A few things I'm loving lately:

1.  Our latest Spotify playlist is inspired by the handful of live shows we've had the joy of attending in the last month or so, including the Indigo Girls, Tyler Childers, and The Head and the Heart. (And there are a few new-to-us favorites mixed in, too.)

2.  I'm nearly halfway through a year of The Flower Letters, one of the most unique and fun gifts I've ever been given. Every couple of weeks, I receive a letter and accompanying printed materials in the mail that reveal a bit more of a charming love story that unfolds throughout the course of 24 letters. It's a joy to receive mail (that isn't a bill!) to slowly absorb a playful narrative, and to learn more about a particular time and place - in this case, Regency England. 

3. Roomy, just the right amount of warmth for these early autumn temps, and a very reasonable price for classic style, this is my favorite find for fall so far.

4.  Between its balance of bitter and tang, its beautiful color, and its alcohol-free appeal, I find myself often re-stocking the Phony Negroni for weeknight sipping.

5.  Sally Mann and I both attended Hollins College (now University) in Roanoke, Virginia, (though years apart) and I studied her photography as an Art History major there, admiring her incredible, engaging work displayed on the walls of our small art gallery outside the art lecture hall. Though I'd been given her memoir Hold Still years ago, I didn't pick it up until late this summer, and the timing was fortuitous: her follow-up book, Art Work: On the Creative Life, was published just last month. The stories she tells about her family of origin, her children, her husband's family, and her path as a thoughtful, curious, searching artist reminded me - among many other things - that some artists are given many gifts and talents; that the artistic pursuit can infuse so many facets of our lives. Sally Mann is a remarkable photographer AND a spectacular writer. A storyteller in all craft, and I can't wait to read her next musings. 

A few things I'm loving lately:

1. Though my fingers are crossed I won't be needing to wear it much longer this year (we're ready for you, Spring!) I've been staying warm in my new winter coat from Costco. Lightweight and just roomy enough for heavy sweaters and extra layers, it was less than $20.

2. Perpetually late to the party, I didn't catch on to this beautiful gem of a show until its third season, but I am a quick and total convert. Healing, hope, humor, authentic portrayals of the awkward, figuring-it-out-ness of adulthood, the joys and struggles of real and intimate friendships - this is truly one of the most wonderful shows created.

3. Mind-blowing and expanding in the very best of ways, this podcast offers a beautiful and profound perspective on how much we can learn about our world and beyond from a population often deemed incapable of communicating: non-speakers with autism.

4.  The latest Spotify playlist from Elva Fields includes some old favorites from my college years (thanks to a recent reunion 25 years after our graduation!) and some new songs I've only recently discovered. The Samples take me back to a summer spent in Colorado in the late 90s and Freddy Jones Band is straight from nearly every weekend road trip we took to see the boys "up the road" from Hollins, while the Lucy Dacus song is a new find from my local public radio station - so much love for 91.9 WFPK. Enjoy!

5. Lest you think the reunion weekend was a wild party, I will share that there was needlepointing, pickleball, soup and sourdough making, and an endless game of Rummikub on the coffee table. I'd never played, and now I can't get enough. (Thanks to my thoughtful mom for my new set!)

* To receive your promo code valid for $5 toward your online purchase of Elva Fields Flair, please do one of the following:

- share a link to this post with a friend via email (and be sure to cc us so we can email your code!)

- forward your original email from us to a friend (again, don't forget to cc us!)

- comment on our Instagram post, tagging at least one friend in your comment

If you'd prefer to contribute your $5 to Dare to Care Food Bank, rather than use it as a shopping discount, we'd love to help - just let us know by typing DONATE in the gift notes during your online checkout process, and we'll donate the $5 to DTC's efforts in feeding the hungry in our local community.

1. 100% Human Masks (available in other colors)

2. Liberty Print Mask (available in other patterns)

3. Fabric Face Mask (available in other patterns and colors)

with our Paperclip Chain Fun Flair

4. Organic Cotton Face Mask (available in other fabrics and colors)

5. Embroidered Blockprint Masks (set of 5, available in other patterns)

6. Reversible African Cotton Kitenge Mask (proceeds to voting initiatives!) with our Collection Beads Fun Flair mask/glasses chain

7. VOTE Mask (gives $10 to When We All Vote)

8. Kids Tie-Dye Face Mask (set of 2, available in other colors)

9. Kiddo Fun Flair Mask Lanyard (available in other colors)

10. Kids Fabric Face Mask (set of 2, available in other patterns and colors)

11. Adult or Kiddo Face Masks (set of 3, available in other patterns)

I've missed styling some of our favorite jewels (maybe because I'm not going anywhere these days that requires actually getting dressed???) and decided to resurrect our "How We'd Wear It" series and rename it in case the posts end up being more of "Hey, look at all of these great and stylish things I've stumbled upon lately" than outfits or pairings with Elva. Nothing fancy, just some joyful finds. So, first up: a couple of easy basics I'd absolutely wear with The Fun One necklace from the Summer Collection. Enjoy!