• Leading Ladies / April: Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks



    Their motto is "We find it, you flaunt it."  We love a woman (two women in this case) who gets that motherhood is teamwork--we're all in this together and usually (at least personally speaking) need all the help we can get.  That's where Cool Mom Picks comes in, founded by two savvy, stylish, and sympathetic mothers who understand that this crazy juggling act of having children might benefit from a fun, helpful, and insightful online guide to good stuff along the way.  

    Along with their contributors, Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner combine their talents, skills, and experiences to cull, curate, and collect tips, helpful hints, great products, noteworthy sales, and unique opportunities that make a mama's busy life that much, well, cooler.  ("Cool" as in hip and stylish AND calm and collected, we think.)  Whether suggesting the perfect baby shower gift in a pinch, a sale on a clothing brand I didn't even know existed but is now a go-to favorite, simplified tech-related suggestions (for the resolutely un-tech), or a book that will answer all the questions you've been asking about raising a toddler, Cool Mom Picks has saved us time, money, energy, and stress, and though they will not come to your house and change a diaper for you, they just might change the course of your day if you can sneak a few minutes to browse the site.  (Hint: sign up for their newsletter...all the info you need in one tiny package straight to your in-box!) 

    Clearly, we're fans.  Which is why we were thrilled when Kristen and Liz agreed to be our April Leading Ladies--quite the Dynamic Duo, indeed!   We started out by getting a feel for each of their personal styles, and after browsing the Pinterest board that each of them created, we began pulling various materials from our in-house collections of vintage finds and bead stashes.    

    Liz's Style Inspiration: we especially noted the black and white patterns, hints of blue, and the mixed metals necklace at lower right...


    Kristen's Style Inspiration: we immediately noticed her love of bright colors, graphic patterns, and bold colorblocking.





    What we pulled for Liz's initial materials proposal:

    And the two proposed designs we assembled from which she could choose (a tiebreaker!):


    The materials we selected for Kristen's necklace:

    And first and second rounds of the design evolution:

    Both Kristen and Liz were right-on when they made suggestions on how to proceed--true to their editorial eye, each of them knew exactly what would look best on them and what small changes would work well to suit their individual style.  Ultimately, Liz's necklace was created of an assemblage of strands, incorporating faceted silver crystal, silvery pearls, vintage gunmetal and silvertone chains, and even an antique crystal chandelier component.  (We love it against her New York City skyline!)


    For Kristen's necklace, we chose vibrant vinyl disc beads (repurposed in Ghana from vintage records) mixed haphazardly with 1940s blue glass, yellow wood, black mesh, Kenyan bone, and a hint at glam with golden chalcedony nuggets.  A fun gathering of color and right at home in her southern setting!  (But we feel sure it'll see some sights outside of the sunny south, too!)




    We had a wonderful time working with Liz and Kristen on this project--a giant thank-you to the hard-working, fabulous femmes behind Cool Mom Picks!  (Stay tuned for a fun interview with the CMP ladies in a bit...we just had to ask them a few questions about life, love, and jewels.)

    Posted by Emily Maynard
  • By Popular Demand...

    Featured in the April issue of Good Housekeeping, our vintage Czech lattice drops were so overwhelmingly popular that they sold out in a matter of days. Like many of the rare beauties we come across, this particular style is no longer available, however we've found not one, but five options that we think will satisfy your craving for aqua and gold. Similarly sized and priced, yet each unique in their own right, there's a style for every Elva gal! Quantities are still limited, so don't miss out on these Spring must-haves! 

    Vintage Czech Glass Leaves: $30


    Vintage Czech Glass Drops: $32

     

    Vintage Czech Glass Flowers: $28

    Vintage Czech Glass Drops: $28


    Vintage Czech Glass Nuggets: $28

    Posted by Amy Reiser
  • Leading Lady / March: Vané Broussard of Brooklyn Bride

     

    Oh, how we wish this month's Leading Lady had started her beautiful bridal blog just four years earlier!  The lovely and talented Vané Broussard founded Brooklyn Bride in April 2007, and countless brides-to-be scour her posts religiously for inspiration, ideas, advice, and vendors for their modern weddings.  (In fact, happily married for the past eight years, we love browsing around Brooklyn Bride for our own visual stimulation now and then--from florals to gowns and cuisine to invites, she has it all covered.)  

