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Christmas Gifts for Her

Christmas Gifts for Her

Even though there seem to be many more options for Christmas gifts for her, women can be just as challenging to shop for as men. Sometimes too many options can be overwhelming, so I have highlighted an assortment of suggestions based on popular gifts for women people purchase from me as well as suggestions for the extremely picky lady or gal who has everything.

Jewelry

Jewelry seems like an obvious choice, but you need to know who you are shopping for, her style, and tastes. My silver link bracelets are adjustable, so you do not need to know what bracelet length she wears and I have a smooth finish option (Oyster Link Bracelet) and hammered finish option (Torc Link Bracelet). Bangles are also a nice jewelry gift, because she can stack them with other bracelets. All of my bangles come in two sizes, medium and large, and can be custom sized.

Necklaces are also a great gift depending on the style she likes to wear. A standout, statement necklace is a special gift for the lady with some flare.

A simple pendant for everyday wear is perfect for a woman of any age, from a young girl to a stylish older aunt. My pendants come with the choice of a 16″, 18″, or 20″ length silver cable chain.

Finally for the jewelry suggestions, are earrings.

Earrings like necklaces are also a matter of taste and style. Some ladies prefer to wear large, statement earrings and others tend to be more conservative or minimal with post or stud styles. I have a wide selection of all styles, so be sure to check out the various options.

Dresser or Vanity Objects

A pretty silver vase she can put flowers in for her dresser or vanity, a lovely silver dish to hold small items (see first image on post), or an elegant silver box to store jewelry or other small things all make thoughtful Christmas gifts for her.

Entertaining and Serving Utensils

Entertaining is year round and not just around the holidays, so for the hostess with the mostess and the lady who likes to entertain in style a lovely silver serving utensil or spoon is the perfect gift. It is a lasting gift she can use often for serving all the delicious dishes and appetizers she makes. I like mixing and matching styles and patterns, so do not be afraid to pair traditional silver styles with contemporary pieces.

A silver napkin ring is a wonderful gift, because you can start her on a collection. Then you have a go to gift for each birthday, holiday, or anniversary. Personalizing with hand engraving is a thoughtful touch with initials or to commemorate which occasion or date it was given on.

Christmas Ornaments

Finally, a festive silver Christmas ornament is a fun gift for all women. I offer a wide range of designs and most of them can be hand engraved. Choose one that fits her personality best!

All of these lovely silver Christmas gifts for her can be found in my website Shop, plus many more. Happy Holiday shopping!

Silver Wedding Gift Ideas

wedding cake tray

Silver Wedding Gift Ideas

Despite so many weddings being postponed or held in a much smaller gathering than originally planned due to coronavirus, giving a gift to the happy couple is still a must to show your support and celebrate their marriage! Silver is a classic heirloom wedding gift and my functional silver objects are extremely popular to commemorate the joyous occasion. My designs are inspired by traditional silver forms, but are interpreted in my original, contemporary style. A unique, handcrafted silver gift will be cherished for generations to come and is such a memorable, lasting gift to receive.

My website Shop has a wide variety of options available and many can be personalized with hand engraving for a special finishing touch. Detailed below are some of the most favored of my classic silver wedding gifts.

cocktail bar silver decanter bottle tags silver vase silver bar spoon silver wedding gifts
Silver Bar Spoons, Decanter Bottle Tags, and Vase
by Kaminer Haislip

Coronavirus is keeping more people at home these days, so stock the newlywed’s bar with fun silver accessories they will use while enjoying evenings at home together or for stylish entertaining (while being conscientious of social distancing of course!). Silver bar spoons, personalized decanter tags with their favorite libations engraved on the front, tumblers and cups, wine goblets, and wine coasters are all useful and beautiful gifts.

silver tumbler silver bar spoon cocktail
Silver Tumbler and Bar Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

The silver tumbler pictured above and the silver wine goblets and wine coasters below all can be hand engraved with the couple’s initials and wedding date for a personal touch.

silver wine coaster silver wine goblets silver vase silver wedding gifts
Silver Wine Coasters, Wine Goblets, and Vase
by Kaminer Haislip

Let’s not forget the very important hors d’oeuvres for snacking during cocktail hour! Silver appetizer accessories shine and make serving the tasty bites even more enjoyable.

