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volume 2 issue 4 | NovemBeR 2009 | thVIPag.cVOLUME 5 ISSUE 4 | February 2012 | theVIPmag.com

o f s o u t h e a s t t e x a s

complimentary

Mardi

GrascoutureBedazzled!

10HOTV-DAYGIFTS

Pearls: Heirlooms AND must-have fashion

Chandeliers: Bling for your home!

Homespun: 3 local jewelry artists

Brian Alter:A gem of a life

VIPrnlii:t Wrmoyr rcip r yr innr Cjn

Ndrlnd spl Krm

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2 February 2012 | theVIPmag.com

Whether youre dreaming of an intimate ceremony or a big production,

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theVIPmag.com | February 2012 3

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EaExecutive Editor

DAVID [email protected]

Contributing WritersCATHLEEN COLE

mArgArET b. gArDNErLArENA HEAD

grACE mATHISJANE mCbrIDESCOTT rENICkCHEryL rOSE

Editorial AssistantTAmArA mENgES

PapContributing Photographers

SCOTT ESLINgErSILVIA C. mCCLAINrEN SHEppArDLEE E. STINSON

Graphic Designer, Creative Media

DAVID CONSTANTINE

AveTo advetise inVIP,

409.880.0700

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TO SubmIT AN EVENT, OrgANIzATION Or pErSONfOr CONSIDErATION IN AN upCOmINg ISSuE,SubmIT ONLINE AT www.THEVIpmAg.COm Or TO

[email protected] by uSpS AT ADDrESS AbOVE.

A dv f hea newpapePublisher

bILL OffILL

JOIN uS ON fACEbOOk!.aceoo.co/theviaon the cover

Model Elizabeth Campbell was stunning in purple, green and gold,demonstrating that you don't have to resort to costumes to get into the

Mardi Gras spirit. See all the fashion on page 15.

Left: Campbell shows off our favorite piece from the shoot, a rhinestoneegg purse by J Tiras, provided by Bella Bella.

Photography by Scott Eslinger; styling by Grace Mathis and LarenaHead; hair and makeup by Grace Mathis; cover outft provided by YaYaClub, Express and BBS Collection.

c o n t e n t s

vip magazine

insidefebruary07 vi hoe

06 Bling your home with

a fabulous chandelier

11 vi stle11 Three local jewelry

designers show home-

made can be charming

15 Festive, fashionable

looks for your Mardi

Gras celebrations

22 Why you should own

pearls

18 vi viein18 Nederland's newest

boutique

29 vi sotliht29 SE Texas events

34 viesonalit34 Brian Alter on life as

a jewelry kingpin

36 The Worthams nd

passion in each other

and their community

39 ood&din39 Easy oyster recipes

41 Simple chocolate

desserts for your

sweetie

43 vi advise43 Valentines Day gifts

to pamper and please

47 5 great dates in

February

48 Calendar

49 Crossword puzzle

50 vi voices50 Scott Renick:

My most

feared movie

22

41

11

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Chelie c be titiol o cotemoy, imle o elbote.But o mtte wht, they touch of blig to y home.E-LIGHT-emet

vi home

text by MarGarET BaTTIsTELLI GardnEr photography by rEn sHEppard

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8 February 2012 | theVIPmag.comA

t some point in time,someone somewheremust have been havingso much fun at a partythat he or she actu-ally did swing from thechandelier. Or tried to,anyway. Otherwise, howwould it have become

such a universally accepted euphemism forhaving a good time?

So yes, you might be tempted to try. Butdont. It wont end well or you or for thechandelier.

Would-be party prop aside, chandelierscan be anything from a point of understatedelegance shimmering above the dining-roomtable to a massive extravaganza of glitteringcrystal hanging center court in a grand foyeror the main lobby of some upscale hotel. (Have

you seen the ones at places like the Waldorf orthe Plaza in NYC? Yowza!)

Either way, a chandelier speaks volumesabout the person who chooses it, and most of-ten the message is, I have style. I have taste. Ihave money. Though, to be fair, you dont haveto be rich to have a chandelier in your home.Sure, hotel- and palace-worthy versions canrun upwards of $100,000 or more, but you canget perfectly lovely ones for as little as $250.

