Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Wishful Wednesday - The Girls of Summer

My first Wishful Wednesday picks are dedicated to some very special girls/women in my life who are celebrating birthdays this month!

On June 2, my sister-in-law Sharon and her twin brother Steven celebrated their birthdays... and while Al and I couldn't be there this year to join in on the fun, I thought including something from my wish list that reminded me of her would be a great way to show her a little special love. (Sorry Steven, maybe next year!) Sharon is one of those amazing women who juggled a full time career, raising a family, being a devoted wife, mom, daughter & sister, and frankly, she's just a blast to be around!  Classy one minute, animated and crazy the next, I've enjoyed getting to know her and I'm soooo glad she's my sister-in-law and friend.  The last time I saw her was last February, in the dead of winter in New Jersey, and I was in awe of how well she could pull off keeping warm and looking stylish at the same time... so when I saw this beautiful button-up scarf/cowl from lorilooms, I thought of Sharon right away. The perfect accessory for those cold Jersey winter days - whether you live there like her, or simply visit, like me!

The 16th is my wonderful daughter-in-law Kristen's birthday...and I know this day will probably be a bittersweet one for her since it will be the first birthday she'll be celebrating without her mom, although I'm sure that her mom will be close in spirit. Kristen and I both believe in life after death, and we've both had our share of experiences with loved ones leaving us small tokens of their presence in spirit, if not in physical presence. As a familiar quote goes... to those of you who believe, no explanation in necessary; to those of you who doubt, no explanation is possible. Those little serendipitous finds can bring comfort, peace, and always a sense that someone special is not very far away in the grand scheme of things. In Kristen's case, feathers often appear out of nowhere just when she needs them, and where she least expects them, so when I came across this darling trinket box with its lovely feather design from LPJoriginals, I immediately thought of Kristen and her ongoing special connection to her mom, Vicki.



My own very special girl of summer is my daughter (and my baby) Angela, who will be celebrating a birthday on the 28th. I've watched her grow into a phenomenal young woman who finds the strength and courage to deal with everything life manages to throw her way. Sensitive and compassionate deep down inside with the fierce protective nature of a mother lion, I admire her depth and the energy that she puts into everything she does. I often think back to her younger years, remembering the toddler who would sing and dance to Wee Sing videos, the young girl who loved to be on the go (my little social butterfly!), the teenager who spent hours (and I won't say how many dollars!) on hair and makeup and looking "just right", and now a mom who sacrifices so much to stay home with her kids and who does everything she can to make their house a home. Even though she's older now, I have so many wonderful memories of those days... and I look forward to the hopefully many, many years we have ahead of us to enjoy that special mother/daughter relationship we share! (And yes, a part of me looks forward to the day when her daughters convince (dare?) her to put her hair in pigtails a la Pippi Longstocking and go grocery shopping with them!) One of my very favorite shops on Etsy is Jolinne - filled with adorable art, accessories, and decor items featuring the sweetest little ladies, this shop is great for anyone with a special young lady in their life. In honor of one of my favorite stages of Angie's life, here is Spruce Up... the awkward young girl who doesn't realize quite yet how lovely she truly is, inside and out!

Three uniquely special women serving as inspiration for three very different types of shops and styles of artistry - I hope that perhaps I've introduced you to a new shop that offers something perfect for one of the special people in your life.  To all my girls of summer, I hope this birthday month is as wonderful as you are!  That goes for all of you out there who are having birthdays in June as well - hope the coming year is filled with everything that makes your wishes come true!

xo,

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