The silver and glass cheese tray shown above is the same silver and glass cake tray pictured at the top of this post. My Ziggurat Tray creates a stunning tablescape and is very versatile for many uses, including serving hors d’oeuvres, cheese, anti-pasta, cakes and desserts, or for a table centerpiece displaying fruit or flowers. 

silver spreader appetizer serving utensil silver flatware
Silver Spreader by Kaminer Haislip

This silver spreader is multi-functional for serving a wide variety of soft cheeses, spreads, and condiments.

silver condiment spoon silver flatware hammered silver spoon
Silver Condiment Spoon by Kaminer Haislip
silver fork silver appetizer fork meat fork hammered silver fork
Silver Appetizer Fork by Kaminer Haislip

The silver cheese knife, spreader, condiment spoon, and appetizer fork were all forged and have a hammered handle. Due to the hammering process, they are very sturdy and functional. Plus they bring contemporary refinement to the setting.

silver nest bowl woven silver functional art silver basket
Silver Nest Bowl by Kaminer Haislip

A popular wedding gift is my Nest Bowl, comprised of hammered and woven sterling silver wire.  The nest acts as a metaphor for building a new life and home together.  Nest Bowl comes in three sizes, 4″, 6″, and 8″ in diameter, but can also be created in custom sizes. It functions beautifully for serving bread or crackers or on a vanity or dresser for holding items.

silver wedding gift silver nest woven silver basket silver wedding gifts
Silver Nest Bowl by Kaminer Haislip

For serving up the main course, my silver salad servers and serving spoon make excellent silver wedding gifts that will be used frequently and not just on holidays. My husband and I use our silver serving spoons regularly and get a lot of enjoyment out of them!

silver salad servers silver salad spoons ergonomic handle
Silver Salad Servers by Kaminer Haislip
silver serving spoon silver spoon hammered silver spoon
Silver Serving Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

A pair of silver napkin rings with the couple’s initials hand engraved on them is a lovely gift that can be built upon over the years. Starting them on any collection creates a gift you as well as others can give to help them complete the set.

silver napkin ring tabletop design use your silver silver wedding gifts
Silver Napkin Ring by Kaminer Haislip

Silver bowls, dishes, and boxes are also thoughtful silver wedding gifts, not only for their useful function on a coffee table, dresser, or vanity, but also for their beauty and enhancement of a new abode. Most of my silver bowls, dishes, and boxes come in a variety of sizes and too can be completed as a set in the future.

Silver Poppy Bowl by Kaminer Haislip
Silver Oyster Dish by Kaminer Haislip
Silver Boxes by Kaminer Haislip

There are many more gorgeous heirloom silver wedding gift options in my website Shop Home category, so visit it for the complete selection. Elegant gift wrapping is free and it can be shipped directly to them. 

wedding cake stand

Silver and glass tray by Kaminer Haislip

If you do not see specifically what you are looking for on my website Shop, contact me directly at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com to design a custom commission gift. For details on commissioning bespoke pieces, visit the Commission Work page on this website.

Cheers to the happy couple!

 

Graduation Gift Ideas

graduation gift ideas

Graduation Gift Ideas

With summer rapidly approaching, or at least it feels like that in Charleston due to the rising temperature, graduation season will be here soon at the end of spring. Unfortunately due to the coronavirus crisis, many traditional graduation commencement ceremonies have been cancelled or postponed. However, even with the absence of a cap and gown event, giving a special gift to celebrate your graduate’s achievement is still very necessary. My silver objects, jewelry, and men’s accessories are very popular graduation gifts, so in this Blog post I have highlighted some of my favorite graduation gift ideas for both guys and gals. The majority of these quality, lasting pieces can be hand engraved for a personal, memorable touch.

Graduation Gift Ideas for Her

silver cuff bracelet hammered silver bracelet torc jewelry
Silver Torc Twist Cuff Bracelet I by Kaminer Haislip

A young lady would appreciate for everyday wear a simple pendant, delicate stud earrings, or elegant cuff or bangle bracelet, especially if she will have a professional job that requires a more conservative attire style.

Silver Torc Pendant III by Kaminer Haislip

My pendants come with the choice of a 16″, 18″, or 20″ length silver cable chain.

silver oyster pendant oyster jewelry charleston
Silver Oyster Shell Pendant by Kaminer Haislip

Bangles and cuff bracelets are also a nice jewelry gift, because she can stack them with other bracelets.

hammered silver bangle bracelet graduation gift ideas for her
Silver Torc Bracelet II by Kaminer Haislip

All of my bangles come in two sizes, medium and large, and can be custom sized. My cuff bracelets are adjustable and are flexible to form over the wrist for personalized comfort. Additionally, one size fits most.

hammered silver stud earrings torc earrings graduation gift ideas for her
Silver Torc Stud Earrings by Kaminer Haislip

Simple, yet elegant stud earrings are always a great gift for anyone, because they can be worn everyday for a delicate touch and are conservative in style for a professional environment.

