Pearl Scarf - Elementals Jewellery Design

Santa’s in my good books - he shopped locally, chose well and totally surprised me by noting every (more or less) subtle hint I dropped along the way! YEH, for him!  Meet my new gorgeous necklace handmade by the lovely Kelly Kan, designer and owner of Elementals Jewellery Design.  This lovely necklace is her signature piece – she calls it her pearl scarf.  Now, you've seen me wear Kelly's designs here and here. I'm a big fan, what can I say?

A bit about this particular piece...

The smaller hand-knotted cluster is made of freshwater pearls, while the large round pearl is pressure-formed.  This method consists in gathering pearls that weren’t nice enough to string, crush them and reform them back into a bigger pearl. What a great way to reuse valuable resources! The cords are waxed cotton, mine are black but this piece comes in brown and in a neutral colour as well. It’s ideal for people with metal allergies.  I also love the fact that the length is adjustable, it's always nice to be able to play around with the length of necklaces!

Why I love it so much...

What I love best about this piece (and Kelly’s work in general) is that it’s organic, yet sophisticated. Bold, yet classically beautiful. I also think her designs are versatile, an absolute MUST for me. From work in the studio, to a muddy playground, to grocery shopping, to a nice night out with mon homme: that's real life and this piece is a great companion to take along!  It works wonders with a fancy silk blouse or simply paired with a t-shirt – probably my favourite look! I can see these pearls quickly becoming a staple in my wardrobe.  See what I mean?

Carmen Sweater by The Blushing Maple

Illustration by Rachel Ann Lindsay

First I fell in love with the work, then I met the girl and fell in love with her too!! 



With a family in the Pearl trade, it's no wonder she mastered the art of pearl knotting by the age of 12.  After obtaining degrees in Journalism and Television Production, Kelly rediscovered her passion for jewellery design and then completed a degree in Gemology, earning the prestigious FFCGA (Fellow of the Canadian Gemological Association).  It's no wonder her designs are a combination of skill and uniqueness.  She truly knows how to highlight the beauty and variety Mother Nature makes available to us - and at affordable prices.  Couldn't ask for more!!



Why am I telling you all this?

Well, as you might have realized Valentine’s is around the corner, so start dropping (more or less) subtle hints ladies or you might end-up with polyester underwear!  Here’s Kelly’s website, and her FB page. Her work is obviously carried by Fresh Collective, and the lovely Kelly often works at their Queen location. Go say hello, and like her page... You could find amazing ideas like this one... Why didn't I think of that?   Pearl scarf turned into headpiece!  Only Rita could be that brilliant!  I love it. 

The absolute best thing about working with Fresh Collective is the privilege of  meeting the designers that create what I wear. It truly gives their work that personal dimension that would otherwise be missing, and that dimension is just a great story to tell when I get compliments on what I have on - and that... well, that happens all the time!  :)