In addition to posting here on HuffPost from time to time, I do a series of podcasts called "Fashion News & Muse," which combines my two favorite worlds, fashion + style and the everyman's philosophy, popular sociology. As Arsenio quipped in his one hit wonder, I tie stories and news of buyable wearables with "things that make you go Hmmm." I also have an HP mini series I build on, "Trendy Wendy," which is my calling out of my questioning and pointing to what I refer to as emperor's new clothes. My podcast series, being what it is, often touches on the dichotomy that I have dubbed the Carlinesque, named for George Carlin and his spot-on bits on materialism, what he called, "Things n Stuff." I am equally conflicted and fascinated with the duality of our material desires and concurrent attempts to rise above that in which we love to wallow.
In this spirit of tackling Stuff-with-a-capital-S and in my ongoing quest to redo the maths wrought by a shopaholic nation by adding meaning (or even purpose!) to this materialistic quotient as it pertains to my life, allow me to indulge in a lil batch o' Stuff that is indeed of the heart, of innocence and of humor. Let me tell you about my collection of Mom Bling -- Stuff given to me by my three beloved children:
Mom Bling: Any type of jewelry as gifted by a child to its feminine/maternal mentor/care-giver/loved one. Nope, this does not include the unfortunate tokens (love + obligation - lack of time = unwearable trinket) given by well intended but taste-challenged/uncaring/late-running spouses/significant others.
Here is my Mom Bling collection, listed in no particular order:
•One snowman brooch, epoxied white enamel with black accents.
•One ram's head ring set with faceted red stone eyes, adjustable size.
•One silver color ring with a tumbled green stone glued smack dab on top, also adjustable.
•One gold color ring, split shank, set with a roundish brilliantish light-green colored stone (a somewhat notable attempt at imitating a piece of "real" jewelry).
•Two colored wire circlets strung with faceted plastic beads. I think these are supposed to be hoop earrings.
•One pair of blue faceted drop earrings, purchased at a neighbor's yard sale. Vintage... kinda pretty actually... still wrapped in a yellow Post-It note.
•One pair of drop earrings set with pink and blue rectangular, faceted stones, also not bad...
•One pair plastic dollar bill dangle earrings. $100. Ben Franklin. 'nuff said.
•One elastic banded, silver color ring with green leaf motif, set with "diamonds."
•One silver-colored necklace and earring set, pressed coin motif.
•Two painted noodle necklaces, mostly penne, one necklace is graduated, the penne centered with rigatoni. How 'bout that? One noodle is even initialed and dated 2008.
•Two white pipe-cleaner bracelets, each strung with about a half-dozen plastic beads. Or are these earrings too?
Do I, have I worn the stuff? Well, yes, some of it, a little, just long enough... Aye, Vanity, thy name is picky, picky picky...
But will I keep this stuff so long as I live, to love, honor and cherish it until death us do part? You bet, no question. These treasures have already survived moves and years...unless of course there is some day a curious grandchild or perhaps even a neighbor's punchy little one hanging out with a future me, who takes a fancy to some piece, where I can begin to disperse of it (and yes the choice bling as well), so that I am still around to see faces lit up with the joy of a new, unexpected acquisition.
What's in your Mom Bling collection?
photo by Kimann