oyster shell earrings silver oyster earrings jacket style earrings versatile jewelry
Silver Oyster Shell Double Earrings in
Small (pictured) or Large
by Kaminer Haislip

My jacket style Oyster Shell Double Earrings are very popular, because they can be worn as just stud (small option) or post (large option) earrings for minimal style or with the back component added for a statement look. These earrings transition effortlessly from day to night.

jacket earrings stud earring post earring
Deconstructed silver Oyster Shell Double Earring
by Kaminer Haislip
hammered silver dish silver torc earrings post earrings graduation gift ideas for her
Silver Poppy Bowl (small) and Torc Post Earrings
by Kaminer Haislip

A lovely silver dish to hold small items, pretty silver vase she can put flowers in for her dresser or vanity, or an elegant silver box to store jewelry or other small things all make thoughtful graduation gifts for her.

silver vase etched silver cloud design learning to fly hollowware
Silver Learning to Fly Vase by Kaminer Haislip

The etched design for this silver vase from my Learning to Fly Series was inspired by clouds seen from a plane receding into the distance. The concept relates to graduation by the metaphors of flying the nest, being independent, and moving forward.

silver boxes bird box chorus handcrafted silver box
Silver Chorus boxes by Kaminer Haislip

My round silver boxes come in a variety of sizes, so you can add to her collection as her life progresses.

Graduation Gift Ideas for Him

oval silver cufflinks engravable cufflinks hand engraving graduation gift ideas for him
Silver Oval Cufflinks by Kaminer Haislip

Cufflinks add sophistication to a man’s attire and are a creative way he can express his personal style. Jewelry options tend to be limited for men, so cufflinks are a fashionable accessory to spruce up his look. Most of my cufflinks can be personalized with hand engraving and custom initial cufflinks are also a unique, thoughtful gift option.

initial silver cufflinks personalized cufflinks custom cufflinks
Silver Initial Cufflinks by Kaminer Haislip

Contact me directly at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com to commission custom, initial cufflinks if you do not see your letter in my Men’s Accessories Shop category.

silver collar stays hand engraving graduation gift ideas
Silver Collar Stays by Kaminer Haislip

Silver collar stays are another professional gift idea that also can be personalized with hand engraving.

A silver box is a very useful gift for a man, because he can put it on his dresser to store cufflinks and other small items or on his desk. My husband has several silver boxes he uses and it is a classy way to store things and keep your desk tidy.

etched silver boxes graduation gift ideas for him
Silver Learning to Fly Boxes by Kaminer Haislip

These silver boxes are from the same Learning to Fly Series as the vase highlighted above and the same metaphors apply to them as well. Also, just as with the Chorus boxes also featured, they come in a variety of sizes, so as he moves forward in life, you can add to his collection.

Hand engraving on top of round silver box for a recent graduation gift for him

Visit my website Hand Engraving page for more engraving samples and styles as well as pricing and details.

silver dish silver oyster dish contemporary silver design charleston
Silver Oyster Dish by Kaminer Haislip

A silver dish like my Oyster Dish above (available in two sizes) is wonderful for a dresser or desk as well. They can be used to hold small items, such as change or keys, and function as a pen tray.

silver tumbler contemporary silver cup hand engraving
Silver Sounding Series Tumbler by Kaminer Haislip

A final graduation gift idea is to start him on a collection of silver cups. My Sounding Series cups come in two sizes with the shorter tumbler cup shown above and a taller, Mint Julep sized beaker shown below. Both styles can be hand engraved to commemorate each date he receives one. I have several clients who have started special people on collections and it is fun to hear for what each occasion the cup is gifted. Many have started out as graduation gifts and progressed to wedding gifts.

silver beaker silver cup silver tumbler graduation gift ideas for him
Silver Sounding Tumblers and Beakers
by Kaminer Haislip

Hopefully I have given you a wide variety of thoughtful, special gift ideas to commemorate your graduate’s momentous achievement! I received a lovely array of beautiful silver gifts for each of my graduations and think fondly of the person who generously gifted it to me when I see it in my home or wear it. They bring back wonderful memories, which is the purpose of a lasting gift. Silver is just that!

Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 – The Netherlands Silver Museum

netherlands silver museum

schoonhoven silver award 2018

Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 – The Netherlands Silver Museum

Kaminer Haislip’s silver vessel Gradual Erosion was accepted into the international silver object (no jewelry) exhibition Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018!