    The overwhelming popularity of the blog--updated daily--is no doubt due to the exquisitely-honed taste of this interior-designer-by-day, blogger-by-night gal.  You can imagine our thrill at partnering with Vané to create a one-of-a-kind necklace as our March Leading Lady!  When she sent us this inspiration board:


    we knew we were in for some fun.  We LOVED the layers of gorgeous greens--and the fact that she included confetti AND fur in the mix let us know she had a sense of whimsy and delight to boot.   We couldn't wait to get started.  So...we sent her these images, pulling from our bead and vintage stashes in the studio:



    and asked her if anything jumped out at her from either group.  We also made a few pairing suggestions so she could see what might be possible from the various vintage items and green beads.

    Vané could not have been cooler.  She was incredibly laid-back and seemed to truly enjoy the experience, delighting in each design.  In the end, we came up with two necklaces from which she could choose...and (so much nicer than we would ever be!) she asked her husband to choose with her.  (Now if that doesn't prompt you to take wedding advice from someone, we don't know what would! She clearly has a beautiful marriage amidst all of those gorgeous weddings that make up her beautiful blog...and that is the best of all!) 

    The selected style?  See below...we LOVE it on her and especially with her bold blue blouse pairing.   (And a red lip?  All around awesome.)




    We did ask Vané a few questions after we completed our jewel...enjoy!

    Emily Maynard/Elva Fields:  As an interior designer, your approach to blogging is very visual--we could spend hours clicking through all of the amazing images on Brooklyn Bride!--do you approach fashion the same way?  Do you see something and love it and know it will work as an outfit?  

    Vané Broussard/Brooklyn Bride:  Absolutely!   Especially when it comes to color...patterns are a little harder for me but I'm working on it! 

    EM/EF:  Designer by day, blogger by night...how on earth do you keep those creative juices flowing for it all?  

    VB/BB:  It's more a matter of how there are enough hours in the day to do it all :)  Its easy to stay creative when I'm surrounded by pretty pictures & creative folks all day long!  Pinterest has been an insane obsession as of late...I resisted at first but got sucked in and now can't imagine life without it!

    EM/EF:  We loved your inspiration board...tell us more about the gorgeous greens you emphasized and included.  

    VB/BB:  Green has always been a favorite color of mine...it was the overriding theme of my wedding, is the signature color of Brooklyn Bride, and is just so happy and cheery.  I've always preferred cooler colors versus warm, so pairing it with pops of turquoise and acid yellow just felt right.

    EM/EF:  Where will you be wearing your new necklace?  Any fun spots in your neck of the woods that seem just right for jewels?  

    VB/BB:  Where CAN'T I wear my necklace??  I feel like I could wear it anywhere, from brunch to work, dressed up or dressed down.  It's an amazing piece!

    EM/EF:  One of my few regrets after living in New York is only visiting Brooklyn a handful of times when I had the chance...if we could go back for an afternoon, where would you suggest for brunch followed by some artful home/interiors shopping?  

    VB/BB:  That's easy....my new favorite brunch place is Colonie on Atlantic Ave...be sure to get there right when they open at 11 a.m. because it fills up fast!  Then walk all along Atlantic for some great vintage and antique clothing and furniture shops....Horseman Antiques will blow your mind!  Every floor is chock full of amazing furniture!

    EM/EF:  Are there any jewels on the Elva Fields site now that catch your eye? 

    VB/BB:  The necklaces are long gone, but still set my heart a flutter...I love the colors & composition!  For earrings, droplets of gold or neon yellow would add a punch to any outfit.







