Archive for the ‘Design’ Category

It sure feels like Summer is here already. If you’ve pulled your summer clothes out of storage, come see Shaya NYC for some fresh, new jewelry designs to start the season off right.

Graduations: Congratulations to all the new high school and college grads! Shaya NYC is offering free shipping on all designs as graduation gifts through June 30, 2013. Just enter the Coupon Code Graduation2013 at checkout.

Wedding Ideas: The It Takes Two Ring has become a wedding band for several of my customers, which is an amazing honor. I have started making the ring in combinations of 14 K yellow gold, rose gold and white gold. Contact me to order a specific size and metal combination.

If you are looking for a special gift for your bridesmaids, I can help you pick out a necklace and earrings that will look good on all the members of your bridal party. Or we can select a special design for each individual, including bridesmaids, moms and grandmothers.

New Studio, Faster Website: We recently moved to a new studio space in Brooklyn. It is still a work in progress, but working there and meeting in the outdoor space has been great. I will let you know when it’s ready for visitors this summer.

I am also happy to let you know that ShayaNYC.com is graduating to a faster website! I appreciate your patience over the past months with the slow performance of this website. I don’t have an exact launch date, but it will be as soon as possible. You will be the first to know!

Enjoy the rest of this Spring weather and come see me at the markets!

~Shaya

Image credit: www.ccsf.com

Happy Spring!

After a fantastic holiday season and a nice break, we started back at the Nolita Market earlier this month. I am so ready for warm weather here in New York, I can almost taste it! It is always a welcome site to see buds on the trees and spring flowers everywhere.

In February, I made my first visit to Thailand. I will definitely be going back. It is an incredible country and culture, and I was able to relax after the grueling holiday season. And I feel more inspired than ever for 2013. I look forward to sharing new designs with you throughout the year, thanks to my great experience in Thailand.

I am also excited about the Spring Market Season! I was invited to participate in the Independent Designer Pop Shop at Chelsea Market.  ID Pop Shop is a collection of fashion, accessories and decor designers from New York City. I am looking forward to being a part of their event on April 22-28, 2013.

Shaya NYC will also be participating in the Spring Crafts on Columbus, one of New York’s longest running outdoor craft shows. I have participated in this event for many years, and it is always great to see my customers who come visit me every spring and fall out on Columbus Avenue. We will be there for all three weekends of the show: April 27/28,  May 4/5 and May 11/12, 2013.

I have more exciting news, which I will be sharing with you soon. In the meantime, enjoy the weather and come see us for some new pieces of jewelry to spark up your spring look!

Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

~ Shaya

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for making 2012 such a great year for me and for Shaya NYC! My customers, suppliers, colleagues and friends – you are what makes this all worthwhile. I also thank my family for endless support and inspiration.

This has been my first year selling in two major holiday markets in New York City, Union Square and Columbus Circle. It has been an amazing experience, and I thank my sales and marketing team for all their great work. We have extended hours now:

• Columbus Circle Holiday Market: 10AM – 9PM
• Union Square Holiday Market: 11AM – 9PM

There are just a few short days left to shop for handmade holiday gifts. I invite you to come see us at the Holiday Markets or visit us online at www.ShayaNYC.com! We are still offering Free Shipping, although we cannot guarantee delivery by Christmas now.

And don’t forget to vote for your favorite image in my Squares in the City Photo Contest! There’s still time to enter a photo of your own!

I wish you and your family a very happy holiday season and safe travels!

~Shaya

I hope everyone is safe after Hurricane Sandy! I know how lucky I was to have had power and water the whole time. My heart goes out to everyone who did not fare so well.

In an effort to help people who were badly affected, I will be contributing 10% of all online sales to the American Red Cross for every purchase made on ShayaNYC.com through November 15th. I just wanted to do something special for my fellow New Yorkers. We have to help each other out when times are tough. I thank you in advance for your support!

On happier note, I am very pleased to announce that Shaya NYC will be in two of the city’s largest and most festive holiday markets: Union Square and Columbus Circle!

The Union Square Holiday Markets opens on Friday, November 16th. The Columbus Circle Holiday Market opens on Wednesday, November 28th, after the Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade passes through, plus some days to set up the market stalls. All your gift purchases will come in a beautiful box with a jewelry polishing cloth.

I have been working on holiday preparations, planning my booths and working day and night to make sure we have inventory for both markets. I know it is going to be an amazing season. I have you, my customers, to thank for my ability to reinvest in my business and bring my designs to an even wider audience. Thank you for your support throughout this year and long before!

