I love fashion. I love magazines. I love being up on what the trends and movements are in contemporary culture.
But I also love the uniqueness of the artisanal movement, of participating, if only as a consumer, in something that falls just a little out of step with the flow of fashion. I love owning something that was made with care and passion, something that reflects an artist's vision and heart. Something that few, if any, other people possess. Of course, not all artisanal crafts (or craftsmen) are created equal. It is possible to find shlock as easily as art, copy-cats as well as the original animal.
Still. Unearthing creative gems is half the fun of poring through the smorgasbord of handcrafted goodness that is Etsy. And lucky me, sometimes I don't even have to look that hard, as I have some extremely talented friends right under my nose.
One such friend is Christina of Sihaya Designs. I've been buying from her ever since she opened up her jewelry craft to public consumption. She works with a variety of influences and materials, and there's something for everyone, at every price bracket. Yet - there's a common thread tying all her pieces together, something quintessentially Sihaya about all of them.
My favorites are the ones she makes with warm, burnished materials and naturalistic details, evocative of the lush sensuality of autumn.
Like these:
But I also love the uniqueness of the artisanal movement, of participating, if only as a consumer, in something that falls just a little out of step with the flow of fashion. I love owning something that was made with care and passion, something that reflects an artist's vision and heart. Something that few, if any, other people possess. Of course, not all artisanal crafts (or craftsmen) are created equal. It is possible to find shlock as easily as art, copy-cats as well as the original animal.
Still. Unearthing creative gems is half the fun of poring through the smorgasbord of handcrafted goodness that is Etsy. And lucky me, sometimes I don't even have to look that hard, as I have some extremely talented friends right under my nose.
One such friend is Christina of Sihaya Designs. I've been buying from her ever since she opened up her jewelry craft to public consumption. She works with a variety of influences and materials, and there's something for everyone, at every price bracket. Yet - there's a common thread tying all her pieces together, something quintessentially Sihaya about all of them.
My favorites are the ones she makes with warm, burnished materials and naturalistic details, evocative of the lush sensuality of autumn.
Like these:
Though Christina offers a custom service, and can recreate jewelry she's made before, these are essentially unique items, priced more than reasonably for the amount of work that goes into them. If owning your own little piece of art appeals to you, I suggest you check out her site and keep your eyes peeled for future updates.
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