Spring 2013 Look Book, First Look

Hello all you lovely people! It's finally starting to feel like Spring here in Vancouver, and I couldn't be more excited to have all of my new Spring 2013 designs out in stores and on the website. If you haven't had the chance to check out the new pieces yet, head on over to www.keltieleannedesigns.com, stat! 

Today I'm thrilled to be giving you a sneak peek at the Spring 2013 Look Book collaboration we've done with Vancouver-based fashion blogger, Alexandra Grant, of To Vogue Or Bust. If you follow her blog, you know that Alex is the perfect representation of the type of casual, West Cost elegance that defines our brand and especially, this marine-inspired new line.

The full look book will be released this Good Friday, March 29th, but in the meantime, here are a few sneak peeks of this dreamy, coastal collaboration.

Save The Date: Portobello West

Our new Spring line will be at Portobello West, Mar. 23 & 24

Hi Lovelies! I wanted to let all of you Vancouverites (and visiting out-of-towners!) know about the upcoming Spring Portobello West Market on March 23rd and 24th.

If you haven't been to Portobello West, this is a great opportunity to shop for fantastic local products made by equally fantastic designers. You'll find everything art and design related - from clothing and jewellery, to belts and bags, to paintings and stationary - plus some yummy chocolates, handmade soaps, baby products - you name it. I'm excited to once again be a part of this awesome market, and of course, will be there with my new Spring line! I'll also have a small collection of items from past seasons that will be specially discounted - a rare occurrence - so be sure to come early for the best pick of sale jewels and new goodies.

The Portobello West Market takes place in the Creekside Community Centre in False Creek, so it's a great chance for a beautiful stroll or bike ride along the sea wall (weather permitting, unless you're braver than I am - i.e. less vain about your hair) followed by shopping at the market, and coffee at Terra Breads in the Athlete's Village. Yes, your visit is all planned out - you're welcome. You can find all of the details and vendors here, and please don't forget to say hi when you stop by!

Happy Friday! 

Let Them Eat Cake: Spring Debut at Fine Finds

Hello lovelies! I have a special invite for you all today - the wonderful Fine Finds Boutique in Yaletown is celebrating their 13th Anniversary this coming weekend, and they want you all to join in the fun! 

If you've never visited Fine Finds (what are you waiting for?? You've only had 13 years, people!) they carry a range of women's clothing, accessories, fun gifts, bridal goodies and of course, lots of fantastic, locally made jewellery. The best part, is the soiree coincides perfectly with the launch of my own Spring collection, so they've asked me to bring all of the new designs to show off in person. You will also have the chance to peruse the Spring wares from a few other fabulous Vancouver-based designers including Lisbeth, Fruits of Whim, Birds of a Feather, Mikel Lefler and Lover's Tempo. Oh, and did I mention the champagne and cake? Sounds like the perfect girl's weekend plan to me! Here are all the details, or you can check them out on the Facebook event here.

Time - March 7th @ 6 pm - March 10th @ 7 pm (I'll be there from noon - 4 pm both Saturday & Sunday)
Address - 1014 Mainland Street, Yaletown, Vancouver

I can't wait to hear what you think about the brand new collection and look forward to seeing you this weekend!

Spring Sneak Preview

With the launch of our new Spring collection just around the corner, I thought I'd give you all a little sneak peek of what's to come. The new line was created with my (desperate!) longing for warm weather and beaches in mind, and celebrates fresh, ocean-inspired colors and designs. I found myself being drawn to lots of yummy blue and green gemstones when planning the collection, and basically wanting to make a drastic departure from the rich, deep colors we saw in our accessories and closets this Autumn and Winter. Yes, it may still be dreary and grey in the parts where many of us reside, but I trust that this line will take you from cozy sweaters to breezy maxi dresses in no time at all.

Arc Necklace in Peruvian Opal & 14-Karat Gold Fill

Ocean Spray Bracelet - Freshwater Pearls & 14-Karat Gold Fill

Seaside Earrings - Sterling Silver,Turquoise, Chrysophrase & Lapis Lazuli

From Jewellery Design to Life

I’ve been in full-on design mode over the past few weeks, working hard on our upcoming Spring 2013 collection. Although I often sketch out my ideas before I create a new piece, it often takes physically making a design to realize that what looked good in my mind’s eye, doesn’t always translate into a beautiful piece of jewellery; proportions are awkward, components don't logically connect as I imagined, a gemstone dangles unnaturally.

The upside to these frustrations is that out of “failed” design attempts sometimes a new and unexpected creation appears. What doesn’t work as a necklace translates into a unique pair of earrings, or a totally new concept altogether. I thought this quote by James Joyce reflected perfectly how these sorts of experiences make me feel; while I wouldn't exactly call my design miscalculations mistakes (I prefer to think of their unplanned outcomes as happy accidents), I think that a trip down a challenging or unanticipated path can definitely lead to our best discoveries in life.

So let my little design analogy bring this reminder to your week – no matter how large or small a so-called “failure” or challenge may be, it often leads us to a positive outcome that we wouldn’t have necessarily experienced should things have worked out the way we planned.