About

Born from the Sea, Made by Hand

There’s something about the ocean that gets into your soul and never quite leaves. For me, it started as a child in the waters of Hawaiʻi, the way the light sparkles on the water at first light or the quiet thrill of finding a perfect sunrise shell half-buried in the sand. Those moments of discovery are the heartbeat of Vagabond Sundries.

My connection to the ocean runs deeper than jewelry. Before becoming a self-taught metalsmith, I worked as a scuba instructor and spent years exploring the waters of Hawaiʻi and Southeast Asia. Long before I ever picked up a torch, I was playing in the surf, collecting shells, photographing marine life, and falling in love with the treasures hidden along the shoreline. That lifelong connection to the sea continues to shape everything I create today.                       

Vagabond Sundries is a small jewelry studio rooted in a deep love for the natural world and the stories the sea leaves behind. Every piece I create begins with something real, a sunrise shell gathered from the sea, a pearl, a shell fragment, or a gemstone shaped by the earth. Each natural material I select carries its own history, character, and quiet magic.

Handmade, One at a Time

I don’t mass-produce, and I never will. Each piece from Vagabond Sundries is made by my hands, one at a time, with care and intention. I work in 14k gold fill, solid gold, and sterling silver—materials chosen for their beauty, durability, and the way they honor the natural elements they hold.

Because I work with shells and stones shaped by nature, no two pieces are ever exactly alike. The curve of a scallop, the blush of color in a sunrise shell, the fire in a piece of opal, these are gifts from the natural world, and I treat them that way. When you wear a piece from Vagabond Sundries, you’re wearing something that exists nowhere else on earth.

Today, every piece is designed, fabricated, finished, photographed, packaged, and shipped by me from my little studio. From the first sketch to the final polishing cloth tucked into the box, I’m involved in every step of the process.

My Philosophy

I believe jewelry should mean something. It should connect you to a place, a feeling, a memory. My pieces are made for wanderers, ocean lovers, and those who collect experiences and carry a little bit of everywhere they’ve been.

I collect and source my shells thoughtfully and ethically because the integrity of what I create begins with the integrity of what I use. The ocean gives us so much, and I try to honor that in every piece I make.

Mahalo for being here. I hope you find something that feels like it was made just for you, because in a way, it was. 

With love and warmest Aloha,

Christina ❤️