Meet Eleni Nicolaou: Jewellery Designer/Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eleni Nicolaou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eleni, how do you think about risk?
I usually refer to risk taking as fear facing. In any change we make fear is always present to prevent us from taking that next step towards a more fulfilled and joyful life. I learned that the more i lovingly faced my fears and took that risk the more open I became to receive the blessings or the teachings of that openness. We live in a world where everything exists because someone took that ‘risk’, and thank God they did.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am the youngest person on my island designing and making handmade jewellery with a traditional technique.

Although my two uncles were both successful jewellery makers, I had no aspirations of being involved with this specific industry myself.

It is the urge to not let this art die alongside the past generation that led me to start Sea of Lace, my jewellery brand focusing solely on the technique of filigree.

Three years have passed since I started with just an idea and now I own my own creative space: a store and workshop where i practise the technique, play with elements and let other people enter my jewellery world.

I always say that this profession chose me, I never thought that I would find that one thing that fills me with joy every morning or that includes all my artistic and business ideas in one, but I did and this is something I am most proud of.

I have learned a lot and faced a lot but all that matters to me is the realisation that am free. Free to design, free to express , free to create.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love showing my friends around my island. Cyprus.

The first stop is of course at my place , a traditional architectural house in the suburbs of Nicosia city, for a nice meal and rest. The next day we would visit my workshop to show them what i do and create a small jewelery piece to take back with them and remember me.

Then to the Nicosia capital, we would visit the borders and explain to them a bit the history of my island and the current situation,

We would walked around the Venetian walls in the beautiful old city and go for a brunch and a lemonade at D.O.T restaurant(one of my favourites)

We would continue to the Cyprus museum and then head off to the beach in Larnaca or Protaras to swim, drink some wine and watch the sunset. Spent the night there.

We would wake up early in the morning for a yoga and meditation by the sea then a nice breakfast and dive again in the sea, spent a couple days like that and then drive….

to the mountains for wine tasting and long walks in nature, visit cultural sites, talk about architecture and just explore the beauty. of a Mediterranean island together.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shout out to my spiritual teachers, their books, my uncle. my family and my higher self.

Website: https://seaoflace.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seaoflacejewellery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seaoflacejewellery

Image Credits
All images belong to Sea of Lace