Suai Suai Stine & Salinee
Suai means beautiful in Thai, double trouble! 
 
This is a first of many interviews with people who I hope will inspire you. They inspire me every day because they are braking the mold, pushing convention and living their lives to the fullest by putting fulfilment at the top of their lists.
I like to call them “My well traveled friends” of course. 
Not all will be constant travelers and not all will be mums and not all will be major game players but I hope they will make you sit up and think about what single thing would improve your life and get up and do it. Thats what I did two years ago when I stuck my life possessions in a lock up and put my carrier on pause to find out what made me feel alive again.
 
Meet Stina of Suai Suai jewelry. Stina and her daughter Salinee have been splitting their time between mums native Sweden and Salinee’s native Thailand for the last 3 years while also exploring the world and making beautiful handmade jewelry. Stina’s business allows her the freedom to call more than one place home and to enjoy a lot of special moment with her daughter. Here is a little taste of what makes Stina happy and inspires her  beautiful and entirely unique pieces. 
 
Lets talk about your jewelry first because its always been something that has drawn us together as friends, What is your favorite piece of jewelry and why? 

“My favorite piece of jewellery is a Thai stone bead necklace. Just after I met Ten (Stina’s partner of 7 years) I had to go back to Sweden. He made me this necklace from some of the stones from his own necklaces that he had collected over the years. Its super colorful and it looks like a kid could have made it and I love that, I love its simplicity. Its broken at this moment and it makes me a bit sad, but it’s going to be fixed soon!”

You hand make all your jewelry and a lot of its pieces have spiritual meanings is this a big part of your creative process?

“Spiritual objects and symbols are my biggest inspiration, so yes it has a lot to do with my process. I find religion and spirituality very interesting and I love the mysticism around it. I want that feeling with my jewellery too, and that is something i’m still trying to capture, In some pieces I feel I got it and other I dont. My goal would be to always find that feeling in every piece.”


How has travel affected your creativity?


“I keep my creativity alive by traveling. As I collect material from everywhere and off course inspiration its very important for me to move. I also need to clear my brain and to stay too long in one place gets very difficult for me creatively.”


When you travel do you buy jewelry?


“Hmmm….I am very picky when it comes to buying jewelry for myself, but yes I buy jewellery when I travel, but mostly materials to make jewellery. When I sell in markets I often find jewelry I like, and thats most of the time after I get to know the person selling it. Then it gets more interesting and I want to buy something to have as a memory. I also often trade jewelry and other stuff with market people, Thats the best.”

Which places inspire you most? 


“Every place! I always find inspiration when I move around. Even if I go to same places I see new things. 
But traveling to Bangkok is always super inspiring, After a while I do need to leave before I get an overdose 🙂 . Bangkok really is intense.”


What is your favorite travel spot and why?


“My favorite travel spot has to be Koh Phangan, Thailand, even if its now time to call it my home. I always feel happy and free when I am here. And I still find new beautiful places even though I have been coming here for more than 7 years!”


What is your daughter Salinee’s favorite travel destination and why? 


“Salinees favorite place is always the next place we are going to, it doesn’t matter where but when she know we are planing to travel somewhere she talks about that all the time. And if we are visiting someone there she gets even more excited! Then it doesn’t matter if its a small island in Thailand or a day trip to Denmark. “


How does being a mum affect the way you travel? Do you do things very differently?

“As a mum I try to think how to travel safe, light and prepared. Safety is the most difficult one, its hard to know whats safer sometimes but I try to go with my stomach feeling (how do you say that? gutts!?) and to travel light is also difficult. I never know if I also have to carry a heavy sleeping baby so the bags cant be too heavy or too many…. BUT I have almost always met very helpful people when I travel with Salinee, when I travel in Asia. Preparing is easy, wet wipes, snacks, water. As Salinee is getting older I let her pack her own bag so that she can play with things when we travel. She often bring bottles and blanket for her dolly Inga. 🙂

So yes I would say I do EVERYTHING different now.”

Thanks Stina, hope to see you soon although im not sure where our next meeting place will be. Bali? We still need to do that!
The Buddhist and Hindu amulets and pendants that Stina uses in her jewelry have been collected over many years and each of her pieces are unique and handmade. Check them our there are so many more on her newly launched Etsy site https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/suaisuai. You can also follow her journey on Facebook and Instagram. Hit for Link.