    Posted by Emily Maynard
  • Shop Talk: AJ's in Lexington, Kentucky


    Many of you have been curious about the lovely ladies photographed in our Spring Collection campaign...are they friends? family? Elva lovers?  The truth is, they are a bit of all three in a sense...they have long supported Elva Fields and our endeavors and saw the fun and uniqueness in our creations long before many others did.  As you know, we have two fabulously fashionable women's clothing boutiques in the Bluegrass that feature Elva Fields--one is Clodhoppers in Louisville (stay tuned for more on that front in April!) and the other is AJ's in Lexington.  Both have been incredibly dear to Elva since the beginning (pre-website!) and they have been our friends, advocates, and advisors all the way!

    Since they've been wearing the jewels for the past seven or eight years now, we asked some of the stylish gals from each spot to be part of our spring photo shoot last fall, and they happily agreed.   So...here we are to share their stories...first up, AJ's!



    [Kristin Baehler and Lauren Bell, co-owners of AJ's in Lexington]

    *A quick note:  Kristin may look familiar from our spring shoot...but Lauren was out of town with family and was greatly missed!  Good friend, fellow AJ's gal, and Elva fan Joy Robyn Fenwick stepped in as Kristin's counterpart for the occasion.

    We recently took a little trip over to Lexington to visit their beautiful boutique on High Street and had such fun poking around their inviting and colorful space.  A tried-and-true solo shopper (when we have equal parts time and budget) it was so helpful to have knowledgeable and helpful feedback from such savvy owners in Kristin and Lauren.  They've culled a collection of fashionable finds that are sure to be key pieces of any woman's wardrobe, and their expertise allows them to offer suggestions on accessories (Elva!), fit, color, and coordination.  And the fact that they greet each customer with a smile AND pink cookies makes the whole experience pretty fantastic, we must say.

    Sitting in their adorable fitting room area (see below) we had a chance to ask Kristin and Lauren a few questions...enjoy!

    Elva Fields:  Lauren, when did you become a boutique owner and Kristin, remind me when you jumped in as co-owner?

    AJ's:  Originally I took over in the spring of 2009 from the previous owner.  It was my favorite boutique in Lexington--I loved the brands and overall charm of the store.  Kristin and I knew each other through her sister Kari, and I knew she had so much experience in retail...so when I asked her to help me run the store, it was the perfect asset AJ's was missing!

    EF:  What is your favorite thing about owning your own business?

    AJ's:  It's hard to say!  We love going to work--LOVE our job!  [Owning your own business gives us] such a sense of achievement, and we love dressing all of our fabulous clients.

    EF:  Since both of you are mothers, do you have a helpful hint for working mamas?

    AJ's:  Finding a good balance.  To give 100% to the shop when at the shop and 100% to the kiddos when we are home with them is our continuous goal. We also hope to be a good role model to our daughters one day!






    EF:  How would each of you describe your style in five words or less?

    AJ's:  Kristin:  simple, classic, hint of flair
              Lauren:  colorful, flirty, fun!

    EF:  What are some of your favorite labels featured at AJ's?

    AJ's:  Tibi, Kate Spade, Nanette Lepore, Elizabeth McKay, Bell and of course our FAVORITE jewels by Elva Fields!





    EF:  With the increased popularity of online shopping, what do you feel AJ's is able to offer a customer that an online store may not?

    AJ's:  Customer service--a  one-on-one relationship with each of our clients. We keep our customers in mind at markets, so we have the ability to find those "perfect" pieces for them each season...and, AJ's is a place for friends to gather in a fun-loving environment.  [Remember those cookies???]  

    EF:  It's springtime in Kentucky, which means horse races and all the fun that comes with equestrian events...do you have any tips for dressing for the track?

    AJ's: We love dressing for horse racing--it's such a tradition in Kentucky!  We feel keeping it simple and classic is always your best "bet!"  We love all the pastel colors for Spring and bold prints, plus an amazing statement piece from Elva is the perfect compliment.