Having a chandelier means something

dierent for each individual, said JudyMcManus-Manuel, an owner of The McManusCo., 820 N. 11th St., in Beaumont. There arerequests for more traditional styles for themore formal or older homes. For the newerhome theyre asking for more clean lines, iron,less crystal. Its a personal statement, reectinga personality.

The most popular among the higher-end

chandeliers are made by Schonbek, said JonHampton, owner of Snoopers Paradise, 5509E. Parkway, in Groves. Baccarat and Straussalso make top-of-the line versions. Hamptonexplained that the more expensive chandeliersuse crystals with a high lead content, whichincrease their luminosity.

The higher the lead content, the more theycatch the light, he said.

The more elaborate chandeliers work wellin homes with larger rooms and a more tradi-

tional feel. But McManus-Manuel said theres atrend toward sleeker models that have fewer orno crystals. Hampton added that another trendis toward modern chandeliers with crystals butwith high-tech lighting that uses halogen tocreate a glow where mostly all you see is thecrystals.

The best way to choose a chandelier is totalk with a professional who can assess your

Pictured chandeliers available at The McManus Co. in Beaumont.

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space and nd the best chandelier to suityour tastes and budget.

A grand foyer aside, the most popularplace for a chandelier in the home is abovethe dining room table. A professional canhelp you decide between a single chandelierand a grouping of two or three smaller onesto run across the ceiling for the length ofthe dining room table. One thing to keep inmind, McManus said, is that with a singlechandelier, a 6-inch margin on each side of

the light works well.If the table is 48 inches, then you need a

36-inch chandelier, she said.But dont worry, thats the kind of thing a

lighting expert will help you gure out.And pro is the way to go for installation,

as well. Installing a chandelier isnt the sameas putting up an ordinary xture or install-ing a ceiling fan.

The professionals put the body up rst,then drape the crystals, Hampton said.Newer homes tend to have higher ceilingsin the foyer or living rooms [20- to 30-feetceilings]. We dont want [home owners] tofall or break the crystals.

No matter how much you spend or howlarge your chandelier, whether its bronze orgold-plated, with lots of crystals or next tonone, its bound to be a stunning focal pointin your home no matter how elaborate or

humble that home is.You can have a very ordinary home

and want a very pretty chandelier over thedining room table, McManus-Manuel said.Added Hampton: If you had a chandelier intimes past when they were a luxury, it wasobvious you were very wealthy. Now, itsmore about focal point and adding some-thing beautiful.

Way to Glow!Without proper cleaning, the crystals in a chandelier

can become clouded or pitted, diminishing its shine. The

safest way to clean them is to remove each individual

crystal from the chandelier, dip it into a mixture of two-

thirds distilled water to 1/3 denatured alcohol (though

some experts suggest half distilled water and half iso-

propyl alcohol). Wash them in the solution, then hand dry

with a soft white cloth or shammy. Never use ammonia,

Windex or other household cleaners on crystals.Alternately, you can use a soft cloth dampened with

the appropriate mixture to dust the crystals while

theyre still on the chandelier. Judy McManus-Manuel

warns, however, instead of turning the chandelier around

and around, move the ladder each time. Otherwise, if you

keep turning and twisting the chandelier, you wear out the

threaded piece holding it up and it could eventually fall.VIP

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just charmingh a n d m a d e j e w e l r y

vp style

Who says pretty jewelry has to be

expensive? Not these Southeast Texas

designers! Using baubles, beads, sea glass,

stones and even electronics parts, they create

eye-catching pieces with affordable prices.

Local artisans show homespunjewelry can be beautiful

text by Cathleen Colephotography by lee e. stinson

>>

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Coastal Creations Jewelry

Growing up in Crystal Beach, Jennifer Devillier of Lumberton learnedto appreciate the treasures of the sea. But it wasnt until she wasmarried that her surfer husband showed her a piece of sea glass, thebeautiful result of broken bottle pieces tumbling through the surf. Shecollected different colored glass for 12 years with the idea of eventuallydoing something with it. Finally, in January 2010, she decided to make

jewelry with her collection. She watched some tutorials on-line and got towork. Her rst creation was a wire-wrapped piece of sea glass.

