Valentina Black Jewelry

Great Day Trips - Baltimore

Next, pop a few doors down to Shine Collective (1007 W. 36th St.; 410-366-6100; shopshinecollective.com). You’ll find vintage furniture plus contemporary fashions including Joe’s Jeans and great local jewelry by Valentina Black.

Best of Baltimore

Accessories  Has your accessory shopping gotten a little routine?  Then head to Shine Collective, 1007A W. 36th Street, 410-366-6100, where the accessories are as vibrant and eclectic as the shoppers.  We love that the bags, belts, and bangles that adorn the walls of this Hampden boutique are so effortlessly chic.  The jewelry is particularly eye-catching: delicate Viv & Ingrid, intense Draugsvold, feminine Valentina Black, silly Alex & Chole.  These are the kind of pieces that elicit the, "Oooh, where did you get that?" every time they're worn.

Built in Baltimore II with Christy Zuccarini

June 8, 2009 | Radar Collaborators
With many of the stores providing complimentary food and drinks, as well as special promotions, the evening serves not only to thank the stores’ supporters but also to increase publicity for the area. With guests welcomed to linger in the stores, the atmosphere is relaxed and upbeat throughout the evening.

One of the most popular stores when we attended this past First Friday was Shine Collective – a contemporary boutique offering a uniquely curated assortment of clothing and accessories. For the event-billed as “Built in Baltimore II”,- Shine showcased the work of local designers. Among these were tshirt designers Charm City Surf Co., jewelry designers Karen Garalde, Leslie Kamali, Christy Zuccarini, Valentina Black, Hanna Brancato, Hadieh Shafie, and handbag designer Michelle Li.

Because so many of the items in Shine Collective were made locally, I was encouraged to find out more about them. Upon further research, I discovered the recently retired Baltimore Sun blog Baltimore By Hand, which is written by Christy Zuccarini. With such an involvement in the local craft scene and a talent for making jewelry and accessories, I chose to ask Christy a few questions about her experiences as an artist and blogger.