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?

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

 

We first (virtually) met Katie Armour a few years ago when she reached out to us out of the blue and honored us with the infinite pleasure of being a Plucky Pioneer featured on her beautiful, witty, fun, and original blog, The Neo-Traditionalist.  What struck us most about her was the immediately lovable mix of aspirational and approachable, the gal you felt could be your best friend who just happened to have immense talent and style beyond a wildest dream.  Fast forward a year or two, it came as no surprise that news hit that she was launching a wildly successful online wonder, Matchbook Magazine, with her equally talented and creative college bestie.  Having just celebrated the magazine's first birthday (fabulous work, ladies!) AND because we adore Katie to her fashionable core, we thought she'd be the perfect February Leading Lady...and we're betting you'll feel the same.  

So...we asked our fellow pixie-shorn pal to send us an inspiration board that might help us visualize her classic-with-a-twist style.  We loved the pops of pink amidst the simplicity of black and white, and her hints at romantic rhinestones shone through, too.  Katie also browsed our online archives to see if any specific styles from Elva's past sparked her fancy, so she sent a handful of those along as well.

Based on her initial visual guidance, we culled a collection of beads and vintages for her to see and consider for her custom necklace design...

and also put together some general layouts to demonstrate how they might be put into play.  Here are just a few of the ideas we sent along to Katie...and we waited anxiously to hear her thoughts.  

Not surprisingly for a gal who knows her style well and feels confident in her sartorial selections, she had an immediate reaction to the third design featuring a pair of vintage costume pearl and rhinestone pendant earrings.  She loved the overall layout, but hesitated to jump in with the tumbled black lava beads.  A traditionalist at heart (it IS an essential element in the name of her blog, after all) she decided to opt for a more polished look and feel where the beads were concerned, and we sourced some glossy black onyx to bedeck the vintage jewels on either side.  

Though we're certain she could wear lava (or even a brown bag!) and look glamorous and gorgeous, we're thrilled with how classically simple and elegant she is in her new necklace.  A twist on tradition that will make sparks fly, we think!  A giant thanks to Katie for reaching out to us those years ago...and for sticking around through both of our wild rides of late.  We are proud to know her and look forward to all of the fun ahead.  (And know the jewels will enjoy their new West-Coast home...though we are holding out for a South-bound road trip one of these days for a jeweled reunion!)

We were fortunate enough to snag Katie for a few questions...enjoy the interview below!

Emily Maynard/EM:  As we worked on this necklace together, "classic with a twist" seemed to be a theme that might apply to your overall personal style...where do you feel more comfortable taking fashion risks, and where do you feel it best to stick with the tried-and-true classics?

Katie Armour/KA:  I usually stick to very classic apparel and prefer to mix it up with accessories. I’m all about colorful ballet flats and statement necklaces!

EM: We went for basic statement black for our design...but if you incorporate color in your wardrobe, what are your favorite hues to wear?

KA: If I’m wearing color (not often) it’s usually shoes, a scarf, or jewelry. This spring I’m especially excited about pastels -- soft pinks, minty greens, pale blue. A dash of hot pink can be fun too.

EM: Living up the the Matchbook Magazine credo, where would you wear this necklace on a charmed-life adventure in your neck of the woods?

KA:  I’ll be wearing my necklace day and night! I can see it easily dressing up a casual daytime look (sailor stripes) or accessorizing a little black dress for dinner with my husband.

EM: Oh, to spend an afternoon in your world...is there a vintage shop to which you'd take us?  How 'bout a good bookstore?

KA: If you were to visit me here in the San Francisco bay I would take you on a little island tour of Alameda. There is a beach, neighborhoods full of charming, old victorian homes, some great restaurants, and fantastic antiquing. The antiques faire on the first Sunday of every month is a local claim to fame -- over 800 dealers bring their treasures!

EM: Are there any jewels on the Elva Fields site that tickle (ahem, strike!) your fancy these days? 

KA: I am in love with the coin shaped costume pearl earrings. So simple yet so chic! Also, the clustered pearl earrings are such a fun statement -- very traditional with a twist!

