Mother's Day In 3...2...1...

OK, so I know the last time I posted a Fashion Friday it was all about being green, and I said I'd be posting more of the same for the next few weeks, and then I totally failed to do one last Friday at all. And technically speaking today is not Friday. Believe it or not, my brain is working, at least at that level of coherency. Higher order thinking, not so much.

But it occurred to me that Mother's Day is creeping up, and while I have a doomed feeling that there is no way I'll be done with my gift for my mother (and certainly won't have it framed in time), at least I have it nearly done and can show it to her. Some of y'all either need to get your own butts in gear or have spouses and children whose butts are going to be in deep trouble come Sunday because The Shopping Has Not Been Done.

I know that many people like to give and receive jewelry on Mother's Day. And a lot of it is rather corny, to be frank. There are only so many great big hearts with MOM plastered across them that one woman can hang about her neck.

So as a public service to you (you're welcome), whether as a last-minute purchase for Sunday or as a Better-Make-It-Doubly-Good-Next-Time situation, I have searched the Interwebs for possible jewelry that (at least in this mom's opinion) would be welcome additions to the jewelry chest. I've tried to find items that are appealing and directed towards moms, but not in a cheesy Precious Moments sort of way. (Sorry, PM fans. Those things make me vomit in my mouth just a little.) I also tried to find items that wouldn't absolutely destroy one's wallet. Granted, these aren't pieces that your average child is going to be able to afford, piggy bank or no piggy bank, but I think that a pooling of resources or a generous (and possibly desperate) father isn't out of the question.

So here you go.

Our first stop is over at Collectibles Today, which has plenty of cheese in its pages but a few lovely pieces as well. I fell in love with this A Heartfelt Bond Personalized Trinity Ring [$149], which allows children's names and birthstones to be chosen. If you're into heart pendants (which I'm not so much, but this one is nice), there's the Forever In A Mother's Heart Personalized Heart Shaped Birthstone Pendant [$119], which has clever birthstone dangling pendants on the main pendant. In a simpler style, but still with hearts and birthstones, there's the Lineage of Love Diamond & Birthstone Pendant [$99]. If you're looking for a personalized name and birthstone bracelet instead of a necklace, I loved the elegant but non-fussy Family Birthstone Charm Bracelet [$119].

Next we check into Heavenly Treasures, which has some gorgeous pieces that appeal to my taste for elegant simplicity. First there's the Family Bond Necklace, which comes in either 14k gold [$198] or sterling silver [$35], and which can be adjusted for one or two parents and from one to four children--eight permutations! Then there's the sterling silver Birthstone Family Bond Charm Necklace [$35], which only shows the mother figure but can have specific birthstone charms selected [$5 each]. Now, usually I'm a little Enh about cameo jewelry, but this absolutely breathtaking Mother & Baby cameo pendant [$198] is a major exception. I want it. Badly.

Finally we stop by Patagonia Gifts, which has a huge array of amazing jewelry and gifts, including a wide selection of Irish pieces that appeal to the touch of Celtic in my soul. Looking at their Mother's Day selection, I noticed this Interlaced Hearts Pendant [$59], which again is an exception to my usual no-heart-pendants taste (though I'm not much for wearing silver myself). Then I was struck by yet another heart pendant, the 'Mom' Heart Pendant [$59]--this time with Mom written across it, but in such a unique and striking way that it is a double exception (the no-heart-pendants and no-Mom-label-on-jewelry rules).

But I didn't stop there at Patagonia. Let's face it, not all jewelry given to Mom's needs to be specifically related to motherhood. And Patagonia has this utterly unique line of Real Leaf jewelry that amazed me. They take real leaves, flowers, and even nuts from nature and coat them in metal--gold or silver--and create jewelry out of them. They're all pretty cool, but the line I fell in love with was the Autumn line, which takes these pieces of natural art, encases them in silver plate, and then dips them in iridescent plating to create an amazing look. The pieces I particularly love are the Forget-Me-Not Flower Autumn Gold Pendant, the Gingko Leaf Autumn Gold Pendant, the Maple Leaf Autumn Gold Pendant, the Acorn Autumn Gold Pendant, and the Ivy Leaf Autumn Gold Pendant, each $56. However, there are quite a few other gold and silver pendants, as well as gold and silver pins, gold and silver earrings, accessories, and ornaments.

So cool. Check it all out.

Well, there's my public service announcement for the day. Remember, every day should be Mother's Day, but this Sunday is the one day when even the government remembers how important we are. Don't you be the one to forget!