The most wonderful thing about a collaboration is the mixing and mingling of styles--especially when they hint at respective tastes and affinities in a harmonious, yet noticeable, way.  Though we at Elva Fields like to think our jewelry represents the every woman, it must be said that we only occasionally dip our toe in the edgier waters of style...which is why it was so exciting to have Meg Biram, of style blog Mimi + Meg join us as our August Leading Lady.  

Aside from offering insights to cutting edge style (for wardrobe AND casa), a weekly roundup of random bits from the online world that might catch her reader's eye and heart, or even sharing a profile on someone interesting, Meg is also an artist, creating color-infused abstract compositions that would be just as at home in a gallery or in your favorite reading spot at home.  

Meg's penchant for tribal, clean-lined, geometric, and studded style represented a delightful opportunity for us to incorporate some of those interesting elements in a one-of-a-kind design with decidedly Elva overtones.  We knew we were in for some fun when she sent along her inspiration board--between the African mud cloth, metal spikes, and fuchsia infusion, we were certainly on board!

So...we started by sending Meg some images of items we had in the studio that we felt were in line with her style--starting with a necklace we had just put together the week before using a set of glass claws we'd had in our bead stash for at least three years...which just goes to show, you never know when inspiration will strike.  (That is NOT, however, an endorsement for hoarding.)

We also pulled a few samples of beads that--either because of their shape, color, texture, or material--seemed to speak to Meg's style.

And, finally, a few vintage finds that we thought might be incorporated, too.

After Meg had a chance to look through our selections, she seemed to be drawn more immediately to a few of the beads in particular, and suggested a bib-style design that might incorporate all of them somehow...including the glass claws.  (Knew those would come in handy one of these days!)

When designing, It is difficult (at least for us) to know exactly how something might work until we try it...so we layered all of the strands on together, letting the spiked elements anchor the arrangement on the longest strand.  There was something about the piled-on look that was appealing, but didn't fit with Meg's more straightforward, clean-lined aesthetic.

So we pared the strands down a bit, letting each strand tell its own story, so to speak.  Nearly there, we thought.  

But Meg mentioned that, although she couldn't put her finger on it, there seemed to be some element missing.  When she mentioned an alternate color as one possibility, we went back to her mood board (see how crucial they are?) to see if we could draw in a second color somewhere.  Blue.  A cobalt, in fact, would be perfect.   So we found a few more beads, swapped out sections of black and water buffalo horn (yes...carved water buffalo horn!) and replaced them with polished and faceted rich blue beads.  Bingo.  That was just what the design needed for a pop of color, a bit of edge, and to slightly tame the overall tribal vibe.  We loved it for her.

And Meg is thrilled with her new necklace, opting to style it with a simple, solid black and olive hues to allow the strands to take center stage.   We had such fun working with Meg--a collaborative effort we hope to take along with us in this new season.  Enjoy!

And...a few questions with our August Leading Lady, Meg Biram of Mimi + Meg:

Our Fall 2012 photo shoot took place in the historic Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, America's largest restored Shaker community in the beautiful Bluegrass region of Kentucky.   The Shaker people lived here communally, celebrating a peaceful, simple, ordered life, hallmarks of their society that began as a movement in the 19th century.  Though no Shakers remain in Kentucky, the legacy of their honest work and rich faith remains in the beautiful architecture, tranquil farmland, and stunning craftsmanship in the wonderfully-restored buildings and acreage at Pleasant Hill.  

Growing up in nearby Danville, Kentucky, we often visited the grounds to learn more about the rich history of our area, affectionately calling it "Shakertown" on field trips and family adventures.  Pleasant Hill is a remarkably gorgeous place--striking in its simplicity and serenity--and we felt it fitting to honor these tenets in style and setting as a fond childhood memory, but also an homage to the beauty of the place we know and love that is Kentucky.  

We spent a day this past spring on the grounds to capture glimpses into this historic spot, and many/most of the names of the necklaces in the collection are named using songs, poems, sayings, or writings of the Shaker people.  We also plan to share bits and pieces of the Shaker story with you as autumn arrives--we feel sure their history will speak to your present, wherever you are.

We certainly aren't alone in finding the beauty of Pleasant Hill--in addition to daily tours and special events like concerts, boat rides, Fall on the Farm at the barns (a favorite for kiddos), and even guided quail hunts, they now offer dining in a beautifully-restored building in the heart of the restored Village as well as overnight stays at the Inn at Shaker Village.  Absolutely worth a trip to Kentucky as the leaves turn, especially.  And if you aren't able to head to the beautiful Bluegrass, you can always enjoy hand-made crafts from their online store created with the quality and simplicity prized and demonstrated by the Shaker people.

So join us in welcoming our Fall 2012 Collection, an homage to the simple, straightforward style of the Shakers, their vibrant history, and the beauty of honest, good work.   We hope you'll enjoy what you see!  (And stay tuned throughout the coming months as we continue to share the story of the Shaker people.)

{all photos by Kriech-Higdon Photography}

[For additional photos from our shoot at Pleasant Hill, see our Look Book...and join us on Tumblr for behind-the-scenes outtakes from the afternoon.]

{photo for Designlovefest by Heather Gildroy}

If you haven't yet seen our latest Leading Lady, then you are missing someone fabulous in your life.  Bri Emery, the brains and beauty behind the fantastic blog Designlovefest is awesomely talented...and we were thrilled she was on board with our collaborative project.  (It was a blast, by the way.  Check it on out here.)  When we saw these latest portraits of her by Heather Gildroy wearing our bright yellow bauble, we were over the moon.  GORGEOUS.

