new peeks: kinohi designs

tropical tryst

the iffy economy is putting a squeeze on many budgets including pricey wedding celebrations for both island and destination brides & grooms. as someone who planned every single detail of my big day without a hired gun by my side, i know firsthand that it is possible to throw a lovely bash complete with fancy gown, hard to book photographers, and gourmet eats for a fraction of the cost, and, most important, without going into debt so long as you know how to allocate your funds wisely.

if invites are the area where you choose to scrimp, you will want to take note of the latest offerings from kinohi designs. since partnering with wedding paper divas and its sister company tiny prints, honolulu designer jennifer tanabe's contemporary paper goods line continues to mark life's happy moments sans the boutique price tag.

many designs hint of kinohi's island home to the delight of modern tropical style connoissiers, however my current favorite is certain to be frowned upon by the etiquette set - the cheeky blank you design with its playful twist on the traditional thank you note which is sure to be the saving grace for anyone who forgets to acknowledge gifts in a timely manner.

blank you

summer style

hello baby

and, while the stylish stationery has been perfected for weddings, birthdays, and other big announcements, savvy shoppers can put their own spin on many designs with a few quick clicks.

take a peek at kinohi designs' entire lovely lineup over at tiny prints and wedding paper divas.

nina kuna designs: spring 2009

look at the gorgeous new looks straight from the maui studio of nina kuna designs. nina found inspiration down by the sea and the ocean finds were the perfect partner for the designer's recent exploration of casting jewelry by hand. the result is a new direction for springtime turning what initially appears to be a humble find from mother nature into delicate sterling silver translations of limu fronds, skeleton shells, and other little bits left behind in the sand.

your best bet to scoop up the new designs is over in the online shop, however nkd's spring offerings should be arriving in stores soon.

p.s. remember the lyrical paisley necklace nina generously bestowed upon a lucky h|h reader last year? take a peek at the elegant exuberance of the design when it has been professionally styled - so pretty!

naupaka book giveaway

big island artist caren loebel-fried kindly sent along a review copy of her new book, naupaka, penned by the late aunty nona beamer and i finally had a chance sit down and savor page after beautiful page.

it's a beautiful retelling of a hawaiian folk story describing why the naupaka flower blooms in perfect halves despite different growing conditions down by the sea and up in the mountains. the illustrations are gorgeous bringing old hawaii to life with the technicolor beauty of caren's block prints which complement the
bittersweet tale of two star-crossed lovers from opposite sides of the ahupua'a kept apart by their different ranks in life.

one lucky reader has a chance to score a copy for storytime and introduce her/his little one(s) to the world of hawaiian mythology. the book is told in both english and hawaiian and includes an audio cd narrated by aunty nona with music by her son, keola beamer.

here's the scoop on how to enter:

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by thu, mar 26th
• please put naupaka giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household

click back on friday to find out if you are the lucky winner.

{update: winner list posted}

p.s. email subscribers - simply hit reply and follow the instructions above for a chance to win.

weekly sales sheet

fighting eel takes a road trip to the north shore for the honolulu label's annual sample sale!

• when: sat, mar 21st - 12p to 4p
• where: 59-754 kam hwy, haleiwa
• fyi: cash only

adore celebrates its one year anniversary with appearances by midori jewelry who is introducing an exclusive collection for the shop and petite guru allison izu who will be offering 25% off her denim line. enjoy sweets by hokulani bake shop and giveaways on the hour.

• when: sat, mar 21st - 12p to 5p
• where: adore, kahala mall
• fyi: download the mall's one day e-pass to save 20% off one regular priced item at participating shops (including adore)

the leeward side finally scores some design love with the opening of pacific home's new outpost at kapolei commons! to celebrate, save 15% at both the kapolei and ward showrooms all weekend long.

• when: sat, mar 21st & sun, mar 22nd
• where: 4450 kapolei parkway, kapolei (adjacent to target) & 420 ward avenue, honolulu
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 7p & sun, 10a to 5p

Click to read more ...

letarte swimwear: 50% off two day sale

cable twist halter + popcorn stitch tunic

yoo hoo, bargainistas! couturecandy just announced a two day sale on their remaining stock of letarte's 2008 collection.

if you don't mind rocking styles from last season, you can make like a sports illustrated swimsuit model (the maui label recently made its ninth appearance in the 2009 swimsuit issue) and stash the tidy 50% savings in your rainy day account.

• secret code: 50letarte
• expires: thu, mar 19th