    --Lauren, when did you open/take over AJ's originally...and Kristin, remind me when you jumped in as co-owner...(going to give a bit of history on you both!) Orginally I took over in the spring of 2009 from the previous the owner. It was my favorite boutique in Lexington; I loved the brands and overall charm of the store. Kristin and I knew eachother through her sister Kari, and I knew she had so much experience in retail so when I asked her to help me run store it was the perfect assest Ajs was missing!

    --What is your favorite thing about owning your own business?
         Man, hard to say.  We love going to work- love our job!  Such a sense of acheivement and love dressing all our fabulous clients. 

    --Least favorite thing?
         Not being able to just pick up & go without planning!  Although we have a great partnership with flexibility. There isnt much we dont enjoy:)

    --Since both of you are mothers, do you have a helpful hint for working mamas?
         Finding a good balance!  To give 100% to the shop when at the shop & 100% to the kiddos when we are home with the kiddos is our  
         continuous goal we stive for!  Hope to be a good role model to our daughters one day!

    --What are some of your favorite labels featured at AJ's?
         Tibi, Kate Spade, Nanette Lepore, Elizabeth McKay, Bell and of course our FAVORITE jewels by Elva Fields :)

    --How would you (each of you separately) describe your style in 5 words or less?
         Kristin: simple, classic...hint of flair
         Lauren: colorful, flirty..fun!

    --With the increased popularity of online shopping, what do you feel AJ's is able to offer a customer that an online store may not?
         Customer service; one on one relationship with each of our clients. Ajs is a place for friends to gather in a fun loving enviornment! We keep our customers in mind at markets so we have the ability to find those "perfect" pieces for them each seaon!

    --It's springtime in Kentucky, which means horse races and all the fun that comes with equestrian events...do you have any tips for dressing for the track (Keeneland or Churchill Downs?)
       We love dressing for horse racing..its such a tradition in Kentucky. We feel keeping it simple and classic is always your best "bet"! We love all the pastel colors for Spring and bold prints, plus an amazing statement piece from Elva is the perfect compliment!!
    Posted by Emily Maynard
  • The History Between Us

    While history for some remains long in the past, our history with the gorgeous and grand location for our Spring Collection shoot plays a very real part in our present.  Bellevue, once the home of Colonel John Bowman and his family and built in 1784, now houses a selection of one of the largest (and most beautiful, we think) collections of fine English and Continental antiques in the nation.

    Jayne Thompson Antiques has filled the historic home with everything from 18th-century English oak farm tables to museum-quality porcelain, all with an expertise and eye that comes with over 40 years in the design field.  Jayne Thompson, who founded the company in 1990, also happens to be the mother of one of our dearest and oldest childhood friends, Lori Thompson Finke, who now works alongside her mother in the antiques and design business.  


    Both in the showrooms and at many prestigious exhibitions around the country (including upcoming shows in Charleston, Chicago, and New York) clients may see the variety and quality of their furnishings, as well as enjoy the full range of Thompson's service offerings.  In addition to their impressive furniture, accessories, and lighting from the 17th to the 19th centuries, Jayne Thompson antiques provides their internationally-based clients with sourcing, restoration and repair, custom reproduction, and interior and lighting design services.  


    Lori, her husband Mark, and Jayne work in tandem to provide the most complete and dedicated experience to their clients--and though they are based in the beautiful rolling hills of the Bluegrass, their skills reach far and wide--globally, really.  And Lori has learned first hand from the path her mother forged how to manage a wildly successful business that has one foot in the future, with one anchored firmly in the past. 

    This is where the history of my friendship with Lori gets interesting:  Though each of us tells the story differently, the one thing on which we agree is that our teachers throughout school (as we found out much later) referred to us as "nitro and glycerine" and refused to invite the chaos and destruction that might occur should the two of us be seated together.  I'd like to think we were just creative and imaginative learners, but even in college when we were adult enough to be studying abroad in Paris (through my beloved alma mater Hollins University), our architecture professor finally said "Non!" to our side-by-side desk seating.  Yes, we were in our twenties.  No, it did not sound better in French.


