Maximize Your Resources for a Good Cause: SOLD!!!

Between the economy and natural disasters of late, the need to dig a little deeper and help thy neighbor is increasing. We are no longer pillar communities looking out for our own. We realize that we are all connected, and we need to support one another not only because what happens next door can effect our sandbox, but because it is the right thing to do.

Monetary donations are always the #1 goal, however, organizations realize that some of us need to be more creative in our attempts. Kai Expressions Jewelry has taken this opportunity to give what we know best - we speak in gems. Fundraisers are popping up in folds, and we have found much success in donating to auctions to do our part in uplifting a worthy cause.

Our first donation began in 2005 to the Hildebrand Family Self Help Center's Weaving Dreams Gala in Cambridge, MA. As a new company we were very pleased to learn one of our handcrafted earrings went for $65 towards this great organization that creates transitional housing.

Last year we donated a Genuine Garnet Set to the Shady Hill School Defying Gravity Gala & Auction: 2010. The silent auction benefited the scholarship fund and commitment to economic diversity at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, MA. (An incredible school that encourages creativity and diversity, and also my alma mater). Valued at $65, our piece raised a whopping $160 landing Kai Expressions in the top 5 items with the highest percentage over value!!

 

Women Empowered is another great local organization, dedicated to empowering women through social networking, health awareness and community volunteerism. Kai Expressions Jewelry was able to raise over $40 at last year's inaugural fundraising cocktail reception.

This year Kai Expressions Jewelry made a new connection with Crown Jewel Club, a Los Angeles based organization that empowers at-risk girls with basic etiquette and social skills essential to building self-esteem and self-confidence for academic achievement and overall success in life. Our three strand Genuine Freshwater Pearls raised $100 towards CJC's essential programming.

We have also donated jewelry to the Los Angeles Urban League Young Professionals Whitney M. Young After Party: 2010 supporting the LAULYP and its initiative to empower quality of life within our community through service, professional development, social consciousness and political awareness. For more information on our philanthropic program visit our GIVING BACK website.

What's next? Kai Expressions Jewelry will be donating a piece to raise funds for the 100 Black Men of Long Beach at their 3rd Annual Benefit Awards Dinner & Gala on April 23, 2011.

We look forward to finding new ways to be able to give back to our neighboring communities, and encourage other entities to think of ways that they can also contribute in whatever way they can. Individuals can also help too. Donate a gift certificate, offer to bake a cake, create a gift basket, offer a service. There are numerous items that can be donated, and you just may be surprised at the impact you can make...

Will You Be Mine?

This past Valentine's Day marked a special day. The commercial holiday can bring a range of indifference, joy, or even depression to those feeling their world doesn't match the diamonds and roses that riddle TV. Kai Expressions Jewelry partnered with the non-profit Women Empowered, to give back the Downtown Women's Center and combat those ill feelings. DWC is a phenomenal institution in downtown Los Angeles that "provides permanent supportive housing and a safe and healthy community fostering dignity, respect, and personal stability, and advocates ending homelessness for women." In a nutshell, it lends a hand, a heart, and a smile to many women that need extra support to get by.

We thought of ways that we could celebrate Valentine's Day to represent love and empowerment and create a window where daily stresses were shelved and the true spirit of the day could be honored. Valentine's Day to me has never been about the Hallmark and chocolates. It's has been an annual tradition to bring an extra spark to those who may not have the conventional forms of expressing love in their lives.  It's the child's handmade card with extra gobs of glitter, it's the unexpected treat left on Grandma's porch.  This year it was time & dedication extended to a room full of women we had never met before.

Kai Expressions was pleased to lead a workshop teaching the ladies how to make their own earrings.  An assortment of beads and tools and treats filled the room along with a sing-a-long of romantic tunes (just to humor Cupid). Additionally, Women Empowered offered manicures and 10-min massages on the outdoor patio so the ladies could be spruced up for their big day. It truly was an honor to bring so many smiles to a sometimes stressful time of year, and bond together as women, regardless of our situations.

A few of the women were making gifts so they could have something to give to their daughters for Valentine's Day.  One made matching pairs for her 25 year old and 12 year old daughters so they could be "twins."  Some had beading experience and took advantage of the space to explore their craft.  Others never knew they had a creative bone in their body and surprised themselves with a new found hobby.  All had a great, uplifting afternoon, exemplified by the cheers we were greeted with as we departed.

It was a heart warming day and Kai Expressions was very happy to be a part of such a self-less day that set a tone of love and friendship.  The very best Valentine of all...

And the Winner Is...

Award season has come and gone and with it an impressive roster of Red Carpet Trendsetters.

The 2011 Oscars proved to be a lack luster production overall - in my opinion - with its blatant attempts to appeal to a younger audience while missing the boat on entertaining its remaining demographics.  But the awards are really only a fraction of the show, right?  The fashion statements spoke loud and clear at Sunday night's festivities.  The ends of the spectrum seemed to be the rule of thumb with gowns draped in pale  nudes and lipstick red.  There seemed to be a subtle touch this year's red carpet.  I think it was coined by Whoopie Goldberg best that today's icons simply don't want to rock the boat and be under the "Worst Dressed" ridicule.  Rather than bold and outlandish the goal is to win through glamour and elegance, and this year's RTC hit the mark.

