Monday, January 26, 2015

Curated Treasury: "The Quaintness Of Affection"

Our featured Etsy treasury for today is curated by Sophia, from the Etsy shop MadrinaSofia, located in San Francisco, CA.

Sophia is the owner, maker, designer, and curator of MadrinaSofia. (As well as the photographer, marketer, packager, and shipper.) Sophia creates handmade jewelry using wire and precious and semi-precious gemstones. Through MadrinaSofia, Sophia creates pieces that, "[A]waken and enhance a woman's spirit."

"My shop is named after my great-grandmother and godmother, Sofia, while my work is inspired by her. She had the most beautiful wooden curio cabinet in her adobe home that displayed an enchanting collection of jewels ~ beautiful antique wooden and glass rosaries, turquoise jewelry and small statues of Catholic saints...a magical world in the eyes of a little girl."

As a teenager, Sophia recalls, she would save her lunch money in order to purchase beads at a local bead shop. Countless hours were spent creating necklaces and earrings, fusing vintage jewelry with beads.

Nearly twenty years after Sophia created jewelry as a teenager, she discovered Etsy, where she was immediately drawn to some ruby gemstone beads. Upon seeing those beautiful gemstones, Sophia recalled how much she enjoyed making jewelry, and her love of jewelry making was rekindled. Sopia brings her passion, and love, of jewelry making to MadrinaSofia.

"This time around I found myself gravitating towards these lovely ruby gemstones - not just for their apparent beauty but for the way they made me feel working with them and wearing them. It is like nothing else. I took a couple of classes and purchased every book about gemstones and wire wrapping I could get my hands on. I spent countless hours experimenting with wire and made a plethora of mistakes but I also learned quite a bit in the process. I also went to every bead and gemstone show in the Bay Area where I spent a little more than my lunch money....My curiosity didn't subside - I also became enthralled in researching the meanings and healing properties behind these gemstones. The more information I found out in my research and the more pieces I created, the more I felt my great-grandmother and Godmother's presence and guidance. Her spirit is with me in the studio...."

Here is just a small sampling of the items you will find when you visit MadrinaSofia.

 

Please take the time to browse MadrinaSofia on Etsy.

We also encourage you to take the time to visit the shops of the artists featured in this treasury, explore the variety of their work, and learn more about them.

We hope you enjoy this treasury.

 


Etsy Treasuries have been an extraordinary opportunity to introduce us to new artists and shops.

We are pleased to be presenting just a small fraction of the fabulous Treasuries that have been curated by Etsy shop owners.

We encourage you to discover more Etsy Treasuries, and Etsy shops, on your own.

You can support Etsy shops online, all over the world, in your locality, or visit a shop, in person, at an event near you.




































2 comments:

  1. Sophia... we fell in love with this collection. The images and palette you chose reminded me of the cinematography of beautiful foreign films. And your title, " The Quaintness of Affection", taken from your inspiration jewelry piece, sounds so artistic, as well. Ellen and Bob

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  2. This looks perfect for the beautiful blog being created!
    Wonderful shop.

    ReplyDelete