Holly Yashi REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

I am bursting with such JOY to be able introduce Holly Yashi Jewelry to you AND at the same time offer one of my very lucky reader's a chance to win a $100 Credit to spend on their choice of jewelry on the Holly Yashi website, now that is exciting!! Let me begin by telling you a little about the magical land of Holly Yashi. Situated in beautiful surroundings with plants, music and lots of vibrant colors, over 40 Holly Yashi Artisans have been creating exquisite jewelry in this enchanting environment. For 28 years they have been making jewelry one piece at a time, with some designs taking 125 steps to create, now isn't that impressive? All of the gorgeous Holly Yashi Jewelry is handcrafted in their naturally-lit design studios in Northern California, and I can't imagine a more peaceful and serene environment with which to be inspired to create these nature inspired works of art.

I am a bit of a jewelry junkie and for me personally, jewelry is just as important a fashion element as the clothes I wear. Wearing the right pieces of jewelry can transform your outfit from ordinary to extraordinary and play a key role in defining your sense of style. So when I discovered the breathtaking jewelry designs created by Holly Yashi, I knew I had stumbled onto something special and truly unique. I am so pleased to be able to include Holly Yashi Jewelry in my Fall Fashion and Beauty Blitz and share some of the exquisite NEW designs that are out for this Fall!! But, just as intriguing as the Holly Yashi Jewelry designs are so is the history of the company and the folks behind it. Here's their story:

{From the Holly Yashi 2008 Press Kit}

The Holly Yashi Story - Celebrating 25 Years

Humble Beginnings: In 1981, in a northern California college town, graduates were in search of careers, Holly Hosterman has an art degree in jewelry-making and Paul "Yashi" Lubitz, a double degree in industrial technology and music. They believed their talents laid the foundation for the creation of a jewelry design business. So, they transformed their one-car garage into a design studio and got to work from their kitchen table. There, they designed and manufactured the pieces that would mark the start of their lifelong careers.

Holly's first designs were hand-cut animal earrings made of brass and silver. Within months they had a loyal following. But, the company's success really ignited when Holly and Paul discovered the beauty that lurked in the full gray metal, Niobium.

Niobium: A Magical Metal

Niobium is light-weight like titanium but much more rare. When shiny metal sheets of niobium are dipped in an electrically-charged bath, the refractory metal flashes into hues of rich, permanent color. It often receives a secondary coloring treatment which is applied by hand.

Holly's intricate designs demand nobium's consistent coloring potential. Equally important, niobium is environmentally clean from start to finish and so hypo-allergenic that it is used in surgical implants."

{From the Holly Yashi Website}

Holly Yashi Story ~ Celebrating Three Decades

Words from Holly

We were so young and naïve. It was 1981. I was the trained jewelry artist, the metalsmith, who had been creating jewelry since junior high, stealing my Dad’s fly tying supplies along the way. Fresh out of college, I was working three jobs, while Paul “Yashi” Lubitz, was the high energy guy that always had a ton of ideas for businesses he wanted to start but had never held a “real job” for any stretch of time. What we didn’t know then, was no matter how different we were; we had a purpose in this world together.


When Paul suggested we start a jewelry business I agreed. We transformed a one-car garage into our studio and started creating jewelry that was built on craft, creativity and innovation. I had no idea that decision would change the whole course of my life, and give me the opportunity to create jewelry that would inspire and excite women around the world. I am forever humbled, motivated and committed to keeping you, the collector, surprised and entertained by consistently giving you something new, something never done or worn before.

We’ve come a long way from those garage days…While our northern California design studio is now fifteen thousand square feet we still honor the craft of jewelrymaking, hand-crafting our jewelry in small batches, preserving the value of each piece so it may live on for decades to come.

It is my life’s passion to take the beauty of the world we live in and transform it into the jewelry you see here on our web site. Each piece has a story, each color combination a distinct choice. But, the journey only begins with us. It is the way you wear your piece, creating your own magical moments along the way that takes what I do and turns it into a part of your life. As Paul and I keep moving this company forward we remain forever grateful to everyone who has stood by us along this amazing ride.