Glass isnt the easiest substance to work with, especially when youtry to drill holes in it. Ive had a lot of pieces shatter, Devillier said. Seaglass tends to naturally break in triangular pieces, and she doesnt gener-ally reshape them unless theyre too big. You work with what you get,she said. She replenishes her supply with trips to Bolivar Peninsula.

Although she started out with sea glass and loves that medium, sheenjoys working with beads and stones. One of her favorite necklaces

includes a green teardrop pendant with turquoise accent stones. Anotherfavorite is a necklace made of amber geodes on a copper wire. Hercreations range in price from $5 to $35.

My jewelry is one of a kind because no two pieces of sea glass arealike, Devillier said, adding that creating her jewelry is relaxing. Its areally fun hobby.

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Binary Boutique

This is what happens when a com-puter geek and a creative, artsytype get married. They end up makingfunky earrings, bracelets and neck-laces made from electronics parts. Its

geek-chic jewelry, according to theNederland couple.It all started when James Nick-

lebur was taking apart a computerlast September and his wife, JenNicklebur, saw all the intricate littlepieces and thought they would makecute jewelry. She also saw it as away to get rid of the hundreds ofcomputer parts her husband hadstashed around the house. It didntwork. Now people are giving themtheir old computers.Well never beout of supplies, she said.

He does most of the harvesting of parts while she creates the designs,although he does the acrylic resin work. Their pieces range in price from $5 to

$30. They are both fond of the circuit-board earrings and the little devil (ca-pacitor) stud earrings. They also like their keyboard, single-key hair barrettes.

The husband and wife make jewelry on their date nights staying athome and designing together after their three kids are in bed. Their product isdenitely geared toward a specic market, they noted, or as they like to say,Its geektastic! >>

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Sweet Ps Jewelry

In the summer of 2003, April Hecker of Beaumont bought a hand-made bracelet at a local shop. When she looked at it closely, shethought she could make one just like it. When it comes to creating,Ive always been good at it, she said. She immediately went to a

craft store and bought wire and assorted glass beads. She made10 bracelets that night. I already had my design in my head, shesaid. She brought them to work with her the next day and sold eightof them.A friend at work inspired her to do more. She was my rstcustomer, she said. Because of this encouragement, she noted, awhole new world opened up to her.

The jeweler, whose nickname is Sweet P, started with beads andthen began incorporating stones and fabrics into her designs. Ilike to mix in different elements, different textures, she said. Sheattends markets in Houston and Dallas what she refers to as beadheaven. I like to buy things you cant buy locally, she said.

All of Heckers designs are unique. I make one-of-a-kind pieces,she said. I dont want to mass produce. Her works start at about $7and range from $30 to $50 for a necklace, bracelet and earrings set.One of her favorite necklaces incorporates a small antique skeletonkey with a vintage cameo on a thin brass chain with some crystalbeads. Its a simple piece but it gets a lot of attention, she said.

Another favorite is a vintage gold chain with a row of small creamfaux pearls and a row of teardrop amber crystals with a gold-rosevintage pin.

My jewelry is an extension of my personality, Hecker said. Itsmy passion. VIP

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Why do we love Mardi Gras? Well of

course for the food, fun and all the par-

tiesbut also for the brilliantly iconic

color combination of gold, purple and

green! Heres a collection of looks that will inspire your

Mardi Gras festiveness while keeping you from looking

like youre sporting a costume for the entire month of

February. From a brunch date to the ball, share the Mardi

Gras spirit wherever you go this month.

Dan N AwayAll eyes will be on your dancing moves in this rockinensemble. A menswear-inspired blazer makes a boldstatement with lots of sparkle so you can tone down theaccessories. For some variety, try a vintagestyle clutchso you dont look like youre mindlessly copying trends.

