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jewelry

Lunch at Neiman’s- Fun With Ippolita and Her Beautiful Jewelry

November 14, 2018 By kimwheeler 6 Comments

I’m excited to share with you all a wonderful designer who I’m slightly obsessed with right now..and her beautiful wearable art. Maybe you already have heard of Ippolita?

Last Wednesday I had most fun afternoon and lunch at the beautiful Neiman Marcus in Palo Alto where I got to meet and have lunch with the lovely Ippolita Rostagno the talent and mastermind behind her eponymous jewelry brand. Neiman’s had set us up for a chic lunch and meet up with the designer who brought her whole collection to show us.

My dear friend and jewelry lover Jeanne invited me to go with her.  She’s and another friend Vicki are fans of Ippolita and collectors. This jewelry unlike most, is handmade, totally unique and truly art, except you can wear it.

Jeanne, our friend Vicki, Ippolita and myself.

Two stunning models were also there showing the pieces with some amazing clothes from Neimans that set off the jewelry.

Beautiful pieces that look they came out of a Renaissance workshop come to mind when I think of Ippolita.  A few friends own Ippolita pieces which they wear daily and have become part of their style.  Ippolita’s jewelry is made for a women’s body and bought by women. Women buying for themselves makes up 99% of her sales! I think that says a lot. We were fortunate to have Ippolita sit with us at lunch and chat with us. After she gave a little talk and we got to learn more about her brand and how she began, and a few fun stories.

Though she is closer to my age, Ippolita looks like a Botticelli herself and is surprisingly the mom to a 30 year old daughter and a 15 month old boy! Besides being the designer and head of Ippolita, she recently bought back full control of her own company. She also is dedicated to helping the artisans of her native country and started a website Artemest, which showcases and helps emerging artists and craftspeople of Italy. It is her way to give back to that community and help them prosper and refine their crafts to be marketable and that way retain the traditions. I love that.

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Filed Under: jewelry, Uncategorized Tagged With: #ippolita, #neimanmarcus, #neimanmarcusjewelry, #NMPaloAlto

Bakelite Beauties!

November 17, 2012 By kimwheeler No Comments

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend before the Thanksgiving week. I just wanted to share these amazing creations I came across last week at a holiday boutique. The design team is a mother and daughter who are amazingly talented at repurposing antique bakelite buttons into the most lovely things. Bakelite, if you aren’t familiar, is an early forerunner of plastic used in the early part of the last century. It’s highly collectable and comes in many gorgeous hues. They happen to be having a trunk show this weekend in San Jose. If you love unique and one of a kind pieces, as I do, they have it.  I own the darling necklace above which includes a 1940s round button and a vintage Cracker jack prize dog! I love it!

Look at some of what they create:

 These button bracelets bring back memories of hours spent in my grandmother’s button boxes. Each button is so different and beautiful!

Loved this necklace with the tulip button and this multi chain one below.

They also use pieces from vintage games like Monopoly. Some of these feature chance cards, dice, and wooden houses from the game.

More use of unique buttons from the 1940s.

This bracelet was one of my faves. The photos don’t do it justice.

 How cute is this? Especially love the shoes and ring for necklace.

More lovelies..

Vintage Tinker Toy pieces!

If you want to stop by their trunk show today or tomorrow the address is :
1008 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, California 95125
(Corner of Lincoln and Coe)
There are lots of other vendors also there. It’s called Unique Affair Boutique
(Hours 9a.m.- 6p.m.)
Her email if you are out of the area and love bakelite and their wonderful creations is delia.h@comcast.net
xo
Kim

Filed Under: bakelite, jewelry, vintage buttons

Good Stuff!

May 18, 2012 By kimwheeler No Comments

Hi sweet friends. A quick Friday post for you. I am sure you are all crazy busy as I am this week. It seems like May is completely insane! School days are almost over and the remaining weeks are filled with half days and parents nights and so many year-end special events! I am totally bonkers right now, but wanted to get a small post out before the weekend.

Just wanted to share some super cute bling I scored at Francesca’s. This is a chain that has been around a while and we just got one last year in our town. When I was looking for accessories for my outfit last weekend, I popped by and found so many cute items in the jewelry area.

I got this set of bamboo bangles for $19.00 and I thought they were perfect for summer. They also come in silver tones. Are they not just right for a night out and a sleeveless shift? I also am crazy for anything bamboo looking.

Also grabbed these two pairs of earrings. They had a buy one, get another half off. Total cost for both $16.00! I know. I loved the aqua stones on these drops for evenings and the gold discs will go with so much and aren’t too large for daytime.
I have to say I was contemplating some very similar, but not as nice earrings for a LOT more, from another store who shall remain nameless. At these prices, run do not walk friends!! It takes just a few cute things like this to make your summer things from last year feel fresh. The quality of these pieces is quite nice. I’m not a snob when it comes to jewelry. I have some real and expensive pieces that I adore, but I like mixing it all up with costume. I think it’s fun and you can add some trendy pieces to your classics.

And now that Mom’s Day has passed, and with Father’s Day just around the corner, I had to share a really cool gift idea. My husband ordered me a custom made chocolate bar for Mother’s Day on line. It’s really the cutest site and it’s called Chocomize. You can create any kind of bar you wish and it even has your name on the description. 

My, “kimi, ” bar was dark chocolate with macadamia nuts, lavender and hearts. Of course my own bar would have be nutty. 😛

It’s a unique and fun gift idea for a graduate, Father’s Day or maybe a special teacher.

I had to add this last photo. My younger son Griffin and our cute neighbor Abby dressed up for Hawaiian day. Love how they matched! Tomorrow it’s school picnic and jog-a-thon, then cub scouts year end picnic BBQ for dinner, and next week on to gold rush days, then 8th grade graduation stuff starts. Tonight was open house at school. Sigh..

Off to have some chardonnay my dears.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend!
xo
Kim

Filed Under: bamboo bracelets, Chocomize, custom made chocolates., Francesca's, jewelry

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Blogger, writer and explorer sharing about my native California, and parts farther afield. Join me here where I chat about things to love in the worlds of design, fashion, home, travel and culture.

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Today, on the blog, some Valentine fun. 💗I’m Today, on the blog, some Valentine fun. 💗I’m joining a group of talented women and we all have some Valentine ideas for you. My blog is about an easy Valentine or Galentine‘s dinner you can recreate. I tried to make this super simple because the whole point is gathering with your people and having a good time. 

I did make ahead dishes and used pink items already in my home for the table. I added primroses from the hardware store for extra prettiness and for take home favors. 💕

Stop on by the blog to get all the details. 
@northerncalstyle link in my bio.
And don’t forget to go to these lovely blogs:

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I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to Richard Burton in 1965. She’s wearing a empire, knee length dress and orange blossoms in her hair, which must have smelled heavenly. I want yellow in my closet this spring!

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I hope its a wonderful weekend.☀️

Don’t forget to visit Juliet and Elizabeth blogs ..links as always, in our bios or stories:
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It seems like just yesterday we were in her gorgeous yard taking photos for my Californians at Home series. It’s still one of my favorite photo shoots and if you want to read it again -or missed it I will link to it in my bio today. She’s one of a kind, so let’s get her well soon and bolster her spirits!!💛💛

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I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisd I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisdom that was Martin Luther King. He will always be one of my biggest heroes and ten years ago I wrote a small post highlighting some of his very meaningful words and quotes that we could all use as a life guide. Link to the post in my bio and more on my stories. 

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