Leather Jewelry Grows Up Forget what you know about leather jewelry. It’s not just black and brown wrist cuffs. It’s metallic gold, silver and copper. It’s blue, green, red and yellow and every color in between. It’s no longer embellished with rivets, studs and buckles, but rather it’s thick ropes and delicate strands dressed up with sparkling, shining beads of silver and gold and crystal, ceramic and lengths of chain. Cheryl Thompson of Jewels of the Vineyard has taken leather to these new heights. She searches the globe for leathers from Spain, Greece and Italy. The beads overflow her workroom and end up in a myriad of color and shape along a string of leather. All of it comes together in her Yountville workroom to create beautiful and unique leather jewelry. Leather has grown up and is dressed up. “I’ve been an artist my entire life, although not always a jewelry designer. From handpainted linens and fabrics to a ceramic manufacturing corporation, my hands have always followed my heart or art passion. I create jewelry to express the beauty of the person who has chosen my work to wear. “I truly love what I do. Creating beautiful jewelry is such a pleasure! I am pleased to show and sell some of my designs at Montecristi Panama Hats in Yountville. Fabian, Mercedes and Carolina are wonderful to work with.” To see the entire collection, visit www.jewelsofthevineyard.com. JANUARY / F E B R UARY 2 0 1 4 29 Cheryl Thompson that contribute to the physical and imperceptible cultural heritage of Ecuador,” says Mercedes. These is not our everyday straw hat. The palm (Carivdovica Palmata) from which the special straw is selected is only grown in Montecristi, Ecuador. Craftsmen and -women construct the hats, which are 100-percent handmade, using an age-old process of weaving. The master weavers in Montecristi split the young toquilla leaf into many tiny thread-like fibers with their fingernails to create the materials for their hats. Depending on the tightness of the weave, the process can take up to eight months to create one of the finest hats. They can only weave during early hours in the morning or late evening, when the humidity makes the straw more flexible. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt made the front page of newspapers worldwide when he wore an authentic Montecristi hat on his visit to the Panama Canal. Roosevelt, who was quite a trendsetter in his day, was the one responsible for making this Ecuadorian masterpiece become known as “The Panama Hat.” Photos of other famous celebrities and state leaders, all sporting the classic hat, adorn the walls of the shop. The Anda family, originally from Ecuador and now living in Napa, see the trend continue today as people are more conscious of the sun on their skin, and also the great fashion statement made by women, as well as men, wearing hats. The standard weave Classico hats start at $89 and can go up to $5,000 for an intricate weave, but Fabian says $200 is the average sale price. The difference in price is how tight the weave is and how long it took to make the hat. According to Mercedes, “Our goal is to reach a variety of customers with traditions of old as well as modern fashion. From passing tourists to workers in the vineyards, these fine hats have a great feel and are flexible for complete comfort.” Open daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. 6525 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2870. www.panamahatsco.com advertorial feat ure Fabian and Mercedes Anda Jewels of the Vineyard
NVLife_Feb_2014
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