#motherhood inspired
Jewellery is like dessert, there is always room for more! Get to know Hillberg & Berk jewellery, a company that encourages each woman to #ShareYourSparkle. I’ve handpicked two looks from Hillberg & Berk’s new Spring-Summer Collection to showcase in this beautiful new bakery in Calgary! If you like sparkle, desserts, or flowers then you definitely don’t want to miss this post!
I’m a thirty-something mom of two little boys and I live a three and a half hour plane ride from the nearest family. Starting a family was something that both my husband and I really wanted. I knew it was going to be tough, being without grandparents to help but I didn’t care, I wanted babies. I would stay at home and raise them, like my mom did, and he would go to work everyday to provide for us. The plan was in place. And after three pregnancies and the birth of two beautiful boys, our family was complete.
And I was happy. I loved (and still do!) being home and being a mother. It’s the hardest and most rewarding “job” there is in life. But what maybe I wasn’t so prepared for was how mentally and physically exhausted I would be some days. A cup or two of coffee in my favourite mug from The Top Knot Boutique and a glass of wine were things I looked forward to every single day.
After awhile, something started creeping in: resentment. I would watch my husband every morning: wake up well rested, get dressed up in a nice suit, take his travel mug of hot coffee and head with purpose to the office. He’d come home at 6:00 (or later) every night telling me of the nice lunch he’d had at a restaurant downtown or the beer he’d shared after work. All the adult things he got to partake in. Then there was me: feeling like if I had to deal with one more tantrum, change one more diaper, do one more load of laundry, or empty the dishwasher one more time, I was going to go outside onto the front porch and scream.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! Love always, xoxo
For the past year, I’ve been wanting to share a personal story. So here is goes: I am Canadian and my Mom, Nancy, was American. Growing up, we took frequent trips to visit her family in Texas. We had good times filled with warm weather, tons of Mexican food, church visits and shopping. Each time, she always brought me to her favourite store: James Avery Jewelry. I’ve been wearing one of their simple silver crosses for the past 18 years.
I wanted to share a little bit of the history from their website:
“Then craftsman James Avery opened his garage workshop back in 1954, he established a standard of doing all things well. A tradition continued today, the iconic Avery style is achieved through meaningful design and skilled craftsmanship. Careful consideration and attention to detail goes into everything we create. Our jewelry is made to last and be enjoyed by you for years to come.”
Or in my case, generations to come. When my Mom passed away last February at the young age of 57, my family and I headed to Texas to say goodbye and collect some of her things. My mom’s husband showed up to the church with a James Avery bag, full of their signature orange boxes and jewelry. I knew that she loved James Avery but I had no idea how much. And now these rings and necklaces belong to my brothers and I. They are the most precious things that I have to remember her by and they have now become family heirlooms that we will one day pass on.
A couple years before she died, she sent me a charm bracelet in the mail from James Avery with three charms. She included a letter and a catalogue explaining that she wanted me to start my own bracelet but that “it was a work in progress”. When I returned to Texas last year, I drove to one of their stores and made a decision that although she started this bracelet for me, I wanted to finish it as a tribute to us and the things that we both loved: music, books, ladybugs and of course, Texas. It was something that we made together in life and in death.
Through my photos, James Avery miraculously found me on Instagram and after sharing my story, I struck up a friendship with someone special from their company. She was gracious enough to feature the photo of my charm bracelet in their new Valentine’s Love catalogue. When I received mine in the mail last week, I cried when I saw it. My Mom would have thought it was just so neat that our favourite jeweller recognized us.
I wanted to feature a couple of new pieces from the catalogue. The script initial rings in “x” and in “o” and the Flowing “Love” Hook-on bracelet… the perfect pieces for Valentine’s Day. Their new line dedicated to Love is just so meaningful, whether is signifies the love of a spouse, parent, or child, it resonates with everyone. My mom always ended her letters in “Love always, Mom xoxo” so these sterling silver pieces are just another little daily reminder of her.
Valentine’s Day has a new meaning for me, as it was the very last time I ever spoke to my Mom. If you’re looking for something timeless and special to add to your jewellery collection please got to: www.jamesavery.com
xoxo,
Kiki
Shop the details: Script Initial Rings / Love bracelet / Nails: Flamingo TruShine Gel with Pop of Hearts and Love Letters nail wraps
