The Beauty of Handmade

There’s something timeless about handmade. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hand-knit sweater, a piece of pottery, or a meal prepared from scratch — when something is created by hand, it carries with it a story. A story of time, patience, and love. A story of tradition passed from one generation to the next.

Supetar, Croatia

Every summer when we visit Croatia, I’m reminded of just how magical “handmade” truly is.

Brač Goats Cheese

One of our first stops is always to see the cheese lady. She’s known locally for her goat’s milk cheese, which is lovingly made by hand. The goats graze in the same fields her family has tended for generations, and Baka (grandma) still uses traditional methods to prepare the cheese. Sometimes it’s ready for us right away, other times we wait days for her to finish — but the moment we receive it, it’s worth every bit of patience. Each bite carries the taste of the land, the care of the maker, and the soul of a family tradition. Best eaten with local honey or olive oil.

Another stop is the 500-year-old castle in Škrip. There, we meet another Baka (grandmother) whose family has lived in the same village, same castle for centuries. Walking into the castle feels like stepping back in time. The massive stone vat, used for storing the olive oil, that has been there for hundreds of years. The olive oil itself is unlike anything else — rich, golden, and layered with flavor that only centuries of knowledge and care can create. It’s not just olive oil; it’s living history, bottled and shared.

500 Year Old Castle

Every time we visit the seaside town of Pučišća, we always make sure to purchase something made from Brač stone. The Stonemason school which still exist today was founded in 1909 and to this day students still shape Brač’s brilliant white limestone with the same chisels and mallets their ancestors used. This is the very stone that built landmarks from Diocletian’s Palace to the White House, and watching the tradition continue feels like witnessing history in motion.

These experiences remind me that handmade isn’t just about the object itself — it’s about connection. When something is handmade, it connects us to the maker, to the land, and to history. It invites us to slow down, to savor, and to appreciate the beauty of what’s real and enduring in a world that moves too fast.

So here’s my little nudge to you: support handmade whenever you can. Buy from the artist, the baker, the grower, the maker. And maybe even try making something with your own hands — whether it’s baking bread, knitting a scarf, or painting a canvas. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to begin.

At Studio Mooi, we see this beauty unfold every day. Our workshops are designed to give you that same sense of connection — to your creativity, to tradition, and to community. When you sit down to make something by hand, you’re not just crafting an object, you’re creating a story. And that story is worth telling.

Because the true beauty of handmade is not just in what’s created, but in the joy and connection it brings along the way.

Keep Crafting,

Tanya