{From the Holly Yashi Website}

Words from Paul “Yashi” Lubitz about Their Philosophy

We believe that beautiful jewelry should gracefully gather a patina of our life experiences. We envision a joyful child discovering her mother’s jewelry box, dreaming of the day when she too will wear these treasures, and be warmed by their rich memories.

If a company can have a mission other than simple survival, ours is to resist the current direction the market is taking and suggest another way, where good design isn’t something disposable, and you can take pride in something you bought twenty years ago. We believe anything truly valuable takes some care, whether it’s your mother’s silver or your mother herself. And that the things you wear really can be an expression of who you are; they can make you feel good and brighten the day for others.

We have a story around every piece of jewelry we make, every joint we weld and color we choose. We hand craft each piece right here in our northern California studio. We talk with our artisans every day, eat bagels with them on Friday, and lunch with them the rest of the week. It’s a tradition we have here. We might be a little backwards, but we’ve grown almost every year we’ve been in business, so maybe there is something to it. It is the only way Holly and I would have it. I hope you enjoy this website; it is the culmination of more than 25 years of loving what we do.

YOU CAN CHECK OUT MORE ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND HOLLY YASHI & VIEW THEIR VIDEO HERE

FEATURED PRODUCTS I REVIEWED

The very generous folks at Holly Yashi sent me 6 pieces of jewelry to review, and some are brand new for the Fall 2009 line of products. I am so excited to share each design with you!!

Gold Love Spell Necklace: Gilded treasures, beads and intricately cut niobium sway and glimmer as you move. Our Love Spell Necklace brings out the sensuality in every woman.

To behold this necklace in your hands and to see up close the breathtaking elements that embody this necklace is truly a magical experience. There are so many gorgeous charms embellishing this masterpiece that you can't help but be mesmerized by its intricate beauty. I can see why it was named Love Spell, because you are immediately captivated by its elegance and it is love at first sight! I find this necklace so alluring on so many levels. I am amazed at how meticulously crafted the necklace is and the quality is truly state of the art. I love that you can wear this necklace on its own, or if you really want to glam up your look you can add a few simple gold chains around your neck for an even bolder fashion statement. What a stunning piece of jewelry this will be for not only the upcoming Fall Season, but for the holidays too!

Maple Chime Earrings: Listen to the wind blow, the leaves rustle and the chimes jingle. Our Maple Chime Earrings are a lovely reminder of the sounds of Fall. A great gift for the nature lover, or of course, a treat for all of you! Brown, Sage Green

If you open any fashion forward magazine these days you will see that leaf motif's are the hottest trend for this Fall season. I love wearing jewelry that is not only pretty and feminine, but is also connected to nature in its design. These Maple Chime Earrings are one of the newest Holly Yashi designs for Fall 2009 and they are fabulous! The design is robust but they are light weight and have such a fun, flirty feeling of movement to them. There is a slight "chime" to them, a beautiful delicate sound that really only you can hear because they are close to your ears, but such a pleasant sound that when you hear it you can't help but smile and feel a sense of calmness and serenity.

Peace Sign Necklace: Peace signs are more popular than ever! Our beaded version will go with everything in your closet.

This is such a fun and flirty necklace to wear! I received the Turquoise and Purple version of the necklace and it is such a terrific necklace to accessorize your casual jeans and cute tops with all year round, whether it is winter, spring, summer or fall. I personally love to layer this necklace with a second plain silver chain, adding that extra dimension really highlights the special meaning that this Peace Sign Necklace symbolizes. Being able to convey a message of peace to those around you simply by wearing a lovely piece of jewelry like this is so inspiring and will remind people of what is really important in our world. Isn't it cool to be able to communicate the message of peace to others without saying a word, but knowing that the message is being put out there. I think this would make a fantastic gift for someone and this rendition of the Peace Sign stands out from any I have seen before.

