Handmade + Designed In San Diego, CA.
Owner + Designer :: Halle M. Kost
bungalowBlonde Jewelry : Inspiration
Every endeavor has a starting point, and every creation has a muse - So who is Halle of bungalowBlonde Jewelry, and what inspires her work?
Having left a position as VP of Operations at an elevated, woman-owned boutique, and moving with her husband to San Diego, CA from their home in Ohio, Halle was faced with those same questions. However, she soon took a leap of faith and fulfilled a curiosity with which she was unfamiliar...
Halle's mother still lives in her childhood home in Cleveland, where her creative projects were not limited to a playroom - The entire house acted as an environment to create. Halle recalls making felt magnets in the living room with her older sister, or rearranging her bedroom, asking for her mom to repaint the walls. She was constantly moving onto the next activity, always doing something different. Her father always showing them his current art projects, teaching them how to draw and encouraging their creativity to thrive...
Despite being only 2 years apart (yet somehow having the same birth date), Halle felt her sister, (almost like a second mother, especially while living together after college) has been extremely influential to her life and ultimately, her jewelry. Her sister was a left-brained, straight-A student turned Doctor working in pharmaceutical sciences, and a lot to live up to from the perspective of any younger sibling, but this only fueled Halle to focus her attention less on academic and more on creativity, her sister's support throughout it all.
Halle's sandy-coral colored tag hangs from a golden chain, its square border containing the white, wispy initials of bungalowBlonde. It sings of the beach, the gentle crest of tiding waves... but the logo doesn't just pay homage to her fondness of the coast, the design was also influenced by her sister, being reminiscent of an element on the periodic table.
You see, bungalowBlonde is not just a brand, it’s an identity, and a passion.
When I look at the bBJ collection, it exudes the exact brightness and beauty and personality Halle envisions whilst creating each piece. To Halle, a bungalow represents travel, adventure, freedom! It represents the opportunity to collect trinkets and treasures from various places. To Halle, it represents the things that make one excited to be a part of this world, and she makes sure to incorporate that into every design.
“I’m not good with my words,” she admitted to me, “I express through my jewelry.”
I would beg to differ, as our 70 minute phone call was filled with many gems of conversation. She was eloquent and confident when talking about her art; it is clear to see that she gives herself over fully to the process, allowing it to be a deeply expressive outlet.
“For me, creating jewelry is about the thrill that each piece can bring and the anticipation of what’s to come. Excitement to travel, discover and explore. When my pieces are on, I want those wearing them to be glowing, confident and full of excitement, ready to take on any life adventure. To me, those are the most powerful pieces - those that feel (and look) that good on.”
And sound good too...” She says, giggling.
Yes, sound. Meticulous and intentional, Halle pays attention to every aspect of her craft. The way a necklace chain clinks against a pendant, how a pair of earrings makes you feel when adorning your cheeks, where she is sourcing her materials so that they are made in fair working conditions, the assurance of quality and longevity, the care.
So, I ask again, who is Halle? In short, she is everything that inspires bungalowBlonde:
The memories of her youth, making crafts in Girl Scouts, drawing in the kitchen while dinner cooked; The experience of change and uncertainty and transition after uprooting and leaving a career; The joy of making her very first necklace, a beaded tassel, to celebrate her birthday in Hawaii with something personal... She is a product of all of these things. She is bungalowBlonde - inspired, thoughtful, confident, and when you wear a piece of her art, you’ll feel it too.
Alex is a young lady living in Boulder, CO with her long haired chihuahua, Penelope. She will be going to school for Nutrition Therapy in the Fall and manages a shoe boutique on lively Pearl Street. She’s always been passion about people, and sharing their story through writing!
And When I Can, I Like To Donate To Various Charities + Causes. These Are Just A Few As I've Only Just Begun.
-Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
-Big Life Foundation
-local charitable efforts in bringing warm meals to those in need
-Black Lives Matter
-JuneBug NOLA Productions
-Thread Of Hope