Get The Look: Beachside Glam

Today I'm sharing how to get the beautiful "Beachside Glam" look from our Spring '14 Look Book. This style is super simple to emulate...

- Start with a simple maxi dress in a single hue. The strapless number below (from Splendid) or the gorgeous Pink Stitch dress in our look book (available at Yaletown's Fine Finds, for all of you Vancouverites) both have a sweet simplicity that serves as the perfect canvas for the rest of this look.

- Add a pair of strappy sandals. Gladiator-style flats keep things casual, while a chunkier wedge heel will dress things up for night.

- Pile on some juicy jewels: statement earrings, an eye-catching necklace and wrist adornments in colorful gems are the perfect fit. Our look features the Snake Charmer Earrings, Flora & Faceted Green Onyx Bracelets and Chrysalid Necklace. 

- Throw a soft pashmina or scarf in your hand bag to throw over your shoulders once the sun sets or if it's breezy.

 

Voila! You've got the perfect look for a dinner date on the patio, or afternoon persecco with girlfriends.

This Spring We're Loving Lapis

To The Moon & Back Earrings - $72

Today I wanted to give you the scoop on one of my favourite gemstones - lapis lazuli. If you have perused our Spring '14 Collection you'll have noticed that this gem is featured in a number of our new designs, and will certainly be making more appearances in the future. While lapis lazuli can of course be worn year-round (like any gemstone you love) and may not be as quintessentially "summer" as say, turquoise, it nonetheless always reminds me of time on the ocean or lake, blue skies and adventure!

Lapis lazuli details in "The Ascension" by Jacopo di Cione (1371)

Lapis lazuli is a gemstone that has been adored by people for millennia, having been mined in Afghanistan since 7,000 BC. It is one of the first gemstones to be worn as jewellery, and Cleopatra is said to have used powdered lapis lazuli as eye shadow (only slightly more glamorous than Cover Girl, right?). 

The brilliant "ultramarine" blue pigment created from ground lapis lazuli was also used by Baroque or Renaissance painters in their masterpieces - often to depict the robes of angels or The Virgin Mary, and some palaces and church walls from the Middle Ages have panels inlaid with lapis. It is in fact one of the most expensive pigments ever created and worth more than it's weight in gold!

While lapis lazuli is most commonly known for or associated with a deep, celestial blue, it can be found in varying shades of the color - from light to dark. Some lapis lazuli also contains white streaks of calcite, especially that which is mined in Russia or Chile. The brassy, golden veins that are often seen running through this gemstone? Pyrite, or fool's gold, as it's more commonly known and which lends a beautiful shimmer to this otherwise opaque stone. 
 

Lapis jewels in our SS'14 Look Book

Lapis lazuli is said to be a symbol of wisdom and truth, and the stone of friendship. Those who study healing gemstones say lapis lazuli can aid in the process of learning and enhance memory. It is even thought to possess visionary properties and is considered one of the most powerful gemstones for spiritual awareness.

Personally, I love the depth of color this gemstone can possess, especially when it is marbled with pyrite and in a shade of midnight blue.

How do you feel about lapis lazuli? Is it a beauty in your eyes too?

Get The Look: Rustic-Chic

If you haven't had the chance to check it out, the new Keltie Leanne Spring 2014 look book is now up on the website!

The look book was photographed in beautiful Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver by the talented Ainsley Rose Photography. I had envisioned an earthy and natural environment and the park provided the perfect diversity in terms of setting - situated right on the ocean, with tons of rich plant-life, and gorgeous lighting. 

In order to ensure that the jewellery and the beautiful setting be the focal point, I went with a simple and neutral color palette when selecting the clothing that would be worn for the shoot, and which would provide a lovely canvas for the jewellery rather than overshadowing it. I also wanted our model Cara to have a down-to-earth and appropriately natural appearance, so while she's not exactly wearing her hiking gear for this woodsy shoot, I did make sure to steer clear of anything too overdone or "city" looking.

