We have been hard at work at Kaya Boutique (creatively and business-wise!) - we just added quite a few new designs to our Etsy store and we already sold out of 3 of them! Our latest additions were inspired by vintage lace designs and almost exclusively incorporate pearls and crystals (in all shapes, sizes, colors (well, shades of white), and combinations!). My favorite part of celebrating our 1-Year Anniversary at Kaya Boutique though has been observing how our work has evolved throughout these months. Needless to say, I cannot wait to see what next year holds for us!
Posts filed under Be Inspired
A Simple Thank You
I Am Really NOT the Sentimental Type BUT...
Getting this in the mail today brought me to tears (happy tears). Thank you to the Best Brother in the world and his amazing wife for the sweetest birthday gift one could wish for!
Kaya Update | Our First Show
Ah, the Silence...
I have been uncharacteristically silent lately... And now you can see why! On April 19th, Kaya Boutique had its first ever exhibit during the Spring Group Show at JoMar Visions and I was surprised to find out how much effort, focus and plain old labor it took to make this happen! But I couldn't be happier with the results. We were able to sell quite a few of our pieces and also got to mingle with some amazingly talented artists and craftsmen.
Mostly though, I am thankful to all of our friends who came to support us at the show or who have been showing us their unwavering care through the continued appreciation of our work - you guys are the best!! We truly have amazing friends.
And a final but very important shout-out to Yanitsa and her fabulous creations! The stunning pieces of jewelry created by my talented co-owner were a total knockout at the exhibit and I could have not been any prouder to stand next to this jewelry collection that has taken us so long to create. Great success with the hopes of even more to come!
Logo cookies provided by Cakes and Cookies by Clau! Thank you, Clau!!
DIY Wedding at Its Best!
An Artful Celebration of a Beautiful New Beginning
Saturday marked the day my two very close friends, Matt and Britney, tied the knot! And I have just added one more reason (to the many) why I love these two wonderful people so much... their wedding was a BYOB potluck party at one of the coolest galleries in town!
Matt and Britney got hitched in between deconstructed brick walls adorned with abstract originals by Mark Roden and his father's dreamy watercolors. The DIY decorations were a courtesy of Britney's generous imagination and a ton of good friends (some wine) and their fabulous ability to fluff pompoms! The finishing touches, such as mounds of carefully gathered twigs, spray-painted bottles, mason jars and even more pompoms, made this deconstructed artsy locale into the venue of Matt and Britney's dreams...
So, here's to being creative and so inspiring with one's most special day! Cheers!
Houston Favorites | Houston Heights, 19th St
(you can click through the images for the fun(ny)/insightful captions!)
When in Need of Inspiration
Every now and then, I find myself in search of motivation and inspiration. This weekend may have been one of those times... and when that happens, I have learned that there is a quick and easy fix to it: going to one of my favorite places in Houston: the Heights' 19th Street.
I am actually rather surprised by how not busy this street is, given what it has to offer. Or maybe Sunday is the perfect day to frequent it. My favorite shops, such as Jubilee, 18 Hands Gallery, CODA, and Bespoke can get anyone's imagination going at a million miles an hour.
My highlight of today's visit though? I got to know Katya (or Ekaterina, as she might remind you), one of the co-owners of 18 Hands Gallery. When I introduced myself, I believe Katya assumed I was Russian and therefore fluently asked me how I was in Russian... I thought my response to her, "I'm Bulgarian" would make her recant her Russian words. Little did I know that what followed would be a lovely and warm conversation in my maternal tongue, Bulgarian!!
Katya is actually a US native who happened to focus her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Slovak Studies which consequently landed her in Bulgaria for a year in the early 90's (a brave woman that is). Yet I was astonished by her perfect (or rather lack-there-of) accent captured from a merely year-long stay! Most importantly though, this encounter kindly reminded me of the amazing place I come from. Katya's fascination with Bulgarian folklore was a stark reminder of how easy it is to take the beauty in our lives and heritage for granted. And sometimes, all it takes is a random encounter with someone else's passion to revive one's own appreciation and love for home.
Favorite Etsy Finds: Mar 21 | 14
Spring Has Sprung!
This week's Etsy inspiration continues with the early Spring theme, and particularly with its soft warmth here in Houston. I am so thrilled to enjoy all the cherry blossoms and general happiness this season brings about. Happy Spring, everyone!
- A diary to die for! Splurge payday, can you come already? | $167.63
- A geometric pillow that combines my favorite color combination | $40.00
- An amazing gift to any Pride and Prejudice fan | $5.93
- A print that would look equally well in a baby's room or my room | $33.60
- My love for tiny sculptures continues with these three guys | $30.00
- Another clever pillow design I love that combines perfectly with the first one! | $42.00
- I have had my eyes on these natural rings for a while | $16.00
- Bunny fridge magnets for Easter happiness | $25.00
- Cookie favors with my name on them? Yes, please! | $49.55
Spring Blossoms & A Clean Slate
Happy First Day of Spring!
To celebrate the happy day of saying goodbye to this dreary, cold and long winter, I wanted to feature some of my favorite earrings we have in our shop! Part of our Jewel collection, their bright and fresh colors seemed just so in tune with the impending Spring!
A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.