[ki-ele] summer sale

coney island lei * coral/turquoise-in-a-bottle

occasionally, a deal is too good to wait until friday and the [ki-ele] grand summer sale that kicks off today certainly qualifies. for one week only, all of designer marylea conrad's lovely seaside inspired jewelry can be yours for 45% off!

this time around the collection is composed of cascades of tiny shells, dainty beach charms, silky strands, and delicately hand hammered adornment making them the perfect companions for your favorite summertime outfits!

tri-pinepple charm * little puka

scallop petal * scallop by the sea * tahiti starfish

if a style is on your wishlist, definitely act quickly since the stock is limited and already starting to sell out. and, happy news, all orders placed during the sale will ship for free!

click over to [ki-ele]'s online shop to take a peek at all the pretty offerings!

• secret code: kielesummer45
• expires: wed, jun 30th

your letterpress by joie studio

gorgeous multi-panel invite

my crush on letterpress is well established and one of my splurges for h|h's makeover was to have my lovely new logo dispatched to miemiko to be letterpressed. the design, which was already gorgeous in the digital previews sent by my designer (aloha john!), became even more charming once pressed into paper . . . the girly tagline typeface became a bit more ooh la la while all the little design details popped even more after its inky impression.

you can imagine my delight when tina from la-based joie studio recently wrote in with news of her latest project catering to diy brides and grooms as well as letterpress devotees armed with a design but lacking a printing press. the just launched your letterpress happily aims to make letterpress more accessible and puts tina's expertise and machinery at your disposal to produce already crafted designs made by you or your designer.

simply send along your print-ready specs over for review and, once approved, tina will handle all the details from ordering plates to custom mixing inks and pressing your invites. she'll even send along a video of your project in the midst of its creation and your letterpress plates as a keepsake upon completion.

invites designed by shop toast

monogram coasters

the menu includes flat and folded invites, save-the-dates, rsvp's, custom stationery and business cards. pricing is competitive with semi-custom digitally printed invitations, and tina also offers design services for an additional charge if you happen to be lacking a layout.

in other news, joie studio's etsy shop has reopened with a handful of new offerings including monogrammed coasters for your summer soirées and alphabet prints for your little ones.

were you lucky enough to send out letterpress invites for your wedding?

sugarhigh + lovestoned

i have barely touched on my spring getaway to maui yet find myself still daydreaming about the one that got away: the organic thunderbird tee by maui label sugarhigh + lovestoned which seemed intent to woo me in all its hippie bohemian charm while scouting upcountry boutiques from paia to makawao.

upon returning to the mainland, i discovered that paia designers chloe chippendale and tami snodgrass (co-founder of beauty & the beach) look to free spirit fashionistas (hello kate moss!) and schoolgirl crushes as their muse and have composed a capsule collection with a cheeky and irreverent nod to the 70's. their debut collaboration is filled with a handful of carefree tops rocking tami's illustrations befitting penny lane and her band-aides alongside glamorous studded minis and underpinnings artfully bedazzled by chloe.

and, attention to little details like contrast side stitching and gorgeous designs that continue around back are further proof that organic style can be flirty and fun.

the price tag for sugarhigh + lovestoned begins at $55 for a tee and climbs to just under $100 for a studded mini. alas, the stockist list is not posted so your best bet to scoop up most of the featured looks is to click over to the online shop.

p.s. follow the hijinks of the sugarhigh + lovestoned crew over on the official blog.

{photo credit: daeja fallas}

photo.phile: firebird photography

happy monday! i am so excited to introduce you to firebird photography today! my first glimpse of makiki photographer cheyne gallarde's work was via an editorial of 1979's collection for innov8 last year. in an instant, it took me back to flipping through family photo albums filled with faded technicolor pictures of my mom, aunties and grandmother perfectly turned out and posing in front of a brownie camera.

facebook friends who happened to catch the 1940's video of waikiki posted last month know that vintage hawaii will always make me swoon, and cheyne captures the era with the most charming compositions that are absolutely cinematic in its loveliness. one look and you will want slip into something retro, put on your face and smile for the camera.

don't you love it? although, with apologies to the cute milkman, the little design geek in me could not help but become besotted with the charming turquoise bungalow and its delightful scallop awning.

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up a camera and start clicking?
i've always been a shutterbug, but i didn't start taking photography seriously until i took a hiatus from filmmaking. during the hiatus, i realized a lot of my theatre friends didn't have current headshots, so i offered to shoot it for them. it was then i enjoyed photographing people and capturing their personality.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
i don't really follow photographers so much since most of my inspiration comes from fashion. although i will say that niche photographers like aaron ruell and creative commercial photographers like david lachapelle definitely inspire me.

favorite island moment caught on "film"?
tough call, but i'd have to say shooting my friends in on the spot improv. i've shot all their pr photos for the last two years (and recently went on a mainland tour with them) so when we work together, it's like a family reunion. their shows are also niche and creative, so i enjoy the challenge of it all. plus it helps that they're all great people that always manage to lift my spirits!

any simple tricks to share on how to capture a vintage looking photograph?
it's all done outside of the camera. hair, clothing and location are what make the perfect vintage photo. pay attention to those details and you're 75% of the way there. this is why i include styling with all my portrait packages since i study and specialize in retro fashion. in addition, i work with a talented hair & makeup artist, mish of beauty by mish, who specializes in vintage glam & pin-up hairstyles.

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
the best camera really is the one you have with you, so i'd have to say my iphone! from vintage portraits using the hipstamatic app to panoramic shots using pano, everyday moments are captured on my mobile phone. for all my photoshoots, i shoot with my very basic canon rebel xti. you don't need bells & whistles when you've got imagination & creativity!

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
if you use a napkin to cover your camera flash, you'll diffuse the light. it takes some practice, but the result will be evenly-lit photos as opposed to the harsh on-camera flash.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
vitamin water, protein bars, spam musubi and cookies!

mahalo cheyne!

as i hinted earlier, oahu lovelies will have a chance to get a little flirty and embrace your inner dita von teese during next weekend's pin-up queen workshop. pair it with a burlesque lesson from the ladies of cherry blossom cabaret or, if the idea makes you blush, simply book a pin-up photo session with cheyne.

• when: sun, jun 27th - 10a to 5p
• where: mercury bar, 1154 fort street mall, suite 10, chinatown
• price tag: $200/$215 (includes burly-q basics)
• fyi: $25 non-refundable deposit to reserve a spot

p.s. enjoy first peeks of cheyne's most recent developments over on the firebird blog.

aloha friday scoop

happy aloha friday! everybody seems to be enjoying summer so today's edition is short and sweet.

celebrate your pops and share the life lessons passed down to you via one of the many community projects happening during live aloha day.

• when: sat, jun 19th
• where: around the islands

harvest time! sweet blossoms will knock 15% off in-store flower and lei purchases in exchange for your mangos.

• when: now to mon, jun 21st
• where: 1014 kapahulu avenue, suite 210
• shop hours: mon - sat, 8a to 6p & sun, 10a to 2p

slow art friday returns to chinatown tonight. dine under the stars and leisurely wander neighborhood galleries while music plays and acrobats entertain.

• when: fri, jun 18th - 5p to 9p
• where: chintown arts district

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