The exhibition is hosted by The Netherlands Silver Museum in Schoonhoven and opened December 7, 2018. Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 will be on display for three months before traveling to cities in Belgium and Germany until November 2019.

etched silver vessel

Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 includes a wide variety of silversmiths from all over the world and its goal was to inspire artists to test and explore the boundaries of their traditional art and craft. The Netherlands Silver Museum sought objects that bear a direct relationship with the museum’s policy of stimulating the exploration of new technologies and uses, and innovative art forms. Innovation, as envisioned in the Award’s present edition, centers on the rejuvenation of past, time-honored techniques and on the preservation of this heritage through injecting dynamic new life into the art of silversmithing.

silver vase

The international Schoohnoven Silver Award exhibition began in 2001 and 2018 is the seventh edition of this unique silversmithing focused exhibition. Kaminer Haislip’s silver and ebony teapot Perched Flight was included in the 2009 exhibition Poetry in Silver, so she is excited and honored to exhibit again with her new silver vessel Gradual Erosion.

etched silver vessel

Gradual Erosion is currently available for sale, but will not be available for delivery until after the exhibition travels to two other European countries and ends in November 2019. Gradual Erosion will be returned to Kaminer Haislip after the exhibition and you can contact her directly for details at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com.

To learn more about Gradual Erosion, visit its product page on this website’s Shop at https://www.kaminerhaislip.com/silver-art-jewelry-baby/gradual-erosion-silver/

To learn more about The Netherlands Silver Museum or Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 visit the two links below.

https://zilvermuseum.com/en/

https://zilvermuseum.com/en/4919-2/

Charleston City Paper – July 2014

Charleston City Paper 
Second Nature
By Allston McCrady 

LTFPB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been 12 years since an unassuming cinder block building tucked off a sleepy section of St. Philip Street was brightly painted with the giant letters REDUX and transformed into an artistic hotbed. At its inception, Redux Contemporary Art Center was an ambitiously cool concept — a collection of artist studios with a central exhibition space and workshops open to the public. But was it ahead of its time? Too avant-garde for a city whose art galleries sell marshscapes by the dozens? Would it survive?

The answer for the latter is yes. Redux is relevant. Radically relevant. Its panel of advisors sifts through scads of proposals from talented artists across the country to select thoughtful, edgy, often provocative work, pushing Charleston’s artistic boundaries a little further. The application process is rigorous. It is a serious honor to land a show on these walls.

Every other year, Redux takes a break from the national talent pool to cull from within, celebrating the work of its own studio artists. In years past, this took the form of a group show, an often discombobulated hodgepodge of media with no central theme. This year, Redux takes a new approach.

For its upcoming show Reorientation, executive director Stacy Huggins invited proposals from local Redux artists and reviewed them herself, looking for threads and visions that might complement one another. She whittled her choice down to four artists, all women, all working with different materials, whose images struck her as organic or inspired by the natural world.

“These artists really stepped up,” says Huggins. “Their bodies of work are impressive. They’re all super talented, very committed to their art forms. None of them collaborated when submitting their proposals, yet their work meshes well.”

Kaminer Haislip: Silversmithing

Stop by Redux almost any day of the week, and you’ll hear strange sounds coming from a corner studio — whizzing, pounding, cutting, grinding, the steady roar of a blowtorch. Peek your head through the curtains and you’ll see a sylph-like young woman with pale skin wearing green tennis shoes she calls her “grubbies,” hunched over her jeweler’s bench, hard at work.

A silversmith, her name is Kaminer Haislip, and since joining Redux in 2005 she has made a name for herself with her sleek, contemporary vessels. For Reorientation, Haislip submits five works from her “Learning to Fly” series.

Inspired by some photos she took on a flight up the coast, Haislip etches the clouds into metal, paints them with a tar-like substance called black resist, then submerges the silver in nitric acid, which eats away at the recessed silver to give the pattern depth. The result is powerful: a stark contrast between the crisp geometry of the polished silver vessel and the ethereal, transient, organic feel of the clouds.

To read the full article visit http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/four-female-artists-draw-inspiration-from-the-natural-world-for-redux-exhibit/Content?oid=4948286

 

New Learning to Fly Series

LTF_cloudpicLast August, a couple who started as clients and soon became very close friends, flew my husband Matt and I to their home in Delaware on their private Navajo plane.  Outside the window I could see the clear, gorgeous sky and beautiful clouds.  I took some pictures (see left for a sample) of the clouds from the plane’s window, because I was immediately inspired to use the cloud texture as an etched surface design for silver vessels.

The first two pieces in my new Learning to Fly series are two vases.  Each vase has a hand drawn cloud design that was etched into the surface with nitric acid to create the cloud like texture.  To view, look under my website Portfolio in the Vase category.

To purchase, visit http://www.kaminerhaislip.com/product-category/home/

This is just the beginning of an exciting new series!  Soon to come objects include silver dishes, a silver perfume bottle, and more!

Portfolio Items