    [On the Champs-Elysees in Paris, December 1998]

    We had many an adventure growing up: being kicked off soccer teams (her father was the coach--and, yes, Lori still blames me for the incident), dressing up as fruit for Halloween (a photo that will not be shown on this blog for obvious reasons), biking through the Kentucky countryside (even rescuing a dog on one trip), sleepovers nearly every Friday night (thank you, Thompson family, for feeding me almost every weekend from ages 8 to 17...and full disclosure, must also say a giant thanks to the Liebschutz crew, who also provided a second home and lots of snacks for yours truly between grades 6 and 12), a misplaced Eurail Pass in Italy (yes, Lori still blames me for that incident as well), a tiny but fantastic apartment near the East Village (mice and all!), and engagements, weddings, and now children (she has two boys, I have two girls)...and the whole wonderful history that still plays out every day between us.  Mostly on Google Chat these days, unfortunately.

    But back to the antiques...we used to play "business" growing up.  All the time.  Pens, notepads, catalogs, calculators...you know, all the essentials for entrepreneurial pursuits.  And what is amazing is that we're both growing businesses today, some 25 years later.  Our histories have caught up with us, and as we arranged flowers, placed jewelry, and orchestrated models in the breathtakingly spectacular rooms of her family's antiques and design shop during our respective photo shoots a few months ago, I couldn't help but smile at the wonder of it all.  So much history all around us.  And between us.  And so much fun in store.

    ___

    (You didn't think we'd miss a chance to interview one of our best friends, did you?  We may have played pretend-business, but this was the real deal--enjoy!)

    Emily Maynard/Elva Fields:  You grew up in a home filled with antiques and finds from far-flung places...what is your fondest memory of one such an object from your childhood?

    Lori Thompson Finke/Jayne Thompson Antiques:  As the child of an antique dealer my house was always changing.  One afternoon my Mom called from work and informed my brother and I we had 10 minutes to clean out the 18th century English moulded front chest we stored our board games in.  She had just sold the chest.  Luckily we were able to dig out all the Monopoly pieces before she came to pick it up. 

    EM/EF:  You're amazing at helping clients select the perfect pieces for their interiors...but we'd love to see how you'd adorn your own spot...what would make you happiest on your desk?

    LTF/JTA:  My desk itself.  I use a 19th-century French trestle farm table as my desk.   I love the color of the wood and the trestle is a great spot to kick my feet up on.  I am a true believer that antique furniture was built to last and to be used. 

    EM/EF:  How many shows do you participate in each year?

    LTF/JTA:  Hmmm…next year we are doing 10 shows, from Houston to San Fran to New York, we get around….

    EM/EF:  Most interesting client request?

    LTF/JTA:  We played Santa for one of our clients one year.  We helped pick the gift out for the husband (an antique US Flag from when Wisconsin became a state) from the wife and for the wife (a lovely fox fur throw) from the husband.  It was fun keeping it secret from them both.  It was, however, hectic to coordinate two secret deliveries.

    EM/EF:  Funniest tale from a show or installation?

    LTF/JTA:  This is a very hard question because there are so many things that happen.  To me the most amusing part of the business are the characters that work in our industry and some of the people we see at the shows.  I often say that if Christopher Guest, the creator of the mockumentary movies like “Best in Show” or “Waiting for Guffman” wanted material for a new movie, he should join the antique show circuit. 

    EM/EF:  Antiques show with the best people-watching?

    LTF/JTA:  Oh, they are all great.  In Houston there is usually an event where all the ladies dress in vintage clothing.  They take it very seriously and come dressed head to toe. 

    EM/EF:  Working with your husband and your mother must provide an interesting dynamic...what quality/strength do you each bring to the business that makes JTA so successful? 

    LTF/JTA:  Yeah, this baffles most people how we can work together. 