Green tunic, YaYa Club, $50

Black sequin blazer, YaYa Club, $70

Black faux suede shorts, YaYa Club, $30

Patterned tights, Express, $17

Purple peep toe pumps, YaYa Club, $40

Purple stone and tassel necklace (comes with ear-rings not pictured), YaYa Club, $25

Purple rhinestone dangles, YaYa Club, $13

Teardrop cut cocktail ring, BBS Collection, $38

Gold vintage-style clutch, BBS Collection, $38

m a r d i g r a s

vp style

MardiGrascouturetext and styling by grAce mAthis AND lAreNA heADphotography by scott esliNgerhair and makeup by grAce mAthis


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Dinner partyShorts and tights are elevated beyond atrend just for teenagers. Elegant fabricsand textures, combined with statement-making shoes and an armful of Mardi-Gras inspired bangles, make for a chic

ensemble perfect for that Fat Tuesdaydinner party.

Mustard blouse, Naked Zebra, Splashof Karma, Nederland, $58

Champagne tweed shorts, CommeToy, YaYa Club, $48

Black opaque tights, Express, $15

Black velvet studded pumps, SamEdelman, Dillard's, $225

Leopard jewel bracelet, Natasha,Dillards, $68

Black and gold chandelier earrings,Splash of Karma, Nederland, $16

Green bangle, Dillards, $11

Iridescent beaded bracelet, Dillards,$20

Multi stone cuff, BBS Collection, $48

Black bangle, Dillards, $30

Round purple cocktail ring, BBSCollection, $24

Black evening clutch, Bella Bella, $58


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Cocktail partyWhen a dress so perfectly epitomizesthe feel of Mardi Gras with elaboratebeading and feathers, the need for astrong palette diminishes.Add a touchof green and purple in your accesso-ries to complete the look. Its time fora Mardi Gras party, yall.

Beaded feather party dress, BellaBella, $510

Gold and pearl dangle earrings,Bella Bella, $68

Gold and rhinestone bracelet, BellaBella, $68

Purple and gold cocktail ring, BBSCollection, $38

Color block lace peep toes, (notshown) Betsey Johnson, Dillards,$110


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Mardi Gras BallIn a sea of costume-like clothing,stand out in the crowd with mutedcolors. For your accessories, choosesimply elegant and rened yet boldpieces. Heres to making a state-ment without being loud.

Full-length sequin gown, Tadashi

Shoji, Bella Bella, $490Geometric cuff, Bella Bella, $28

Gold ring, Kenneth Cole, Dillards,$38

Green reective metal clutch,BBS Collection, $48

Black and gold dangle earrings,Splash of Karma, Nederland, $16


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Girls BrunchFlaunt a playful version of primand proper. The button-up blouse

is made fun with bold Mardi Grascolor, sheer fabric and uniquecut. A classic pearl necklace andelegant egg purse combinedwith glam gold jeans and girlyshoes create this classic meetsedgy look.

Sheer cropped button-up,YaYa Club, $40

Eggplant sequin tank, BBSCollection, $28

Gold metallic jeans,Aphrodite,YaYa Club, $54

Green peep toe wedges,YaYaClub, $48

Pearl collar necklace, Bella

Bella, $68

Emerald earrings, Maya J,Splash of Karma, $240

Pearl costume ring, Dillards,$20

Rhinestone egg purse, J Tiras,Bella Bella, $560


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Give the gift ofjewelry for your

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pearls

the house of


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p e a r l s

vp style

Whth fly hloos o

fsho-fow sttt

ps, look fo vyo

The soft, lustrous pearls inKemper Morris Gibsons jewel-ry case mark some of the mostimportant moments of herlife. The collection beautifullyillustrates the legacy of threegenerations of Texas women.

Kempers rst pearls were a delicate strandthat her paternal grandmother, Lois Morris,chose to adorn the new baby.

As a teen, Kemper often borrowed Loispearls for special occasions. When Kempermarried her high school sweetheart, JamesGibson, he presented her with a diamond and

pearl drop necklace.Kempers mother, Beverly Lisenby Morris,gave Kemper her rst adult strand of pearls onher 40th birthday. The following year, Beverlyupgraded the pearls and had the original strandfashioned into a bracelet and earrings.

James and Kempers rst child, a beauti-ful, red-haired daughter, became the secondgeneration to wear the baby pearls. When

Leigh graduated from high school with honors,Beverly gave her teenage granddaughter herrst strand of pearls.