Kai Expressions is always quick to look beyond the fabrics - to the gems!  We have selected the top jewelry picks by this year:

Great beadwork for Cheryl Hines' glittering diamonds. Always love a statement collarbone piece!

 Four stars for Kate Beckinsale's Bold "Kiss My" Ring 

Gorgeous choker from Nicole Kidman - it made her look!

 Loved Jennifer Hudson's glamorous dangling earrings - she's really elongated for her new look! 

Lastly, "Lady O" rocked it in an amazing outfit that not only took the stage - it matched the stage!!  Her heiress left us with a true air of royalty... 

'Til the next ladies.  You keep us inspired!!

2011: It Only Gets Better

Wow - the end of the year flew by, and now we have a new start, a new opportunity to reset our goals --- and actually follow them! In doing so, the age old practice of reflection comes into effect as we look back on what we accomplished as a springboard to what we hope to achieve.

On that token, we would like to thank you for all of your support of Kai Expressions Jewelry for the past FIVE years! 2010 was another great year for Kai Expressions Jewelry. In addition to continuing expansion throughout Southern California:

Check out our latest collections on our updated website !

We've partnered with Juni Photography and are growing an amazing portfolio illustrating our latest jewelry designs. Click for more photos. And more!!

Kai Expressions Jewelry began this new blog, featuring articles to bring you insight into contemporary fashion and unique trends that bring out your true inner essence to stand out from the crowd (follow us today and be updated on all posts)!

Our Philanthropic Program has expanded to include donations to LA's Downtown Women's Center, mirroring a previous donation program to Boston's Rosie's Place which totaled over $800. Additionally, we have contributed to silent auctions raising important funds for causes such as the Shady Hill School, The Los Angeles Urban League, Women Empowered and Children Uniting Nations, among other charitable donations and workshops. We look forward to continuing our efforts throughout 2011.

Our Kai Keepsakes' Custom and Bridal Division has continued to enhance memories with personalized bridal packages and customized pieces. Charm bracelets and birthstone pendants have been among this year's favorites!



(C. Vargas Wedding Featuring Kai Expressions Bridal Jewelry)

The Kai Expressions' online communities have continued to grow over the past year. Our monthly free-earring giveaways on Twitter and Facebook were a lot of fun - be sure to sign up today as we begin our monthly drawings again soon for 2011!

Our designs can now be found at The Suit Closet, a trendsetting clothing boutique near downtown Los Angeles. Stay tuned for the grand re-opening this spring!

We look forward to seeing what 2011 enfolds. Wishing you a very healthy, happy and hopeful year ahead, and may the new year bring you new adventures and memories... Thank you again for being with us every step of the way!

Sincerely,
Janine Kai

Owner and Designer

Kai Expressions Jewelry

www.kaiexpressions.com
www.facebook.com/kaiexpressions
www.twitter.com/kaiexpressions
http://www.kaiexpressions.blogspot.com/

Day of the Child 2010: A Day to Let Your Hair Down And Appreciate A Smiling Face

This was my first opportunity to attend Children Uniting Nations' 12th annual Day of the Child.  The Los Angeles based non-profit is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk and  foster youth through positive mentoring and academic advocacy.  The goal of the day is to quite simply bring joy to a group of children that need a little extra light shining in their lives...

Dozens of buses arrived filled with deserving children ranging from young to teenage, all equally excited to participate in a day designed truly for them.  The one requirement: let go and have some fun!  Each child was matched with a mentor for the day that was dedicated to give them much needed one-on-one attention for the entire afternoon.  Dive down a gigantic slide, lose your lunch on the spinning sensation, get your face painted, jump on the ferris wheel -- whatever the kids wanted, the sky was the limit!

This year's event was hosted at the Star Eco Station, where the kids were also able to see rescued animals that also need some extra love - such as aligators, reptiles and parrots..

A sea of over 1,000 mentors and volunteers gave their time - some new comers, some attending for over a decade, and I tell you the adults were just as inspired as some of the kids.  This one quote best captures the emotion for the day: “My mentee said, "I'm glad i have you as a mentor this year! I'm having so much fun" Then when we had to say our good-byes, he looked in his backpack, took out an airplane and said, "Here. This is a souvenir for you to remember me." =') I will NEVER forget this day!!”  - Mentor at Day of the Child

I second that sentiment.  I witnessed so many beautiful children that were able to bond with their assigned mentee for the day - within hours.  I saw tears at the buses as each parted ways. The image I see most?  Smiles.  Face painted smiles, cotton candy sticky smiles of sheer joy, smiles of appreciation, smiles of 'this-is-my-day-and-I'm-absolutely lovin it!'  And you know, a lot of those smiles were from the "bigger" kids!