This year has been a great year for Shaya NYC’s jewelry collections. In addition to our classic designs, we are bringing out some beautiful new pieces in the Mixed and Precious Metals Collections, including 14K gold. The Rough Cut Diamond Collection that we previewed at Crafts on Columbus were so well received that we can’t wait to roll out the full collection. Many of the designs will be available online soon, and some will only be available from us in person at the holiday markets.

I look forward to seeing you for the holidays! Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates!

~Shaya

I have lived in Brooklyn for a long time now. It is my first real home after the hometown where I grew up. If you’ve ever been to Brooklyn, you will understand why I love it so much. If you haven’t visited, you definitely should come check it out.

The creative energy in Brooklyn is really amazing these days. There are artists, designers, writers, musicians, food and beverage businesses — it seems like everyone is making something here.

I have felt particularly inspired this year, launching new designs, including the line of cuffs and the rough cut diamonds, which I am sneak previewing this month at Crafts on Columbus and the Nolita Market. So I have been spending a lot of time in my studio in Brooklyn, which is where the idea came for the Brooklyn Earrings (pictured). The design was also inspired a very nice person named Brooklyn, whom I met at a market.

The Brooklyn Earrings are a part of my Precious Metal Collection, along with the rough cut diamond pieces. They are hammered squares of sterling silver, with smaller accent squares in solid 14K gold. I really like the way the smaller gold squares are offset on the larger ones. The earrings in a pair are mirror images, so they frame your face nicely. And they also reflect the light. I have dedicated them to Brooklyn, my home, and home to millions of New Yorkers, many of whom immigrated from all over the world.

The Brooklyn earrings are a Limited Edition of 288 pairs only. In fact, all the items in my Precious Metal Collection will be limited editions. So please purchase your pair now because when they’re gone, they’re gone.

I’m excited for Autumn Crafts on Columbus this weekend and next (our booth is on Columbus at 79th Street), as well as our regular spot at the Nolita Market on Friday – Sunday, weather permitting. Please come see me and try on some new jewelry for the new season!

~Shaya

I have found that life is all about give and take. Some people take more, and some give more. Some care less about others, and some care more. After having been an artist for almost a decade of my adult life, I realized the importance of giving back to society in any way we can. Not just because it makes us feel great about ourselves, but because helping others creates the right balance in the universe.

Through the years of selling my jewelry designs in artisan markets, I have met so many nice, generous and supportive people. Many have become loyal customers whom I get to see a few times a year. Some have been tourists, like the person who emailed me to say that the Shaya earrings she purchased are best possible souvenirs of her visit to New York City.

One of the people I met at the Nolita Market last year is LB, an inspiring, dedicated teacher in Brooklyn. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to see the effort, commitment, dedication, consistency, time, care and positivity that she shares with her young students. It was also amazing to see the joy she receives and the positive things that come to her because of all she gives to these kids. Over time, I understood how her thoughtfulness and generosity extend to everyone in her community. And I also learned that she has diabetes.

During the times we have spent together I have learned about diabetes as a disease and what it means for the people who live with it. I saw the devices LB needs to manage her diabetes every day. She must check her blood  sugar every few hours. She is incredibly disciplined and knowledgeable about the relationship between food and diabetes. Despite all she has to do every single day, I was mostly amazed to see how positively she manages her life. I was inspired.

In one of our conversations, LB told me about AYUDA, American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc., a non-profit organization that she volunteered with in Ecuador. AYUDA helps kids and young people with diabetes in poor areas of South and Central America. They educate community leaders about diabetes and the importance of spreading information and knowledge about the disease. I was touched by the great work they do and also by the places where they work. I traveled for a year in South America and was introduce to jewelry design there. So I have a lot of respect, great memories and a warm place in my heart for this region.

Being inspired and feeling the need to close the circle (or should I say the square?!) and give back to the universe, I designed the LB necklace. The necklace features four small, hammered metal beads. Each bead is one of a kind and has its own distinct shape, just like each one of us. The beads are plated in silver, 18k gold, rose gold and gunmetal, four different colors symbolizing the fact diabetes can effect any person regardless race, color, gender, age or origin. Some people are born with this disease, and some acquire it during their lives. The shiny silver chain represents the fact that it is possible to live, thrive and have a bright happy life with diabetes. But to do that successfully, you need to be educated, have access to the right equipment and latest technology, and keep a positive attitude!

September is Rosh Hashana and also the 4th Anniversary of Shaya NYC. To celebrate these important occasions, the LB Necklace will be available online for the entire month of September, and I will donate 20% of sales of the necklace to support the work of AYUDA.

I would like to dedicate this necklace to the beautiful kids of South and Central America and to a very special person, LB,  who inspires me to give and to care and who showed me that life is better with the right – positive – attitude!

Please share the LB Necklace with your friends and family to show support for AYUDA and the important work they do!

Thank you very much for your support.

