Local clay jewellery business Wiktoria Rey inspires customers to be confident and bold
A Hamilton-based clay earring Etsy shop, Wiktoria Rey aims to demonstrate how fun fashion can be by inspiring their clients not to be afraid to express themselves boldly and confidently.
Paulina Kalisz, the owner of Wiktoria Rey, grew up in Hamilton and graduated from McMaster University with a sociology degree. Since graduating, she has balanced working as a massage therapist, running her small business and taking care of her infant.
Kalisz first heard about clay earrings in 2019 from an Australian YouTuber, Flying the Nest. She won a pair of earrings from the YouTuber’s friend, While Hugo Sleeps. She instantly fell in love with then and continued to purchase from her over the next few months.
“While [COVID-19] was happening, [While Hugo Sleeps’] shipping cost drastically went up and I thought, “Hey, these don’t look too hard to make”. I was out of work for three months and decided to try my hand at clay earrings. I absolutely loved playing around and creating different looks,” said Kalisz in an email statement to the Silhouette.
Kalisz launched Wiktoria Rey on Etsy in the spring of 2020. Her business' name was inspired by her two favourite style icons, singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey and her great grandmother.
Since opening, Kalisz’ business has grown and her products are now offered at six retail locations in Ontario in addition to Etsy. She has even created exclusive products to be offered in store versus online.
Kalisz’ clay earrings are inspired by Australian jewellery styles, which tends to be colourful, vibrant, bold and abstract. This is the opposite of the North American market, which tends to be more neutral, minimalistic and simple. All her earrings are handmade in her spare bedroom and she makes her own clay cutters using a 3D printer, meaning her pieces are all unique.
To design each piece, she starts with a colour palette or inspiration in mind. Then she mixes the colours and rolls out the clay using a pasta machine. Afterwards a slab, similar to a colourful pizza, is made and she uses her clay cutters to cut out the pieces before they go into the oven to harden.
“My brand is for those who love to add colour to their wardrobe. Someone who isn’t afraid to show off their personality on their ears,” said Kalisz in an email statement.
Earlier this year, Kalisz did a series of three collections with Canadian actress and comic Ann Pornel called the Electric Floral. This collection features big, bold statement earrings in unique shapes and sizes, inspired by floral designs.
Kalisz hopes that her clients will not be afraid to express themselves boldly by wearing her vibrant, unique clay earrings. She believes that accessories should instill us with confidence.
“Fashion is meant to be expressive, and I want my wearers to be able to express themselves with my jewelry, feel confident and not be afraid to stand out. My motto is: Be bold. Be REY-diant. Be you,” said Kalisz in an email statement.
“Fashion is meant to be expressive, and I want my wearers to be able to express themselves with my jewelry, feel confident and not be afraid to stand out. My motto is: Be bold. Be REY-diant. Be you.”
Paulina Kalisz, founder of Wiktoria Rey
Overall, Kalisz hopes to continue growing her business to make her earrings full-time. In the future, she would like to showcase her jewellery at a fashion show soon and do more collaborative projects like Electric Floral.
C/O @ourovintage
The owner of Ouro Vintage shares her love for all things vintage
Once you fall in love with vintage, it is difficult to escape it. Each item carries a unique history and these stories, combined with a sense of nostalgia associated with the items, invoke feelings of comfort. Discovering unique pieces hidden in warehouses and thrift stores also holds an element of adventure.
Growing up with parents who were antique dealers, Eady’s passion for vintage developed naturally. She loved learning about the stories behind vintage pieces and different eras of clothes. In 2017, she turned her interest in hunting for rare, quality vintage items into Ouro Vintage where she currently sells second-hand clothes, accessories, shoes and home items.
Ouro Vintage originally launched online under the name Daughter Daughter, but after changing its name to Ouro to be more gender inclusive in its name, Eady opened its brick-and-mortar location in Barton Village in July this year.