When Lois died, she left her granddaughterthe pearls Kemper so loved. When Beverlydied, she left her pearls to Leigh. Both plan onpassing that inheritance down.

I decided to use the extra pearls from myrst necklace to have a pearl and diamond dropnecklace made that we will give Leigh as a gifton her wedding day, Kemper said. We will dothe same for the young woman our son, Dallas,chooses as his bride one day.

Kemper and Leigh hope the future will blesstheir family with at least one or more babygirls to wear that much-cherished baby strand

of pearls. And when they turn 16, the newestgeneration of Morris/Gibson girls will opena beautifully-wrapped box to discover identi-cal pearl and diamond drop necklaces, madefrom the last of the pearls. Kemper, a guidancecounselor at East Chambers Elementary inWinnie, jokes that a woman can never have toomany pearls.We hope there are more pearls inour future.

A gift of loveCheryl Shus love aair with pearls re-

ects the re and passion of the silver screensgreatest couples. She rst glimpsed the jewel ofthe seas in a movie, when the handsome heroopened a beautiful box, revealing a luxuriousstrand of pearls.

I connected the gift of pearls to love andromance, and to me, pearls still are all aboutromance, Cheryl said. One of the mosttraditional wedding gifts from a groom to hisbride is a string of pearls. Even if its a giftfrom a mother to a daughter, its a gift to thosewe love.

Cheryl began handling pearls as a gift wrap-per at Christmas when she was 15. Jeweler Stan

Mathews hired her to work in his jewelry storea few years later. When he promoted Cheryl tomanager of his Beaumont store, she celebratedby buying a classic, 16-inch strand of culturedpearls.

I chose pearls because I wanted somethingto reward myself with, and pearls make a so-phisticated and elegant statement. Theyare timeless. Even though fashion changes,

text by jane mcbride

>>

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when other pieces fade in and out, pearls remain.Cheryls rst pearls are tucked away in her jewelry

box with a tag that explains their history, somethingthat will be meaningful to the next owner.

Determining qualityTo judge pearls, lay the strand at on a white

background to best appreciate the color. Gently roll thestrand back and forth to see how spherical and uniformthe pearls are. Examine the reection; the crisper and

more dened the luster, the better.When it comes to choosing a color, take a cue fromyour complexion.

One of the most desirable colors is a pink hue.Those really look good on ladies with fair complexions,Cheryl says. Women with olive skin tones look betterin warmer, cream colors. Ladies with white or silverhair look their best in white pearls.

Fashion-forwardToday, jewelers also design pieces for the fashion-

forward. At BBS Collection in Beaumont, owner PamEdwards carries faux, mother-of-pearl and freshwaterpearls, in styles with a more contemporary look.

Faux pearls are either hard plastic or glass beadsthat are coated up to 10 times to increase the nacre,or luster. Mother of Pearl is the lining of the shell,crushed, reconstituted and formed into a good, heavypearl. Some now have permanent, forever color added.Freshwater pearls are either natural or cultured pearlsharvested from fresh water sources, as opposed to seawater.

The pearl industry always is updating, Pam said.One trend is to string a small number of pearls on blackrubber cords for a casual look that pairs perfectly withjeans.

Its a good way for young people to be introduced topearls for only $30 or so.

No matter what style suits one best, Pam warns pearllovers not to wear creams or perfumes that can damagethe nish, and to always clean pearls with a damp clothafter wearing. Pearls should be stored in a soft fabricbag so they dont bump against other jewelry and chipthe nacre.

Those who buy classic pearls should have the silkcord checked periodically.

Silk is not forever and will fray with lots of wear.Thats why pearls are individually knotted. If a strandbreaks, you might lose one pearl, but not the rest.

photograp

hy

by

ren

sheppard

Making pearlsPearls are formed when a small irri-tant settles into a living oyster or othermollusk, which produces a lustroussubstance called nacre to coat theirritant. The longer the period beforeharvesting, the thicker the nacre andlarger the pearl. Natural pearls arethose that occur without any help

from man. They are extremely rareand expensive. Cultured pearls arecreated when small pieces of shellor other material are injected into anoyster or mollusk, which kick-startsthe process.About 99% of todayspearls are cultured. Pearls can befarmed in either sea or fresh water.

