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These Handcrafted Accessories Are Made From Clay, and They’re Beautiful

Fashion & Beauty October 13, 2021

Accessories may be small pieces to add to a wardrobe, but any fashionista will tell you that the right accessory can make all the difference. It can elevate an otherwise simple outfit, or show off your personal style. And in this case, as with The Clay Project’s beautiful handcrafted accessories, they can tell a story too.

When I received my (beautifully packaged) box of The Clay Project trinkets, I was instantly blown away by the talent and the hands that made the pieces. Made from polymer clay, each piece is made-to-order, and crafted lovingly by hand. The artist behind this passion project is Carissa Hernandez, or Kars, who is also the one-woman team behind this brand of slow-made artisanal jewelry.

I caught up with Kars to ask her how The Clay Project came to life. She shared that the business was founded in the midst of the pandemic, where she found refuge and a way of expressing herself through art. “I’ve always wanted to express my art and creativity through lettering and design projects but it seemed like I wasn’t good enough. Until I learned about polymer clay craft. After months of researching and practicing (procrastination and self-doubt included), I finally had the courage to bring The Clay Project to life.“

Kars uses polymer clay as her medium, and she does it so well. Not only are the designs of TCP pieces just honestly so beautiful, they’re also so intricate. One can only imagine how much love, time, and effort goes into designing each piece and then carving them to life. Each item is made from scratch. Kars makes pieces in small batches to avoid waste. She shared, “When I say that each piece is thoughtfully crafted, this includes creating pieces in small batches so as to avoid waste since all of our products are made to order. Also, each piece is made by hand which makes it even more special.“

Kars also shared where she draws inspiration from. “I get my inspiration from the usual things around me: from the beautiful hues of nature, the places I’ve been wanting to visit, and so on. Sometimes, when I’m running out of ideas, I would also scroll through sites like Pinterest to find inspiration until there’s this light bulb moment and that’s when I start to make things.“

“I want people to see my products as a work of art and as a form of self-expression. I want them to make a statement and feel good about themselves, one wearable art at a time,” Kars said.

The Clay Project offers a wide range of products: from earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, to hair clips, keychains, mask and eyewear lanyards, lockets, coasters, and trinket trays. The top-sellers, according to Kars, are the earrings and necklaces, which range between P279 to 549. Her mask/eyewear lanyards are a hit too, and range between P380 to P450.

Take a look at some of Kars’ beautiful creations here—truly wearable pieces of art.

Earrings

Necklaces

Bracelets

Mask/Eyewear Lanyards

Resin Trays

The most special, perhaps, and why I said earlier that The Clay Project’s pieces can also tell a story, is its portrait earrings. Give Kars a photo that you want to be made into something you can wear, and you’ll always have something with you to remember it by—whether your favorite picture of you, you and your significant other, or a photo of a significant moment or place in your life.

Here’s the portrait earring The Clay Project made for me, and below, is the photo it was based on.

 

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Isn’t that amazing?

The Clay Project delivers nationwide, with some curated pieces available exclusively at Frankie and Friends at its Molito, Alabang branch.

Find The Clay Project through the links below, and order your own piece of wearable art now.

The Clay Project

Facebook: The Clay Project PH
Instagram: @theclayproject.ph

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About The Author

Nicole Villaluz Chacon-Millan

Managing Editor of WhenInManila.com. Connect with her on Instagram: @nicvillaluz