In her own voice. Enjoy. pj
Hi there! I’m Valeriya, the owner of HiddenStairwayFinds on Etsy.
I was interested in antiques for as long as I can remember.
As a little girl I loved playing with my mother’s and grandmother’s jewelry. My mom had a wonderful collection of Czech costume necklaces and enamel & filigree brooches that fascinated me with their textures & colors.
At my grandparents’ house I loved looking through their many photo albums. I loved everything about them – the heaviness of the leather-bound volumes filled with pictures of smiling people, soft faded shades of sepia photographs, their fancy scalloped edges and even their scent!
I could spend hours with my grandparents telling me all about those people – family, friends, and distant family members… The special times we shared influenced me in a profound way.
Today I am collecting antique & vintage postcards, photographs & ephemera. Each old photograph & postcard tells a story to those who are willing to listen. My other passion is art. I’ve been drawing & painting since my childhood.
Making costume jewelry is another art form that I have been successfully pursuing for many years. I draw inspiration from the things around me – nature, architecture, memories, dreams, and even perfect strangers inspire me in one way or another. As my husband puts it, I notice and hear things that others don’t …
In my shop, I specialize in vintage and antique jewelry. Although vintage jewelry is my area of expertise, I also offer a variety of collectibles and home décor items, as well as vintage clothes and accessories.
In the nearest future I will introduce my own handmade assemblage jewelry line. In a perfect world I would have an extra eight hours per day – to have enough time to spend quality time with my wonderful 10-year old daughter – who is also my best friend! – and still have time to pursue all of my interests.
You are always welcome at my shop, HiddenStairwayFinds, and I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I enjoy sharing my treasures with you!
Photos Credits
Jewelry Box by Kerry Murphy on Flickr
Stack of Photos – WiseGeek.com
Valeriya’s frame – altered digital art by pj
vintageatoz 