Through Ouro Vintage, Eady hopes to share her love for vintage and provide people with more options for eco-friendly, second-hand shopping. In an era of fast fashion, second-hand shops like Ouro Vintage encourage upcycling and reusing clothes to reduce waste, preserve water and lower your carbon footprint. In line with the theme of sustainability, the pieces offered at Ouro Vintage are timeless, minimalistic and chic to ensure they last a long time. Eady also mends damaged pieces for the store herself and tries to avoid microtrends.
“I just hope people shop vintage or thrift or anything second-hand and hopefully, we won’t contribute to the problem with fast fashion,” said Eady.
Although born and raised in Burlington, Eady opened her business in Hamilton as she was drawn to the city’s arts scene. She recalls going to concerts at the Underground when she was younger with her current spouse and wanting to be part of the creative community here. Hence, as soon as she could move out at the age of 17, she relocated to Hamilton. She has found her community here and it has become her new home.
“The communities and scenes in Hamilton are really rich with creativity — everyone you meet is into something creative. There’s so much talent in Hamilton. I love Hamilton,” said Eady.
Eady was concerned about opening the brick-and-mortar location during the pandemic. She worried the reception would be low, but to her surprise, it was met with lots of positive support.
“I thought it was actually probably a really bad time to open a store. It wasn’t my original plan, but I ended up getting a lot of responses and the community has been really great. All my neighbours have come and introduced themselves and they’re all so nice and supportive. I’m really happy with it. It’s always been a dream,” Eady said.
Before opening the physical location, Eady also struggled with maintaining her work-life balance. Like most of us working from home during the pandemic, it was difficult for her to set work hours and boundaries. She would answer messages and work on social media posts in the middle of the night instead of enjoying her time with her children and relaxing. Having a separate space for the business has helped her to be more organized and take her mind off work when at home.
Outside of operating the second-hand shop, Eady is an artist. She graduated from Ontario College of Art & Design in art, with a degree in sculpture and installation.
In 2009, she and her husband Sean Gadoury founded a collage collective, Group of 7 Billion. The duo started the collective by selling their collages made using hand-cut pictures from vintage books at the monthly Art Crawl on James Street North.
Since then, Eady and Gadoury have regularly attended art shows and events including Supercrawl. Their art pieces are available on their Etsy shop, website and Ouro Vintage.
For Eady, Ouro Vintage represents her childhood memories, her parents and her love for objects with a history. She has plans to sell other artisan goods and wholesale gifts at the shop in the near future, but she says she would like to keep the business as small as possible for as long as possible.
Ouro Vintage is a place of classic and wonderful second-hand pieces. Discover a new way to live more sustainably and fulfill your antique dreams by shopping second-hand.
Kyanite crystal allows the creation of new pathways and the opening of one’s mind to new positive possibilities. Lauren Campbell was wearing kyanite when the idea for a bright, quirky store with crystals, tarot cards and other magical items came to her. The name for the store, Witch’s Fix, also came to her in that moment.
At the time, Campbell was working a full-time job in Toronto and wasn’t entirely happy being a commuter and working a nine to five job. She couldn’t get the idea of Witch’s Fix out of her head, so she decided to quit her job and try to make her dream a reality.
On Feb. 26, 2018, Campbell opened an Etsy store and began to sell spell kits and mugs. Throughout the year, she attended craft markets and hosted candle rolling workshops. Exactly a year after her online store opened, her dream of a physical store came to life. The store is located in the historic Treble Hall, which Campbell had had her eye on for some time.
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“Before I even had the Witch's Fix, I'd drive by this space in Treble Hall and I would look at it and… say ‘if I ever have a store, I want to be there because it's so cute’… And one day I was on Kijiji… I saw this space [and] I was just like oh my God… that's my dream space… I'm going to do it,” Campbell said.
“I'm going to take the plunge, take a huge risk and do it because this was the space that I always wanted. It was going to be here or it was going to be nowhere,” she added.
The store is a realization of Campbell’s vision. The storefront is welcoming, with the glass walls serving as a window to an enchanted world. Inside, the shop is charming and cozy with Victorian elements and the feel of a library mixed with a traditional witch’s shop. A playlist of hot jazz, saxophone-containing music and songs from Campbell’s favourite magical movies adds to the ambience of the store and makes it feel as if it is in another place and time.