Maple Leaf Chime Bracelet: A perfect companion to the Maple Chime Earrings.

This is another new addition to the Holly Yashi Fall 2009 Jewelry Collection and it does indeed work perfectly as a companion to the Maple Chime Earrings. What I love about this bracelet is it feels like air on your wrist, but it is by no means a bracelet that won't get seen or noticed. It is even more spectacular in person, the colors are rich and vivid, and really exemplify colors of the Fall that we all love to visually soak in. I wear this bracelet by itself because it is so dynamic and multi-dimensional that I want to be able to enjoy its beauty all on it own. But you can easily mix and match it with other bracelets that you have in your existing wardrobe to make your wrist really "pop" with color and a more layered effect.

Big Maple Leaf Earrings: New big leaf maples remind us of the bold autumn colors we are treated to once a year. Similarly, these Holly Yashi colors are unique to the jewelry fashion, but luckily they will last all year long! A great gift idea!

Here is another version of Maple Leaf Earrings that are a new addition to the Holly Yashi Fall 2009 Collection. If you prefer a shorter earring but still want that one of a kind signature Holly Yashi Maple Leaf design, then these are the earrings for you. The glorious rich golden colors seen in the maple leafs of these earrings truly capture the essence of the fall leaves that you see on trees at the peak of the Fall foliage season. They draw you in and you are in awe of how true to life these earrings are able to replicate what we see with our eyes when we look at fresh fallen leaves. I cannot express enough how these earrings, as well as all the jewelry that are part of this review, are so meticulously rendered and the fine quality craftsmanship of each and every one of them.

Garden Moonlight Earrings: Like a moonlit garden, these earrings shimmer secret elegance, enchanting both you and your admirers.

Oh my goodness, I absolutely adore these earrings! When I first saw them in reality I literally said "wow" out loud! They shimmer and shine and make you feel so pretty and exotic when you put them on. I love to wear a pair of hot jeans and a classy black sweater and these are the perfect earrings to accessorize those outfits that I wear with. But, these earrings are so versatile that you can easily wear them with your favorite little black dress! They will transform your most casual outfits or your more dressier outfits from looking ordinary to extraordinary. What I think is terrific about all of Holly Yashi's jewelry is that no matter how bold a piece it may be, it is always lightweight so you don't even feel you are wearing it, but believe me, those around you will and do notice!!

My Final Note: I think you can all tell by my enthusiasm throughout this review that I adore Holly Yashi Jewelry. I don't want to forget to mention that many of the pieces in my review as well as on their website is available in gold or silver tone and in different color variations and combinations. So, what you see here may be available in different colors that suit your own personal preferences, so this here is just the very tip of the iceberg so to speak! I hope you enjoyed my Review and now on to what you are all coveting, the GIVEAWAY!!

THE GIVEAWAY

The very kind and generous folks at Holly Yashi are offering one The Best of Everything For You reader to have a chance to win some gorgeous Holly Yashi jewelry! One winner will receive $100 credit toward a jewelry purchase at www.hollyyashi.com. This prize has no cash value. Winner has 30 days from the day they are notified to redeem their prize. Contest is open to US and Candian Residents 18 and older.

To Enter the Giveaway is easy! You must complete 2 things or your entry will not count. First, please visit the HOLLY YASHI WEBSITE and browse through all the exquisite items, select your favorite piece and leave a comment below telling me which item is your favorite. Second, make sure to leave me your email address, without this your entry will not count!

I want to thank all the folks at Holly Yashi Jewelry for their help & generosity in sponsoring this amazing giveaway, you are the best!

You can do any or ALL of the following to receive an extra entry each (You can Tweet Everyday):

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3. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this message by copying and pasting: (You can tweet once a day)

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NOTE: Please, please leave me your email address so I may have a way to contact you should you be the winner.

The Giveaway will end on Friday, October 9th at 11:59 pm. I will select the winner on Saturday, October 10th and email them and I will also post the name of the winner here. I will select the winner using the True Random Number Generator and the winner will have 48 hours to respond back to me.