Cisthene
Today I decided that I better get my ass into gear and actually write something for this blog. Just as quickly as I made this decision however, came the realisation that I have nothing to write about; so I set about looking at other peoples’ blogs to see where the hell they were finding the inspiration that is so elusive to me. At the moment I was about to give up, Design Sponge introduced me to something so perfect I could have got up and performed a little victory dance if I had not been so tired from the weekends’ festivities. Anyway, I digress.
Cisthene is an online store owned by Jen Altman, photographer, author, super blogger, mother...the list is enviable. But this WEBSITE. I could not have found anything perfect for how I feel right now. Whether it is the weather, the recession, not particularly knowing what to do with my life or all of the above; I currently feel the need to escape into a fantasy world. If this is healthy or not I don’t know, but I do know that a second visit to the Harry Potter Studio Tour or a marathon read of Game of Thrones makes me feel a little better (and a ridiculous geek, but whatever).
The jewellery on this website is divine, so on-trend yet reminiscent of years passed, celebrating craftsmanship, stone, metal and gems. The way it’s described is also spot on. Why do we forget where jewellery came from? What it represents? We buy it for £2 in Primark because it has a cross on it and crosses are cool right now. That is why. I’m not saying I’m not guilty of this, but I will start choosing my pieces more wisely. Check out this paragraph and you will think differently:
“It is not simply metal and stone that we adorn ourselves with, instead it is thousands of years of craftsmanship; it is metal from the depths of our Earth and minerals that have endured millions of years of trial by water and fire to become what they are today. The practice of wearing jewelry, originally for protection then for currency and finally for decoration, is as nearly as ancient as humanity itself...We imbue our jewels with our own energies, our desires, and even our individual histories...”
The site also has a section for leather goods, an apothecary (too good) and some stunning silk printed scarves featuring photography from Jen’s book Gem and Stone: Jewels of Earth, Sea and Sky. I could go on and on about this website for hours, but here are some pictures to enjoy instead.