The store sells a variety of gifts and enchanting items, several of which the crafty shopkeeper makes herself. She makes Abracajava mugs and candles and puts together mystery bags, spell kits and crystal kits. As for the items that she doesn’t make herself, like the tarot cards and zines, she tries to source from independent makers, especially those who are female and female-identifying.
She wants the products to be mostly those that cannot be found in big box stores. While they may be a little more expensive than similar products in other places, her customers know that they are supporting creative entrepreneurs. In the future, Campbell also hopes to rent out the parlour at the back of her store to individuals who do readings to make this type of magic more accessible to the community.
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“Honestly when people come in the store, I really just want them to feel inspired… [I]inspiration and creativity are such huge parts of magic for me. So I hope people come in and feel like they can be curious… ,” said Campbell.
“I want to awaken a childish enthusiasm in them that makes them remember when they were a little kid and anything seemed possible, [when] they just looked at everything with wide eyes and believed in magic,” she added.
Campbell has been drawn to magic and magical items since she was a kid. As she grew older, magic became more about having a connection to nature. Campbell understands that the store might not be for everyone, but she wants it to be approachable. Having experienced the benefit of everyday magic in her life, she wants to bring a little magic to everyone else’s life too.
Campbell put the word witch in the title of her store to help change the perception of the word. She wants to do away with the idea of long fingernails and cackling laughs and replace it with the idea of magic as ownership of one’s human nature and connection to the world around us.
“I mean there are so many days where it seems like there is no magic in the world and being able to spot it in the tiniest things… [it] makes my mental health better. It can be as simple as just birds on somebody's front lawn hopping and chirping, like that is magical to me… It's just really about finding things that make me smile and are really accessible,” Campbell said.
Once the dust settles a little more, Campbell will plan a grand opening celebration to mark the fruition of this vision. In the meantime, she looks forward to watching the store grow. With the warm responses that she has received thus far the online and Hamilton community, Witch’s Fix should continue to grow and become the store for all-things sorcery and magic downtown.
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I’ve always struggled to give special and personalized gifts to those I care about without breaking the bank. One of the best ways I’ve learned to navigate this is to find unique creators for holiday shopping. Etsy is a hub for original products that make great gifts and by choosing local stores, you lower your shipping cost and support local creatives. Check out these local Etsy shops that sell great products for under $30 (including shipping!) The best part? You don’t have to trek through the snow.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdBV76UlUaA/
If you know someone who likes light-hearted quotes or gold foil, then consider getting them a gift from The Blonde Orphan. The store is owned by Daniela Stajcer, a self-taught graphic designer who calls Hamilton home. She incorporates real gold or copper foil in many of her prints. Her home décor prints are a pretty addition to the wall of a friend likes positive pick-me-ups or quirky quips. She sells instantly downloadable prints for as little as $5. Actual prints start around $13 with $3.35 shipping within Canada.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4NZXVH9nR/
The Pendulum Shop sells simple but stunning crystal jewellery. Hamilton-based store owner Lana Burley is a crystal lover who makes the pieces herself. In addition to the unique earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets and pendulums that she creates, she also sells a crystal guide that she created with her production partner Cetina Farrugia. Her jewellery makes the perfect gift for those in your life with a simple and refined style. Shipping is $4.50 within Canada. While some of the pieces are above $30, there are cute rings and earrings closer to $20 and cute pieces in the clearance section of the shop.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoSEPghgK0V/
Greg Smith is behind Blind Pig Press, which specializes in letterpress and sells various notebooks, posters, prints and books. Blind Pig Press is actually a private press in Grimsby, Ontario that has been around since 1991. The Etsy store provides a place to buy these letterpress products, such as notepads starting just under $7 and posters just over $20 with $4.10 shipping costs. These items would make great gifts for those in your life who are frequently drawing or jotting down things.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqFrhh2gzp4/
If you know a nature lover, bring nature indoors to them with this Kitchener-based Etsy shop. Shop owner Laur Erickson is a self-taught artist mixing her love of animals and nature with her love of art. She sells watercolour and mixed media prints and cards. Her prints start as low as $12 with free shipping and cards can be picked up for $6 with $3 shipping. She also sells adorable stickers for $3.50 a piece with $3 shipping.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhwicSBnugr/
Flora Hue Naturals is a Hamilton-based Etsy store boasting “love infused offerings inspired by nature.” Store owner, Kristen Taylor, uses all natural ingredients in creating the soaps, candles, face and aromatherapy products that she sells. These items make the perfect gift for those in your life that relish new scents and natural beauty products. Check the “Gifts Under 20” section for affordable gifts. Shipping costs are generally under $12.
