Handcrafted jewelry

Just how do we put together our collections of Artisan Handcrafted Jewelry? We travel miles and miles to find new artisans using unusual native materials in interesting ways, and then we ponder and perculate for a while with these handcrafted earrings, necklaces and bracelets in front of us. Sometimes we wear them for a period of time before we begin our adaptations. Whether it’s taking an ornate design from an artisan in the north of Peru and scaling it down to American tastes and sensibilities or introducing a splash of silver to a simple straw bracelet, we make these designs our own, capturing both the essence of the Peruvian spirit and the aesthetic of the modern American woman.

Have you ever seen someone who walks with an air of confidence with a striking sense of personal style? Wondered how they do it? Wish that you could, too? Anyone that answers yes has got to check out our site at www.tikanchay.com. Our specialty is satisying cravings for beautiful jewelry.

Most jewelry is either beautiful and expensive, or tacky and affordable. However, the Tikanchay collection offers quality silver earrings, bracelets and necklaces; artisan Peruvian jewelry that redefines beautiful… and it is done at an affordable price.

Beauty isn’t just about having a great stone or quality silver. Anyone can purchase a beautiful stone or piece of sterling silver. What makes a piece truly beautiful is the art of combining and crafting the elements; thus forming a one of kind necklace, earring, or bracelet. This process creates jewelry that appeals to a woman’s senses. The overall look, texture, and materials are feminine. Yet, the pieces are strong and impressively bold. Not only will the handcrafted jewelry look beautiful, but you will look beautiful wearing it. We all know that beauty comes from the inside. If you feel beautiful….you will look beautiful, and you are sure to feel beautiful in a Peruvian artisan bracelet or earrings.

My husband was born in Peru and since we married, I have frequently traveled home with him. Through our travels; I have seen the wonders of Peru, and experienced the culture first hand. I remember the first time I watched an artisan skillfully construct a piece of silver jewelry from native stones and silver….I was an awe. Artisans have long been a ancient tradition in Peruvian culture and it’s impossible to travel to Peru without seeing the results of this rich tradition everyone you go. It was an important part of my experience in Peru to bring home to my family and friends small tokens that represent the richness of the culture. The traditional process in Peru has not been corrupted and I am so proud to now have a silver jewelry collection at tikanchay.com that is based on the traditional craft and that showcases the native materials of Peru

Peru and its people have been a central part of my life’s experiences every since I married Alberto and began to build a life with him. I’ve been to Peru every year – sometimes twice – for the last twenty five years! It boggles my mind sometimes, and I’m not sure I can express how much it has enriched my life. Every time that I go now, especially since I’ve started the Tikanchay collection of handcrafted jewelry I find that my relationships and friendships deepen and my ties become stronger. Alberto teases me that I know more people now than he does and he marvels at how I can instruct the taxi driver on how to navigate from one place to the next. I’ve had to learn these things on my own since I do business there; I meet with the artisans, collaborating on jewelry design and I plan the production of artisan necklaces, silver earrings and handcrafted bracelets. I talk and listen, and listen some more to capture the stories of these talented artisans.

On the weekends, I love to walk several blocks from our apartment to Parque Kennedy where the artists, both University educated and self-taught, set up their easels and display their work. Recently, I purchased several oil paintings of the ocean which I have hanging in my bedroom in Peru. Then, I went back and purchased one from a vantage point below the cliff that juts out toward the ocean; it shows the procession along the Malecon of towering apartment buildings, one of which is ours. That painting got all wrapped up and made it’s way back to my bedroom in the U.S. There simply isn’t enough wall space in my life!

As you walk along the pathways of the Parque Kennedy on a Friday night, you are greeted by the happy sounds and sights and smells of a weekend. Musicians play in the central courtyard, picarones are fried and sold along with their sweet dipping syrup and children run in circles eliciting laughter and general glee. My participation usually consists of strolling and repeating my gratitude mantra, breathing consciously and staying in the moment, trying to preserve it in my mind so I can call upon it when I’m home and thinking wistfully of my second home. Does it sound like I would recommend Peru as a wonderful travel destination? I would. I do!

If you can’t make it there soon, at least look at our website at www.tikanchay.com. Read about the artisans and their superb craftsmanship and be taken in by the stories; the stories behind the products, the stories of the native materials, the stories of the origins of the artform. And the story of our mission to support the artisans. It’s interesting, inspiring and the photos of turquoise pendants and obsidian earrings are great fun, too.