This look is definitely the most casual of the four featured in the look book, but also one of my personal favorites. Rustic-chic may appropriately describe it, because the boots and denim make it a little bit cowgirl, but somehow the draped cardigan lends a soft and feminine element, and the bright lapis jewels are bold and glamorous. Here's how you can emulate this rustic-chic style yourself:

1.) Start with denim shorts and a simple tee or tank in black or another neutral colour (for example, grey or white). No stress if you don't have legs quite like Cara (me neither!) - go for a slouchier boyfriend cut, or wear a pair of your favorite jeans if shorts aren't your thing.

2.) Add a soft and drapey cardigan or cape like this one from Aritzia.  

3.) Throw on a pair of worn-in tall boots or booties. I personally love the look of Frye's, but still haven't splurged on my own pair!

4.) Now put on your favorite statement earrings, a long necklace with a bright-colored gemstone pendant, and some wrist sparkles for good measure. Cara wears our Catching Fire Earrings, Evolution Necklace and Yin Bracelet.

You're all set: you've got a look that's perfect for a casual coffee date, upcoming music festival or island getaway.

The Westender's Spring Style Guide

I'm excited to have the new Keltie Leanne Spring Collection featured in this week's Westender newspaper! As a designer, there are few experiences that are more rewarding than having your brand featured in the press, front and center for new fans to discover and your current customers and admirers to see. 

There is also a certain degree of anxiety that accompanies the experience - How will I come across? Will the photographs accurately represent my work? What will people think of my designs? These feelings are intensified when you have the opportunity to meet with an editor or reporter in person: nowadays, with so much communication happening online, businesses often have the opportunity to take pause, and carefully craft their persona, so when an interview happens face to face it can be a scary thing and feel much more uncensored! For those who haven't had the chance to meet me in person, let it be known that I can be very chatty, forthcoming, and as such, prone to "foot in mouth" moments.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Westender Fashion Editor, Kelsey Klassen, in person, to talk about my business. Kelsey is a warm and lovely person, and we had a very easy rapport and conversation when we met for coffee to chat about my line. I didn't think too much further of what we'd discussed or the ins and outs of our conversation until I read the article in the Westender myself, and nearly laughed out loud. I recalled that I'd been professing my passion for gemstones and jewellery-making, and had confided that sometimes the gemstones are just so beautiful and juicy looking, I could eat them! Nom, nom, nom...

But seriously folks, as I'm sure you've surmised, I don't actually eat gemstones, and hope that my hyperbolic turn of phrase paints a clear picture of just how darn excited I am when it comes to my business. I was delighted that despite my quirky means of relating my excitement, Kelsey writes about how much my passion for Keltie Leanne shines through. At the end of the day, I love making beautiful things for my customers to adore and cherish, and aim to create pieces that they won't want to take off! 

If you haven't read the article yet, be sure to check it out here. 

Have a wonderful day!

The Arrival of Spring

The Spring '14 gemstone palette.

If you haven't heard the news, the new Keltie Leanne Designs collection launched this past Monday! The new line features eye-catching and geometric designs in bright spring-like colors. 

Spring 2014 features a palette of three bold-colored gemstones - lapis lazuli, green onyx and turquoise - complemented by three more subtle, iridescent gems - green amethyst, labradorite and moonstone. I am really excited to have incorporated some gemstones and colors into the line that I have never used before, namely, green onyx and moonstone, and love how all of the new collection's colors simultaneously contrast and mesh.

The spring collection features some of our most popular designs - like the Arc Necklace and our Faceted Gemstone Bracelets - in new gemstone colors, plus lots of completely new pieces. 

We will also be debuting our brand new Spring '14 look book later this month, so stay tuned for more inspiration on how to wear and style the new designs!

A behind-the-scenes peek at our Spring '14 look book.

You can view and shop the entire new collection here; plus, you don't have to worry about shipping costs when you pick up our free shipping code via this link. As an extra bonus, when you purchase one of our new pieces at keltieleannedesigns.com between today and April 15th, you will be entered to win a $100 gift card for our online store. 

I'd love to hear in the comments below what piece is your favorite from the new Keltie Leanne line-up! I've personally been wearing the Evolution Necklace daily!