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For a truly unique gift for the creatives in your life, check out this Toronto-based Etsy shop that sells cross-stitch kits and patterns. Shop owner Diana Watters is a designer and metal fabricator who loves to cross-stitch in her spare time. She sells original cross-stitch patterns and kits, taking the form of holiday ornaments, keychains, instantly downloadable patterns and more. While there are many affordable kits, be sure to out the sale section. Shipping is generally $6 or less.
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The first step into a student home can lead to the onset of one of two decorating personas.
On the one hand, there is the student-turned-TLC decorator who hammers through a house making bold and trendy moves at every turn. They fear no glue gun or collection of nails because they have a team of construction workers standing behind them and a nearly budget-less vision.
But then there is also the unintentionally minimalist decorator, who often uses excuses to mask their décor flaws. Growing up, when asked why their room was so messy, they would respond, “What, it’s easier to find things when they’re all lying in front of me.” The type of person who eats KD every meal of the day may opt for this choice. There are a few half-hearted attempts to add some flare into the room, maybe a poster attached to the wall with quickly fading tape, or a coffee mug that they’ve convinced themselves is art.
But regardless of your decorating personality, the following list allows for style as intensely-TLC or as KD-minimalist as you please.
1. Scrapbooking Silhouettes
You can make any silhouette by whipping out a huge piece of paper (or smaller ones for that matter) and designing a cut-out of your choice. Once you have your main cut-out, use a heavy weighted craft or scrapbooking paper (available at Michael’s, Curry’s, Wal-Mart, etc.) and cut organic shapes to fill your silhouette with various patterns. It doesn’t have to fit perfectly, because, hey, nature isn’t perfect either. I stayed within the lines and decided to copy the example I saw online. Once you attach them to your wall- we recommend tape- you can Mod Podge (Michaels, $8.95) over the silhouette to keep in place. You can also seal it to the wall that way, with multiple layers.
2. Faux Flower Walls
If you’re anything like me, having flowers in a room, even if it is going solo in your drinking glass, is inevitably going to boost my mood just a little bit. But then they die, and my mood becomes increasingly lethargic. As the flower wilts, my mood wilts. So I never want that to happen to you. The solution? Faux flowers. Don’t call them fake. That makes it sound like cheating. Any local dollar store should have some fake ones, along with craft and art supply stores. For a fun feature, string them vertically across your wall.
Shout out to Elsie Marley for the super DIY.
3. Washi Tape
The greatest invention since light itself: washi tape. In all its colourful variations, this tape can literally light up a room with joy. How I have evaded the existence of this glorious tape is beyond me, but I am so in love with it. Generally cheap to purchase (search up “washi tape” on Etsy and be amazed) and it can act as the perfect frame to any picture you’ve been itching to show off. It’s especially cool when paired with thicker, more conventional frames because those photos start to really pop out (use stickers from Home Hardware or even Titles to do so).
4. Quirky Cork
Look to your oven. Now look back at me. Oh, you’re not in the kitchen? Because what student cooks more than microwavable KD? Okay, agreed, but even the KD minimalist should take note of the simplest way to add an unexpected quirk to your room. Trivets, otherwise known as a surface to put your scalding hot pots and pans on after some *gasp* cooking, are essentially circular corkboards. Put to rest the conventional rectangular corkboards that have been up in your dorm or childhood bedroom since the beginning of time. It’s time to get funky with yo’ cork.
