DaWanda Backstage

Today on the DaWanda blog we get to meet Diny, the creative force behind the incredibly successful Natural Jewels shop on DaWanda. Diny’s shop features gorgeous jewellery using natural materials and gemstones, all beautifully handmade by the lady herself. It’s the place to go if you like unique and precious jewellery with an innovative yet elegant design. Check out the Natural Jewels shop and then read the lovely interview below:






Please tell us a bit about yourself:
I live in the Netherlands, in a small town. When I go walking with our dog, I only have to walk for about 30 meters and then I can walk along the meadows and the fields. I love that, being so close to nature. I have been married for almost 24 years, we have 2 daughters (for whom I have to watch over my jewellery like a lioness) and a little dog. I spend all my days at home, in my working room, listening to music, creating my jewellery and loving the simple things in life. I am very interested in the growing of our consciousness, I read a lot of books about that and I do my yoga and meditation almost every day. I think it is very important that my jewellery is made when I am feeling good. When I am in a bad mood, I don’t make jewellery, it will go wrong, the wire will break or I will drop my briolette to the ground and it will break or the earring simply doesn’t look good. I only create from a sence of peace and silence.

How did you discover that you have creative tendencies?
I cannot remember a time when I was not creating things, I have done that all my life, so there was not really something to discover, it is simply a very very big part of me.

Where do you find your inspiration?
Everywhere. Beautiful drawings, Jugendstil art, ancent jewellery, celtic art, but also in nature, a butterfly or a flower, or the beautiful beads and briolettes that I buy. Some pieces are crying out that they have to become a pendant or a pair of earrings.

Do you have any role models/inspirations in the area of Design? If so, who and why?
Eni Oken started my addiction to wire-wrapping. She was the first one who made this type of jewellery (as far as I know) and I have bought all her tutorials.

How did you come up with the ideas for the products in your DaWanda shop?
I make sketches of every piece of jewellery I create. Here I can use my drawing skills, and I still love to draw. I have so many designs in my sketching-books, but so little time. I don’t think I will ever be able to create it all.

Which materials do you use to create your products?
925 Sterling Silver, 14K Goldfill and beads of gemstones. I have a huge collection of beads, it is a bit of an addiction.

Please give us a brief summary of your creative process?
At first there is the idea, and I want to make a sketch of that immediately, because I am afraid to forget it. It has happened that I got out of my bed in the middle of the night to make a sketch. While I make the sketch I think about the way how to do it, how to start, how big the pieces of wire have to be, what beads I am going to use. And then, if I have the time, I start to work it out. The first time that I make something, it will cost me a lot of time. The second and following times it will go much faster.

What characterises your products/your style?
I love round lines, circles, spirals. I want my jewellery to have a lot of character, I want it to look old, as if it has been in the family for hundreds of years. And I want it to be pure and honest. Therefore I only use beads of gemstones (made by nature, more than a million years old!!) and real silver. I refuse to solder or glue, as chemical substances must be used to do so. It is all about using some simple tools, some pliers and a hammer. And my hands of course.

Who are your customers?
Mostly people from Germany. Some of Austria or Switzerland and I have had customers from the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And more countries, I don’t remember them all. One from Japan, that was nice. I think all those people prefer authentic jewelry. They pay a bit more, because the materials are real silver and gemstones, but that is what they want, valuable and precious jewellery, made with love and attention. Jewellery to cherish.

What do you want to achieve in the future as a Designer/Creative?
I have so many designs in my sketching-books. Lots of them are bigger pieces of jewellery, and so they are quite expensive when I make them. There are not so very many people who buy more expensive jewellery, most of my sales are of jewellery of 20-40 EUR a piece. I would love it if I could make more exclusive pieces that sell. That is my goal. To sell exclusive jewellery. In the meantime I am very very happy creating and selling the pieces that are in my shop right now, and my second goal is to keep enjoying that as much as I do now.

What role does DaWanda play in your daily creative life?
A very big role, I make about 80 or 90 % of my sales through Dawanda.

How has your life changed since you opened your DaWanda shop?
Dawanda made it possible for me to sell my jewellery. I have my own website, but it is so hard to get customers out there. It is as if you are on a little island in a big ocean, nobody will find you. Out here on Dawanda you are in a big town with lots of little shops. Many customers come out here to do their shopping and lots of people stop to look in my shop-window.

Please give us the names of three of your favourite shops on DaWanda:
– Sunday Creations (if I ever become a grandma, I know where to go)
– Apipi (very nice bags)
– Rattenfaenger

Any closing comments?
Nope. Just thank you everybody who bought my jewellery!!!! You helped me to get where I am now. Thank you very much!


P.S. If you’d like to be considered for one of our Monday seller interviews, then please send a filled-out questionnaire to azra[at]dawanda[dot]com