One Day in December by Josie Silver - Like those Hallmark Christmas movies we all secretly love (or love to hate) this time of year, but in novel form, this fun read hits all the highlights: love at first sight, a classic love triangle, a holiday party or two, and years of missed opportunities that keep the pages turning. 

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann - New York City in the 1970s, a man dazzles and delights for a brief moment in time as he walks on a wire strung between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, becoming the stunning center of strands of layered stories and characters throughout this beautiful book. 

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey - With snippets about writers like Jane Austen and Thomas Wolfe, visual artists such as Picasso or Warhol, and even musicians like Beethoven and the Gershwin brothers, we learn the unique (and sometimes absurd or scarily rigid) processes by which these creative individuals produced their work. I found it fun to skip around and read 3-4 each day for inspiration (or what NOT to do to generate an idea) and insight.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer - I couldn't help but be charmed by the main character - so human, so likable, so prone to the ways in which we sometimes see ourselves in distorted perspective when we're actually pretty wonderful - I was cheering for him all along.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - Maybe my new favorite book ever, I am in love with Towles's writing, and this sweeping story had me hooked from the start. As an audiobook, I was delighted by the rich characters, wonderful dialogue, and doorway into Russian history that brought depth and beauty to the plot. I can't wait to read it (or listen to it!) again. It's that fantastic.

 

I'd love for you to join me on Thursday, December 5th for a holiday trunk show at Lexington boutique Omar + Elsie, along with my favorite illustrator, Maizie Clarke! 

Swing by for special handmade gifts to give and, of course, good cheer!

Omar + Elsie

114 Old Lafayatte Avenue (street parking available!)

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

Thursday, December 5th

11 - 6

Welcome to NANA November, friends!

I'm so glad you're here for the fun that kicks off TODAY on 11.11, and I can't wait to celebrate this new season with you.

~

What's NANA November, you ask?

Well, in a nutshell, it's a stretch of a few weeks in which I plan to offer one Necklace and one work of Art each day until the end of the month. (Get it? N-A-N-A, Necklace - Art - Necklace - Art?!) The whole NANA reference seemed right on time, as the idea occurred to me on my grandmother's (Nana's) birthday, and since she helped me to start this business with a small loan that changed EVERYTHING for me 16 years ago, how wonderful to have an opportunity to honor her with two of her favorite things! You guessed it: art and jewelry.

How will it all work?

Great question! I'll post one necklace and one artwork each day, the necklace around noon EST and the art around 9 pm EST, all to our @elvaawesome account on Instagram. (Maybe turn on notifications if you'd like to be the first to know when the newness has arrived...) They'll each be offered at a super special price, and with just one of each available, it's a first come-first served kinda shopping deal. (More on staking your claim below!) Because each item will only be available for 24 hours, or until purchased (whichever comes first!) time is of the essence.

How can I purchase these NANA pieces?

Similar to our monthly flash sales on Instagram, the NANA November designs will be considered SOLD to the first person to comment "SOLD" on the post for the particular item AND to direct message @elvaawesome with their email address. I will then send an invoice to that email, and the invoice must be paid within 24 hours of our sending it or I'll offer the item to the next "bidder" in line. So, please, only comment SOLD if you are committed to purchasing the item OR if you'd like to be considered next in line should the original/first commenter fall through.

How can I pay my invoice?

The invoice may be paid online through the link I'll send to your email by any major credit card, Paypal, or you can even make arrangements to Venmo me if that's easier. We'll figure it out!

What happens to items that aren't sold within the 24-hour period?

While I'd love for these NANA designs to all find happy homes, some may not. (Welcome to the wild world of creating/selling art and fashion!)  Anything that isn't sold in the 24 hours during which it is posted will be removed from our @elvaawesome account at that point and saved for our website launch on December 4th. 

Is there a catch?

Um, sort of. The NANA goodness will be up for grabs at really great prices during NANA November. While it's a lot of work to prepare for an Instagram sale, it's not nearly as much work as it is to prep items for our website. Between the additional copywriting, photography and editing, and back-end logistics, so much love goes into readying and presenting our creations for a website launch. As such, I'm not able to offer the same prices on the Elva Fields website as I am on Instagram. So, when the designs launch on ElvaFields.com on December 4th, the prices will be a bit higher than they may have been in NANA November.

~

I do my VERY best to make my handmade, one-of-a-kind, thoughtful, and unique creations available at accessible prices wherever they are sold, and the truth is, they should likely be priced much higher than they are. BUT - I don't want my jewelry or art to be off-limits for someone who really loves it. Aspirational, maybe. Unattainable, no. 

So maybe, if you're interested and aligned, jump in to NANA November to take advantage of the fresh designs, lower prices, and alternative shopping style. If you're more inclined to enjoy the more leisurely pace of traditional online shopping, I'll have plenty of goodness come December. Either way, I'm thrilled to be creating, connecting, and celebrating with and for you, friends. And thank you so much for continuing to support what I do. You are appreciated!

Still have questions? Email me! I'm happy to help!

 

Our next Elva Awesome Sale

on Instagram will be

Thursday, October 24th

9 pm EST

vintage finds / one-of-a-kinds / lots of fun

* follow along here to join in!

Have you ever wanted to design an Elva Fields necklace with your very own heirloom jewelry? Now's your chance to start the process with our What's In Your Jewelry Box? mail-in kit...at half its regular price! 

Now through the 23rd, the kits (which essentially serve as your deposit toward a custom design and allow you to send your vintage jewelry safely to our studio) will be just $50 each! (No promo code necessary - prices marked.) 

Whether you begin the process with the hopes of designing and creating a necklace in time for holiday giving or you give the kit AS a gift and the recipient starts the process later, this is the perfect time to jump in with the fun. 

Happy shopping!