kira ferrer jewelry design

sea anemone

today's etsy find is maui jewelry designer kira ferrer, the talented creator behind a gorgeous line of sterling silver adornment. every single piece in kira's collection is hand fabricated in her upcountry studio where she conjures up designs from organically shaped rings and bangles to romantic reminders of a forgotten time.

the intricate hand sawn designs (shown below) are particularly delightful and, like many of kira's pieces, take shape with a mix of metalsmithing techniques. i suspect the meticulously crafted and appealingly priced collection (price tag ranges from $20 to under $100) will quickly woo new fans whether you prefer a modern aesthetic or swoon for more sentimental attachments.

beaded rings * waterfall earrings * tapered bangles * stacking rings

maya * frond * swallow

click over to the etsy shop to take a peek at the latest offerings.

hometown hero

best. (belated) birthday. gift. ever.

a few post-election clicks:

• in case you missed barack's acceptance speech, you can watch the entire clip on youtube.

• take a peek at the front page from newspapers around the world over at the newseum.

• stephen colbert's tongue-in-cheek take on the importance of electing the first "hawaiian" president.

and, because hawaii always represents, a little more obama goodness for your consideration:

1 - go bold with an obama homeboy tee (click here for m's sizes).

2/3 - satisfactory's obama (m's) for president (w's) is one of the nicest designs to be found in obama-land.

4 - rock the abstract look with a happy explosion of multicolored o's.

5 - the onslaught of obama souvenir swag begins with the rainbow license plate getting a presidential makeover.

p.s. the official obama online shop is clearing out all its merchandise including the marc jacobs tote and remaining designer tees.

election day edition

election day is finally here and, since we vote by mail around here, my ballot is already waiting to be counted at the registrar of voters. wherever you call home, consider this one of the many, many reminders to do your part and vote today!

essential election clicks include google to find your polling place and project vote smart if you need to brush up on the issues before heading to the polls.

the past two elections have proven there are no guarantees and i could not let this historic day pass without posting one more (but hopefully not last) roundup of obama gear for your enjoyment:

1 - freddy & ma, purveyor of semi-custom handbags, debuts a limited edition collection of vote totes made of recycled cotton.

2 - toy collectors can add a custom painted obama mini munny to their kid robot collection.

3 - the evidence that artists heart obama continues to grow with yet another poster of hope.

4 - the obama 'ohana tee gets a green update with an organic cotton edition.

and, after you rock the vote, enjoy foodie freebies from starbucks to ben & jerry's by flashing your i voted sticker!

bliss lau fall 2008

crisscross * diamond top * ornament

hope everyone had a very happy halloween filled with more treats than tricks! peeks from the fall 08 collection of nyc-based accessories designer bliss lau recently made its way online, and this time around i am swooning over the addition of italian leather accents in the autumn edition of bliss's expanding jewelry line.

the new minimal (and unisex) designs are a spinoff from the main collection which features brass links coaxed into a variety of architecturally inspired pieces to embolden basic wardrobe staples with a very avant-garde meets art deco flourish. and, while most of us have no place to rock such a downtown look, it's definitely something to consider for anyone with a healthy dose of fashion moxie.

 jungle * anagram * tootsie mini

bliss made her name crafting sublime leather handbags and this season is all about neutral colorways which wash over playfully designed purses and rugged carryalls. and, if you are in the market for a bag that will hold its own season after season, you can get a bit more bang for your buck with the large anagram design which sports convertible straps that transform it from tote to hobo to a messenger style with a few adjustments.

select styles from the fall collection are currently stocked in the online shop and can also be found at riches hawaii at kahala mall. click over to the website to locate mainland & international stockists.

social wahines 2.0

danielle from social wahines recently sent along word that the group's new beta website has launched with the addition of an online social networking feature. it's like an über-exclusive facebook, an online pa'ina to meet new peeps and a way to help biz-minded island girls expand their empires.

the new features mean that sw is switching to paid memberships so, if you are already a member, you will need to re-establish your account to access all the good stuff including monthly networking events (at a discounted rate) plus member-only deals, message boards & much more.

annual memberships go for $65, however, to celebrate the new website, social wahines is offering h|h readers an introductory membership deal. it's on a sliding scale so the sooner you hele over and sign up, the more you save:

• $45 membership ($20 savings)
  secret code: swnov
  expires: sun, nov 30th

• $55 membership ($10 savings)
  secret code: swdec
  expires: wed, dec 31st

click rewind to learn more about social wahines.

p.s. once you register, please join the new h|h group on sw!