Thank you to Children Uniting Nations' and all its supporters for an amazing experience.  For at least one day, I learned to just let me hair down and devote myself to helping someone else have a little fun.  It was an up lifting experience that I will hold on to for quite some time.  It was even worth getting a little green in the face on the rides to make my mentee happy -- and THAT's what it's all about!

This Time, It's Personal...

For years we have increased the notion of customization, and nowadays it is no longer an option but a mandate.  Burger King's mantra of "have it your way" has infiltrated far beyond food to select options on your car to even custom 'his & her' heat settings on your mattress.  And why shouldn't you have things the way you like it?  As a culture we work harder, and we deserve to spend our earnings exactly the way we want to!

What hasn't caught on as much as one would think is customizing your jewelry.  Before Kai Expressions came into my life, I like most accessory shoppers used to depend on the department store buyers to know my taste and what colors were in my closet.  I would follow the styles dictated by fashion magazines but never had much flexibility in adding my own personality to my collection... until I became my own designer. I tell you what - I will never go back again!!

Several of my clients have gotten hip to the game and their creative innovations are worth noting:

"Carrie's" Challenge: Looking for a long necklace set she could dress up or dress down to match her denim jeans.  Kai Expressions created a 36" necklace from Czech fire polished faceted glass beads in a rich denim blue spaced with tan rounds to match the seams.  Carrie loved seeing her own idea come to life!

"Erica" was feeling funky and requested a chunky, bright canary yellow earring & necklace set.  We soon discovered few gems are bright yellow by nature, and few beaderies carry chunky yellow anything!  (Hmm... this must be what spurred the request!)  An indepth search online and throughout Downtown LA led us to some fantastic canary resins that accompanied Erica on a European adventure the day after she opened her new treasure!

"Chad" and his wife just had a brand new baby girl.  He was looking for a memorable gift to both mark the new chapter in their lives, but also elate his wife after a trying delivery.  We briefly discussed what he was looking for, and it was a unanimous decision to create a unique piece fusing both birthstones of mother and daughter: Amethyst and Ruby.  The finished piece went beyond expectations, and the brand new mother fell in love all over again!

                             (Original Bracelet)                                (Final Bracelet)

"Cynthia" was probably the most interesting request of all.  She found a handcrafted bracelet and wanted Kai Expressions to stretch it into a bracelet, necklace and earring set.  (Yes, you read that right!)  Our quest was either to find the Murano style glass beads in the bracelet, or comparable siblings that could marry well with the original cast. 

Rest assured, the task was accomplished, and Cynthia was just thrilled she could now be coordinated with her rare find.

All of these projects have made me scratch my head at times, but the challenge is exciting and I love the end result.  We have also worked on more conservative original designs, such as custom charm bracelets for graduation, birthday and new mom.  Our custom portfolio also includes a handful of bridal collections, which has been extremely rewarding to be part of such wonderful memories.  Our brides love the fact they no longer have to spend precious time hunting for matching color schemes, and their bridesmaids love the unique 'thank you gift' they can reflect on for years to come.

For more examples of creativity, visit our Kai Keepsakes portfolio, specializing in custom packages for a variety of occasions.

My message to you?  Get out there and take your jewelry "outside of the box!" (Pun intended.)  You will have fun with the one-of-a-kind imprint you can create.  We would love to see what you come up with!

Connecting with Kids

This past weekend I embarked on a new volunteer opportunity - and fell in love.  With reading.  To kids.  The organization is called just that, Reading to Kids, where volunteers meet once a month on a Saturday morning at various Mid-City schools in Los Angeles.  Readers are divided among groups of children from kindergarten through fifth grade, and they are absolutely adorable.  With a partner, volunteers read a pre-selected book that is read the same day at all seven locations.  After the story is finished, an arts and crafts project follows inspired by the story.

A big fan of the little ones, I was matched with a handful of kindergartners and we read the old classic, "There's a Nightmare In My Closet." It was so refreshing to see the excitement in their eyes as you engaged with each one, "what do you think is going to happen," or "what do you think you would do?"  Each child, no matter how shy, was able to participate and connect in a way that I had not expected.  The purity, the genuine interest, the natural rush of what was going to happen... I think just being there with them and watching them get into the day gave me more satisfaction than they got.  And that's what it's all about, right?

Being excited about creating excitement is every (good) educator's motto.  I have an immense amount of respect for all teachers and administrators that dedicate their lives on a daily basis to planting the seeds of imagination and cultivating our youth.  I admire the volunteers maybe even more so that continue to give of their time only to be paid with the tingle of knowing they made an impact, no matter how small, no matter how long it may take to manifest. 

If you like spending time with children and are located in Los Angeles, I highly recommend you look into this organization.  If you are in another city, explore what options are available to interact directly with kids.  I realize these days time is a precious commodity, but I can guarantee it will be worth it. For a little less sleep that day, or in place of a couple of watching a couple of tv shows, you will walk away with a feeling of accomplishment and knowing that you are helping to shape a generation of kids that need your attention, encouragement and vibrant energy.  It just may be contagious...