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By now you are probably super familiar with the fact that I absolutely love all things handmade and unique. There’s just something special about giving a home to an item that has been lovingly crafted by a talented human being – especially when said talented human is a South African! Which is where my latest online obsession comes in. Balela Homemade is an online store where South Africans can shop for unique handmade items lovingly made by other South Africans and then have it delivered straight to their door. It’s pure awesome really!
Balela is Zulu for ‘shine’ and the online store does exactly that – it gives local crafters a place to shine and sell their wares to like-minded people. The store only stocks the very best in handmade products and is the perfect place to find unique gifts for yourself and your loved ones. I absolutely love the concept as it gives you access to crafters from all over the country – from unique decor items and jewellery to bath products and baby goodies they’ve got it all in one convenient place!
The site is also super easy to use and shoppers can browse via category (accessories, baby, art, etc) or by crafter. I love that each crafter gets their own ‘landing page’ on the site so if you see something you love from their collection then you can visit their page to see everything they have on offer. The items available on Balela Homemade are also incredibly well priced and you can find items for as little as R20 in the various categories!
Some of my favourite crafters on the site include Veronika’s Closet from Gauteng (offering gorgeous artworks and decor items made from wood), Cinnamon (offering cute and quirky jewellery with a vintage twist) and Kerry Cherry (offering a range of scatter cushions with unique designs). I also put a few things in my shopping basket while I was doing ‘research’ for this article (I might also have clicked “check out” and then entered my credit card details but that’s our little secret) - these include an oh-so-cute pair of Cotton and Stitch stud earrings from Kerry Cherry (wooden button earrings with a stitch pattern finished in coral-pink cotton – R64.99), a Green Dandelion hand block printed scatter cushion from Kerry Cherry (featuring a beautiful dandelion print on the front – R341.99) and a stunning set of three wooden pot stands from Mel Creations with the words “Eat”, “Pray” and “Love” cut out of the wood (From 84.99).
Balela Homemade is the perfect place to shop for gifts for friend’s birthdays, baby showers or house warming gifts. You’re bound to find something really unique on their site and your friends will think you are the best gift buyer ever!
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By Crystal Espin
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