    *Nice diplomacy, Lori.

    EM/EF:  Little known fact about Bellevue? 

    LTF/JTA:  The house was built in the 1770’s by the first military governor of Kentucky.  We still have some of the original buildings on site, one of which is an outhouse with three seats….not sure how that worked, but it is unusual. 

    EM/EF:  After living and traveling here and there (NYC, Paris, London, etc.)...what is the best thing about living in Kentucky?  Career location aside, what makes it a great fit for you?

    LTF/JTA:  Family and UK basketball.  Mark and I could not do the jobs we have without the support of both sets of our parents.  They usually watch our two boys when we are out of town for the shows.  It makes it easier to leave them when I know they are being spoiled rotten.   Also I was raised to be and have always been a big University of Kentucky fan.  It is great being back in the homeland where people understand this side of me. 

    EM/EF:  Do you have a favorite room at the shop?  Favorite season as a setting for the shop?

    LTF/JTA:  I love the land and the farm the shop is located on.  We are in the middle of 700+ acre farm, surrounded by cows and wonderful old trees.  I love it when clients come for lunch and we take the farm table and Windsor chairs outside and dine under the trees. 

    EM/EF:  What is your advice for someone just starting to fill their home with non-IKEA/hand-me-down furniture?  Where does one begin to invest in key pieces for the long-run?

    LTF/JTA:  It kills me what people spend on brand new furniture.  It is just like a new car, once you take it home it goes down in value greatly.  I try and advise young people to invest in one good piece a year.  Buy the best piece you can afford at the time.  If you take your time and buy quality pieces, it won’t take very long to develop your collection.  It is amazing how one great piece can carry a room and make it look ten times better than a room filled with several mediocre pieces.  Also antiques are the “Green”est type of furniture, they are recycling at its finest.   

    EM/EF:  Between work and family, what do you do for some down time...for yourself?

    LTF/JTA:  I try to find time to exercise in a group class.  I need the social outlet.  I also am very excited about my sister’s bachelorette party in Vegas in April. 

    EM/EF:  Since you are there a few times each year (and as a nod to our time in Manhattan!), what is your favorite restaurant in New York?

    LTF/JTA:  I am a huge La Rosa Mexicana fan.  When I first started going there was only one location in NY on the Upper East Side, now there are numerous.  I love the Lincoln Center location designed by David Rockwell.  They have the BEST pomegranate margaritas and guacamole. 

    EM/EF:  Now let's talk fashion...what's your go-to get-up for shows--how do you manage equal parts comfort and class as you're on your feet all day surrounded by priceless works of art?  

    LTF/JTA:  It is hard to get dressed to work a show.  Being 33, I am one of the youngest dealers in the industry.  I want to find something stylish, not too flashy, and that lets me move easily.  I never know when I will have to help flip a chest of drawers or a chair for someone to inspect.  My favorite show outfit is a Theory dress and Cole Haan Nike Air heels.  I always dress my outfits up with Elva Fields necklaces, they make me feel unique. 

    EM/EF:  Do you have a favorite place to shop?

    LTF/JTA:  As you know, I am regular Elva Fields customer.  My sister (in Nashville) and I live for the sales.  I also do a lot of shopping on gilt.com and zappos.com.

    EM/EF:  We both work with objects that have incredible history to them...what period or place in time (style-wise) strikes your fancy?

    LTF/JTA:  My favorite style/period of furniture that I work with is the early oak from the 17th and 18th century.  I love the simplicity and functionality of the pieces.  We use a 17th century drop leaf table as my family’s breakfast table and recently bought a French farm table for our dining room.  I think this period of furniture mixes very well with any style of décor or art.  

    EM/EF:  Last question...know you are busy...when are you coming to visit?  I miss you!

    LTF/JTA:  We could come this weekend or anytime this month, you let me know what works.   

    EM/EF:  Can't wait! 

    {all photos except Champs-Elysees by Kriech-Higdon Photography}
    Posted by Emily Maynard