Above:

Kemper

Gibsonan

ddaug

hter,

Le

ighGibson

.Be

low:

Pearls

from

BBS

Co

llec

tion

inBeaumon

t.

VIP


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Nickolinas1257 W. Lucas, Beaumont, TX409-896-2543 www.nickolinas.com

Kameleon Jewelryis the most fun, interchangeablejewelry system in the world, and it is now availableexclusively at Nickolinas. Create your own style bychoosing from hundreds of center jewel popsto place inyour sterling silverpendant, bracelet, ring, and more.These love popsare the sweetest gift you can give your

Valentine! New jewelry designs are now in stock!

Cat5 is available to check out every Thursadayin the Beaumont Enterprise and it is distributed

to the top locations in theGolden Triangle.

thecat5.com

The best spot to fnd out what is going on with thelatest trends in dining, night life, music, art, events,and fashion in the Southeast Texas and SouthwestLouisiana areas.

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to detail sets us apart rom the rest. Call our specialist

at 409.840.9051 ext. 1

Monclas Catering. 2530 W. Cardinal Dr., Beaumont, TX

409.840.9051 ext.1. www.monclas.com

Fred A. Simons Tae Kwon Do

3965 Phelan Plaza, Suite 107

Beaumont, TX 409.212.9669

Southeast Texas highest ranking Black Belt, 9th degree

Grand Master Fred A. Simon, is now offering classes

in his new studio. Study martial arts under a Texas

Legends Hall of Fame and Texas Martial Arts Hall of

Fame Member. Call now to reserve a spot for you or your

child! Classes are conveniently offered at noon and at

night.

*Member of the BBB

Its not shopping, its retail therapy!

Set in the beautiul, historic Mildred Building, ella & scottoffers a touch of elegance in a fun atmosphere.

ella & scott carries the hottest, young, contemporary

brands at great price points.

Youll fnd the latest ashion jewelry, handbags, shoes and

scarves will help to complete your perfect out.

Stop in soon to see whats in store for you!

ella & scott

460 N. MLK (The Mildred Bldg.) Beaumont

409.728.6056

Visit us on Facebook/shopellascott

6fabulous findsRetailers we love and their

merchandise we love to have!

Also follow Burns on Facebook! www.facebook.com/burnsantikhaus

A direct importer of European Antiques, BurnsAntik Haus,

located on Calder at 6th Street, can help you bring old world charm

to your home.

Open Tues - Thurs 10 am to 5 pm and Fri - Sat 10 am to 3 pm.

(409) 835-3080

Thursday

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Southeast Texasis relatively fullof boutiques,appealing todifferent aestheticsand demographics.But the most recentaddition just mighttake your breathaway. Splash of

Karma in Nederland is owned by JessicaBass, 28, and opened on Nov. 15, 2011.But dont be fooled by the newness of thisestablishment. Bass refined and eclectictaste translates into chic clothing andbeautiful accessories that anyone canlove.

Talking to Bass, one thing is appar-ent above all else, she loves being amother. I feel like I was just born to be amom. Its one of those things that I neverdreamt of and never could have imaginedloving something as much as I do, Basssaid of her 18-month old son. And how didbecoming a mother aect her decision toown a boutique? [The store] has alwaysbeen a dream, which I never thought wouldbecome a reality. Its strange becausebecoming a mother put all my dreams intoperspective, the importance of things. Iwanted to do what I knew would make mehappy, and for my son in return.

So 8 months ago, with infant in tow,Bass started making and selling jewelryand doing feather hair extensions at a Ned-erland salon and a boutique. That opened

my creative door, she said. Everyonewas like you need to have your own store,so that dream and all the buildup just gotbigger and bigger. Talking with my familyand just getting all this support behind me,it was the right time to do it. And it stillhasnt hit me that this is it. I mean some-times I feel like Im just the one workinghere, that its not really my store.

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text by Grace Mathis photography by Lee e. stiNsoN


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