After we created the necklace together, we had a chance to ask Bri a few questions...and thought you'd enjoy a bit more about Bri...and for the full fashion shoot in that drop dead amazing tulle skirt, head on over to Bri's site for a gander.  Seriously stylish.

THE INTERVIEW

Emily/Elva Fields: Your blog's name, Designlovefest, makes us smile--the perfect mix of happy, playful, and quirky--what is your idea of a fun "fest" or party?

Bri/Designlovefest:  My ideal party would be full of color, cocktails, sequins, jazz music and my favorite people.

E:  We know you love some sunny yellow, and the heart (obviously) is all you...are there any other Bri/Designlovefest signatures that capture your style or character?

B:  i would say bold patterns and unexpected color pairings.

E:  We love living vicariously through our designs...any thoughts on some adventures your new jewel might be part of in and around Los Angeles (or beyond?!)  

B:  i have already worn it to teach my LA blogshop class (it fit perfect with my bright pink trina turk dress). however, i can see wearing this beauty over just a t-shirt to fancy up an everyday brunch outfit.

E:  We're honored that you now have your very own Elva...any other jewels on the site catch your eye? 

E:  Thanks so much again, Bri!  We loved having you as our July Leading Lady!  

From her love of color to her whimsical approach to life and art, we have long loved Bri Emery's musings, photographs, graphic goodness, and eye for style on her blog Designlovefest.  Along with thousands of others, we look forward to her daily doses: discoveries of a great new shop, a fun and crafty how-to on making something unique for your home, a go-to cocktail recipe, or just a peek at an inspiring interior.   Her latest endeavor, Blogshop, has her sharing her creative spirit and imaginative expertise with others, working with friend and photographer Angela Kohler to teach a crash course on Photoshop for Bloggers.  Whether in London, Portland, L.A., or Chicago, eager students sign up to hone their craft and soak up what these skilled and talented ladies have to offer.  (Read all about it on The Everygirl!)

Bri is every bit the kind and cheerful person she expresses in her writing and her art, and we were honored and, well, pretty pumped to have the chance to feature her as our July Leading Lady!  I mean, a trip to the local flea market--our favorite destination anytime--would be a whole new adventure with Bri as our partner-in-crime (we were equal parts smiling and swooning over this lil' post on her Rose Bowl Flea finds recently...) so we couldn't wait to get started on a vintage-inspired jewel for her!

First, we started by asking Bri to put together an inspiration board to kick-start the project.  She gathered some snippets on Pinterest for color, texture, pattern, and mood, and Bri also mentioned that she might enjoy having a signature style inclusion in the design by adding a heart jewel somewhere in the mix, as a tie-in to Designlovefest's logo.

So...once we reveled in her mood board pins (a feast for the eyes!) we pulled from our vintage collections and did a bit of sourcing at some of our favorite fleas and antique shops to find a fun assortment of hearts for her to see.  (From rhinestone to lucite, we found some beauties!)

We also sent Bri a line-up of colorful beads, inspired by her picks from our archives and some of her inclusions on the mood board as well.  Saturated green glass and jade, melon-hued resin, and even some vintage pink lucite strands made the edited cut.

And here's Bri's initial reaction to the materials:  

So, taking her cue, we tried a fun and festive mix of her favorite colors in a random arrangement, with the vintage rhinestone heart brooch at the side.  Eye-catching, a bit quirky, but completely cheerful, we loved it, but something seemed not-entirely-Bri about it, and she agreed.   

At that point, she suggested she might be more in love with a single solid color for the beads, and we thought maybe that would allow the heart gem to glitz a bit more...  So, opting for a sunny, sparkling yellow crystal, we went for eight strands and incorporated the brooch into the design, rather than just pinning it at the side...

And Bri loved it!  She can keep the strands lined up in a delightful, more polished drape like this:

Or make it more creative and haphazard...and more her own as only Bri can do!  (As seen below.)  Paired with bold and brilliant hot pink, we were dazzled by the results and LOVE that our jointly-designed jewel is headed on some seriously stylish and fun-filled adventures with Bri.  (I mean, it has already made its debut at a Blogshop gathering, so let the games begin!)  A giant and colorful thank you to Bri for jumping in on this collaborative project with us...we had a fantastic time working (should we really call it that?) with you!

[above photos of Bri by Kimberly Genevieve for designlovefest]

For our Summer Collection, all about the simple joys in life and in season, we immediately knew we wanted to partner with Hound Dog Press, a local printmaker in Louisville, Kentucky.  We'd met the owners, Nick and Robert, at an event at 21c Museum Hotel several years ago (we were selling our respective wares for a holiday shopping night) and felt we'd found a kindred spirit in craft--they create all of their designs by hand, manually operating the giant 19th-century printing presses in their Market Street shop.  (We LOVED this video about Hound Dog Press filmed by the talented team at Kertis Creative...beautifully shares their story.)

We chose a paper coaster design--perfect for those lazy hazy days of summer when a cold beverage is a refreshing simple pleasure--and though several ideas were on the table, we loved the idea of depicting a mason jar of fireflies, capturing one of our favorite summer evening enjoyments.  Included in each purchase of $100 or more, we hope it delights and cheers when you open your Elva package--and it brings to mind how a simple joy is often the most fulfilling.  (We're posting ours on the studio inspiration board--a reminder of how special a handmade creation can be, and to savor the small things this season.)

Happy summer!