12.21.15 What's in a name (or a monogram)?

"mom" tags - with kiddos birthstones

My husband and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.  Coincidentally, someone asked me recently why, even with all three of my kids out of the house, my husband refers to me as "mom"...and not by my name.  My response - that IS my name .

My full given name is Debra Suzanne Haas.  Debra, from the biblical judge Deborah – but my mother didn’t like the spelling of longer version.  I can’t really remember using my middle name much, for as long as I can remember I’ve been Debra S. Haas legally and professionally.  It’s what has always been on my driver’s license and business cards.  It’s how I sign my name. My mother, father and husband have always called me Debra.  My parents’ friends still call me Debra, but since high school, my own friends have called me Deb.

I’d never given my first name a lot of thought, probably because for those of us born in the 1960s it was a perfectly common and normal name.  As for my last name, I didn’t realize quite how attached to it I had become until the night before I got married.

James Avery disc earrings

My husband’s last name is Hood.  All three of our children are Hood.  I remain Haas. At our rehearsal dinner, someone asked if I was planning to change my name and I answered that I wasn’t sure.  My mom, who had a wicked sense of humor, said “well, you could hyphenate it and be Debra Haas-Hood, but if ‘haashood’ is the state of being a Haas, I don’t really see the point”.  That was it, I got married, my life changed, my name did not. 

When I got married, I became a stepmother to two wonderful young boys (now fine young men).  While I insisted they treat me with respect, and as a parent, I never asked them to call me anything other than Debra, because they have a mother who loves them very much.

Chicks Picks acrylic monograms

When I became pregnant with our daughter, my younger stepson, then three, became concerned.  “What should we call you after the baby comes” he asked?  “Why would you call me anything other than Debra?” I answered.  He told me he was worried that if he and his brother called me "Debra", that the baby would be confused and stated authoritatively that starting at that moment, he and his brother would call me “Mom”. (That baby just turned 20, and arrived home from college for the holidays over the weekend).

Even now, twenty years later, I kvell when I think of that day, because since then, I really have been “Mom”.  It’s what both the boys call me, it’s what my daughter calls me, even my husband uses Mom when he refers to me, or we are talking to each other.  So, while the name my parents gave me may be the one I use out in the world, it is “Mom”, the name my children gave me, that I cherish the most.

Stella & Dot "mom" and "D" charms

Until next time.

07.27.15 Making a Statement

Photo credit: Stella & Dot

I don't own many "statement" pieces - I tend towards smaller, more charm-like necklaces and earrings.  However, I've got my eye on one at the moment, the "Relic" pendant from Stella and Dot.

Photo credit: Stella and Dot

With a couple of notable exceptions - Tiffany and Kendra Scott - I don't  really think of  myself as a "brand" jewelry shopper.  I make an effort to patronize local shops like Russell Korman and Eliza Page, etsy or artisan jewelers that I know. 

Turns out, however, that Stella and Dot has become another of those exceptions.  I was first introduced to it through my friend Hillary, when she had a brand representative at one of her Chick's Pick's events.  Over the past several years I've bought a number of pieces, for myself and as gifts, from their line - which they update twice a year.

Photo credit: Stella & Dot

It started with their Tribute Bracelet, which supports breast cancer research.  I really like the combination of rose gold and hematite - and I'm always trying to find bracelets that I can wear when I work - ones that don't weigh down my wrists, fall off, or bang into my keyboard.

Slowly, I found myself adding pieces - mostly earrings (because I can't resist earrings, ever) - with each new collection.  Two of my favorite pairs are the fringe hoop earrings and Neeya drops. While both styles are out of stock, if you really want to find a pair, the stylists have samples - and sample sales - so it's worth asking!

Photo credit: Stella & Dot

The hoops have a very me & ro look to them (without the me & ro pricetag) - and are really fun to wear, they jingle when I shake my head.  The sparkly drops combine many of my favorite things - mixed metals, white stones, oxidized silver - and they go with a lot of pieces already in my jewelry drawer (not to mention how well they would go with the pendant above).

It's not just me, either. My daughter favors studs over hoops or dangly earrings, and two of her favorites are pairs that I bought her as gifts.  The pyramid shaped Eden studs have a matching necklace, and the little gold swallows are in her ears at least once a week.

Photo credit: Stella & Dot

Most recently, I've added one of their bags to my collection.  Now, I know bags aren't jewelry - but this one is shiny - so as far as I'm concerned, it counts.

A straw bag can only be carried so many years (even with TLC and being stored in a dust bag) before it gives up the ghost.  That's exactly what happened when the weather turned warm and it was time to switch purses - so the hunt was on for a new summertime bag.

I started at my usual haunts - Nordstrom, Coach, Michael Kors - but didn't find anything   I went to the Stella and Dot site almost as an afterthought, I figured it was worth a look.  What I found was their metallic Riveria tote - it was perfect!

Not only was it just what I was looking for - but it was about a third the price of what I had paid for the previous designer straw bag.  I placed my order, and when it arrived I tied my favorite summer Coach scarf around the handle, loaded it up and was back in business.

So, off I go, to enjoy the summer with my jingly earrings and my sparkly bag. 

Until next time.