~Shaya

Photo Credits: Images of children provided by AYUDA.

I hope everyone is having a great summer!  To help celebrate the rest of the season, I’m having a sale!

Shaya Summer Bangles Sale: Buy 3 Bangles and Get the 4th Bangle for Free!

Shaya’s signature square bangles are some of my best selling designs, especially in the spring and summertime. They come in four finishes: Gold, Rose Gold, Silver and Gunmetal, and four widths: Small, Medium, Large and Extra-Large.

The Summer Bangles Sale runs through the month of August — online and in person at the Nolita Market on Prince Street between Mulberry and Mott Streets.

Online:

• Add 4 bangles in the same size and color to your shopping cart.
• If you would like to purchase cuffs in different finishes, please specify which finishes and how many of each in the COMMENTS section at checkout (below Shipping Address).*
  
• Enter the code SHAYASUMMERBANGLES at checkout.
• Enjoy 4 bangles for the price of 3!

At the Nolita Market:

• Come see the Shaya Collection at the Nolita Market Fridays-Sundays on Spring Street between Mulberry & Mott.
• Pick out 4 bangles for the price of 3!

Enjoy the rest of summer and dress up with some new bangles. Feel free to share this sale with your friend and family too!

*Our current e-commerce platform has limited coupon options, so we will accommodate orders of the same size cuffs in different finishes based on your instructions at checkout.

The Summer Bangles Sale runs August 1-31, 2012. Cuffs, Twista, and other bracelet designs are excluded.

I have felt especially inspired this year to bring out new designs, and the feeling is still with me.  I hope you have seen the new gunmetal designs and the special Jada necklace in rose gold for Mother’s Day.  And now I’m excited to announce the launch of my new Cuff Collection.

Each one is made from a single sheet of metal that I hammer to add texture.  Then I fold over the metal and hammer the fold to create the final shape of the cuff.  Currently there are four different designs – Graduated, Single Fold, Two Fold and Chevron.  They each come in a variety of metals, including gold plated, sterling silver and rose gold plated.  I may give them different names, so check back for an update.

The cuffs come in two sizes, 6″-6.5″ and 6.5″-7.25″.  Although I know it’s tempting, I recommend not squeezing the cuffs to make them tight around your wrist.  Contracting and expanding the metal weakens it over time, whereas if you let it sit loosely on your wrist, the piece will retain its design and strength.

I am especially happy with the new cuff designs because they add power to any individual style.  I really like the overall look and the hammered texture that stands out beautifully.  I also like the simplicity of the technique.  I invite you to check out the new Cuff Collection online.  If you are in New York City, please come and try them on at one of my regular market events.

~Shaya

I am happy to introduce the Rose Gold Jada Necklace exclusively for Mother’s Day.  The original inspiration was the Priscilia Necklace, which represents the connection between two individuals – friends, family members or a couple.  From this design, I came up with the Jada Necklace in mixed metals.  Since the Jada design features one larger link interconnected to a smaller link, I decided to dedicate this design in rose gold as a special gift for Mother’s Day.  The rose gold is pretty and feminine, and its color represents love.

The Rose Gold Jada Necklace is available online, and you can come see it in person this weekend at Crafts On Columbus on Columbus Avenue between 77th and 81st Streets. We will probably be at the Nolita Market Friday depending on the weather.  Check us on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

Order online by Wednesday, May 9th to ensure delivery in time for Mother’s Day!

Sonia Necklace from the New Shaya Gunmetal Collection

I am very proud to introduce the new Shaya Gunmetal Collection to you!

I have been really excited about this new element in my work. Gunmetal is a deep grey, almost black metal finish that adds even more versatility to my designs. The original gunmetal was developed back in the day to make guns, and later it was replaced with steel. We have come a long way today, using gunmetal to make jewelry instead of weapons. Because of its metallic black color, though, it maintains a bit of its sense of danger, which is always a good thing in fashion and design in my book.

The first pieces in the new Shaya Gunmetal Collection are made with mixed metals in gold tones and gunmetal grey. These pieces pretty much go with any outfit for any occasion. They are perfect for this transitional season, and they look very nice with a summer tan.

The designs in this collection include:

• Arza
• Delilah
• Dorothy
• Jada
• Nicole
• Nolita
• Sabrina
• Sonya Earrings and Necklace

Please have a look at the entire Gunmetal Collection. We will be adding new gunmetal designs going forward, so please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

Black is one color that never goes out of style.

You can shop from the collection online, or you can come and try them on Fridays – Sundays at the Nolita Market, on Prince Street between Mulberry and Mott Streets. We will also be at Spring Crafts on Columbus starting this weekend, May 5-6 and May 12 – 13, 2012.