Sonsuray’s was started by myself for the designs and patterns acquired over the 30 years of working with hand arts. In this site I have added my original designs. I’ve always enjoyed putting out my work and colors and just doing what ever designs and colors came together. Also I have done a number of works for friends and family at their request, (with 6 other siblings and the growth of the family from this, there has been many, many different projects over the years!), I have sold at our city’s Farmers Market House for a number of years, and at Fire Hall Bingo’s. I believe its great to do what you enjoy and other receive joy from it also.
The designs, publishing, and printing is done by Sonsuray’s, which is myself, and a lot of help in learning many aspects of the works which go into making this all possible. I hope you enjoy the designs I have put together for you. I have had many compliments on my work and always done well at selling and giving.
A little about the materials I work with:
I use Sterling Silver. The turquoise and coral are top quality block hishi. The brass is solid brass. The smaller thin white bones are a highly polished slim bone hairpipe and looks beautiful in the necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. I have tried to keep everything as originally done as possible with materials.
The cowries were used by Natives to trade and used as money. The bone hairpipe has a long history from prehistoric times. Early it was produced from the columns of marine conch shells and were gradually replaced by glass, brass and sliver. Sometime between 1776 and 1798 eastern wampum manufacturers produced shell hairpipe from the Western Indian conch and were carried by the Lewis & Clark Expedition, the Northwest Company, and Auguste Chouteau as trade goods. Bone hairpipe began around 1880, after a trader with the Poncas discovered that bone pipe stems from corn cob pipes were in demand. They were then produced in quantity in the shape of old shell hairpipe and have been around since.
