A long time ago, I had a discussion with a friend about what type of goodies to get for one of our projects. I advocated for beautiful branded pens that people could use every day which I thought was a great idea but she looked at me like I was crazy.
Why would we buy premium pens when we can buy cheap ones that will achieve the same result?
I knew instantly that we were never going to agree with each other on this. To her, aesthetic considerations were secondary while form was just as important as function to me.
For a long time I thought there was maybe a shallow part of me that was being expressed through this but I now realise that’s not the case. Surrounding myself with beautiful objects and spending time in aesthetically pleasing environments has always been important to me. It never fails to improve my moods and make me feel better about myself. And there’s nothing shallow about that.
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One of my favourite ways to create beauty in my life is by almost exclusively buying handcrafted or unique pieces.
In her book “The enchanted life”, Sharon Blackie wrote: “ So much care and love goes into the creation of a handcrafted item - and those items feel alive in a way that mass-produced objects never could. They’re alive with the spirit of their maker.” I think about that quote a lot.
While I was at university, I did several internships with small fashion designers and it taught me the value and beauty of handcrafted items. I witnessed how much time and consideration was spent in creating every single piece. I went from being a fashion addict who loved to shop on the high-street to a more mindful shopper mostly buying from small businesses.
In 2020, I even launched a project on Instagram called The independent Brand Guide to promote small businesses and their beautiful pieces. The project got some traction and even got featured in a Swiss newspaper. While I loved doing it, I eventually had to stop the project for personal reasons. My hope is that with this new platform, I will still be able to share some of my favourite small businesses with you.
Owning beautiful handcrafted items makes my home feel like a house of treasures, one that is unique to me and makes me feel joyful.
Beauty is a subjective notion and there are a multitude of ways to make our lives more beautiful. And it doesn’t have to be about buying new things. It can be about drinking your morning coffee in your favourite mug or spending extra time in the morning to put together an outfit you really love.
Only you can know how to add beauty into your own life and I really encourage you to do so.
Because to make life more beautiful is to make life more enjoyable.
Love
