser cutting a custom notebook cover, posters, earrings or special cards—I love the process. Laser cutting allows me to play with different mediums (so far, wood is my favorite), and get away from my desk.

My goal is to continue iterating and then bringing a few lines of crafted items to market. I’ve previously sold some of my laser-cut coasters and earrings at a holiday market in Houston, and...