 

It's no secret that we love our customers, so let's share the love this Valentine's Day!  We want to hear some sweet words from you--from a simple hello to an essay on Elva love (and everything in-between!)  Whether a photo of you wearing your signature style, a few words about that necklace you've been pining over, the tale of "the one" that got away (jewelry-wise), or anything Elva-related you like, love, or adore...we'd love nothing more than a sweet something from you!

Send us an email, post below, give us a shout on Facebook, or mention us in a Tweet, and we'll send you a sweet nothing of your own via email...a coupon code valid through Valentine's Day for 20% off any online purchase.  Sweet, right?

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Since 2005, Joy Cho has been charming and cheering us with her delightful blog Oh Joy!, featuring fun and inspiration in design, fashion, and food.  As if these top-three themes weren't enough to make us feel as though we'd found our West Coast soul mate, her penchant for cheerful brights and oversized organics is right on-cue with our own Elva aesthetic.  Essentially, she's an Elva gal through and through, we think!  

So, it may come as no surprise that we're launching our Leading Ladies Collection with Joy, a quadruple-threat these days, as she now adds the roles of author and mother to her blogger-designer lineup.  (And creative consultant, and wife, and editor, and friend...she is endlessly talented...and busy!)  Between beautiful baby Ruby and her new book launching this Fall, Joy snuck some time to create an inspiration board as we started our collaborative project: designing and creating a necklace that Joy could wear as an everyday pop of color.  

{a few snapshots of Joy's Pinterest-based inspiration board for the project}

Armed with her visual cues, we began sourcing some materials for her consideration: from mint to kelly green, a rich azalea and melon hue or two, and even a bit of white for bead colors...to an assortment of blooming blossoms, delightful daisies, and jeweled ear bobs as her vintage options.  A bit of swapping emails and images followed, and in no time at all, we narrowed it down to these:

And...after some consideration...voilà:  the finished look!  Joy's new "Joyful and Jubilant" necklace features three strands of polished green quartz with a cluster of vintage glass and rhinestone jeweled earring pendants at the side and a gold vermeil clasp to bring it all together.  

Once the jewels arrived in Los Angeles (quite the cross-country adventure from Kentucky!) Joy snapped a photo as she wore her new necklace--and we think it's the perfect pop of color that reads as creative and fun as Joy is.  We're delighted and honored...and think Joy is quite the lovely Leading Lady...in Elva Fields jewels and in life at large!

A Few Questions for Joy

Emily/Elva Fields: Your beautiful name and creative style seem to be perfectly in sync--"joyful is certainly a word we'd use to describe your aesthetic.  What, design-wise, brings you the most joy?

Joy/Oh Joy!: I've always been a fan of unexpected details:  a pop of color or pattern inside a jacket lining or shirt placket, or a mix of materials, contrasts in color, or bits of shine. 

EF:  How do you incorporate color in your everyday look?  And what are some of your favorite colors in your wardrobe?

OJ:  I'm a big fan of strong primaries like kelly green, cobalt blue, dandelion yellow, but also what I like to call "sophisticated pastels" like mint green, apricot, or strawberry.  They're pastel, but a concentrated version of the color, so as not to be "too" sweet!

EF:  Since we were aiming for a look that worked for daily dressing, tell us where in Los Angeles you'd wear your new jewel.

OJ:  Brunch with friends to one of my favorite East-side spots:  LaMill, Proof, Cafe Stella, or Canelé.

EF: We love that you have your very own Elva...any other jewels on the site catch your eye?

OJ: The "So in Love with Skies Above" necklace, faceted pyrite/fool's gold briolette earrings, and the "Pale Pink with Posies" necklace.

 

We are on pins and needles...so excited to announce our brand-new blog series:  Leading Ladies!  We've gathered some of our favorite females--from the blogosphere and beyond--for a fun collaboration of fashion and style.  The twist?  These lovely ladies will have a chance to play designer with our vintage baubles and bold-colored beads...you'll be as in love with the jeweled results and you are their own creative pursuits.  (And with one Leading Lady each month, it's bound to be a year of fun-filled style here at Elva!)  

Our first-ever Leading Lady will be announced in just a few short days...we can't wait to share her with you!  Here's a hint until her January Leading Lady debut: you'll be oh-so-in-love with her jubilant outlook on life.  Stay tuned!