I can’t believe that I’ve let so much time go by since my last post. You would think that I had run out of things to share with you…but that definitely isn’t it! It’s just that I’ve been very busy writing posts for my handcrafted jewelry blog and working on our website. With Christmas coming up (I know, it seems impossible) we have to get all of our new artisan jewelry designs up on the site now! I hope that you have time to check out our website at www.tikanchay.com. Tikanchay is now one of my great excuses to travel to Peru several times a year and learn more myself about everything from artisan necklaces and bracelets and earrings to restaurants and nightclubs and new artists, singers, galleries and so much more. For those times when I have nothing to share, I hope that you will look at some other sites to learn more about Peru and plan a trip to the marvelous country that is my favorite place to be. One of my favorites is Living in Peru which is written in English and has all kinds of articles and news. In the meantime, I am working on jewelry designs and will post as often as I can. Luckily, I’m going back to Peru for a couple of weeks next month so there will be all kinds of news and lots of posts then.

Trips to Peru include adventures in Miraflores, the bustling part of Lima where we reside when we’re in Peru. Much of my “down” time is spent shopping and dining, which I heartily recommend to anyone visiting Peru. I also love to visit art galleries and cafes, which is what I’ll be doing while my sister and family are touring Cusco and The Sacred Valley.  I spent the day yesterday hunting for new and special designs for our website of Peruvian artisan jewelry. I’ve shopped Peruvian artisan markets for decades, walking miles and sorting through the entire spectrum from average to remarkable workmanship. The Tikanchay site features an unmatched collection that was chosen with a discerning eye for design and an understanding of the art of quality handcrafting. Here’s an example of what I mean, artisan necklaces, which feature lots of native materials like red seeds from the Amazon jungle. One memorable evening I had dinner at an Italian restaurant in Miraflores with my friend, Connie who is also one of the silver jewelry artisans that I work with here in Lima.  It was a wonderful dinner and though I resisted dessert, the dessert menu was two pages long and everything looked tempting.  Connie had a creme brulee that arrived at the table with a delicate bird’s nest of caramel colored spun sugar.  She saw the owner on television saying that it takes three days to make from start to finish, which is a little less than it takes to make the Tikanchay Ethereal necklace of silver filigree. That takes over five days!  The restaurant is a happy and clozy place called La Trattoria Di Mambrino.  It’s located on a charming, pedestrian only street called Manuel Bonilla. It is located in the thriving center of Miraflores, just across from Parque Kennedy.  I will definitely take my husband there for a romantic dinner soon!  He arrives to Lima tomorrow and we’re off to Arequipa and the Colca Valley for several days, meeting that itinerant family of mine.  I can’t wait to hear all about their experiences…for now I leave you with a little something to whet your palate for a taste of Peru: a link to a simple recipe for Papa a la Huancaina, one of my favorite Peruvian dishes and one that will be as appealing to those looking for vegetarian recipes as it is to other food lovers.    Have some fun, cook a little and shop a little, while I go pack! 

While I have already experienced the wonders of the Andes mountains; the verdant central valley; the cobble stoned colonial cities with their quintessential Plaza de Armas and colonial cathedrals; and the breathtaking Incan ruins, there is more to discover and experience…including restaurants I’ve yet to enjoy and unique necklaces to buy! It’s all too much to mention in just one post, but there’s time and space, to reminisce and anticipate, and revel in all that is Peru. For now, I will savor the churros I just brought home from Manolo’s, my favorite source in Miraflores for these delightful desserts filled with manjar blanca.  This caramel cream filled pastry is my favorite and a perfect way to end a day as I pore over the pages of a website about things to do in Peru. It’s called Living in Peru and it’s my latest favorite resource for things to do in the country that I have adopted in my heart as my second homeland.

I love  Peru. It’s the place we have our second home, my husband’s birthplace, a place of unlimited travel opportunities with beautiful landscapes and a history of rich cultures. The people are warm, the food is incredible and the handicrafts are uncommonly beautiful including the artisan handcrafted jewelry, all rooted in traditions that are generations old. I hope to share with you our memories, adventures, and stories as well as photos and videos as quickly as I can learn to scan them and upload them.  Some of the things you’ll hear about are: Trujillo and eating fish eggs, Aunt Julia’s famous anticuchos, Machu Picchu and Jr’s tumble from the five foot terrace, the symbolism of native materials such as this spondylus necklace, the Cathedral in Arequipa’s Plaza de Armas, the 17 hour bus ride from Cusco to Juliaca, the Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca, helping my sister adopt our niece Natalie and our experiences navigating the court system…it’s best to just start.  It’s been quite a ride so far and a very enriching experience that I hope you will be tempted to partake in yourself. Sign up for my RSS feed and get regular updates. Since my husband travels bi-monthly Peru for his business, exporting Peruvian foods to the U.S. and I travel frequently to bring back silver necklaces, earrings and bracelets for my website, I’ll always have more news to share here at Learn about Peru.