I'm just coming to realize the power in my newest
bracelet collection. I hadn't really given a lot of thought to the design concept. I had only one goal in mind for my design and that was to capture my sister friend and confident
Alicia as best as I could. She is in the middle of her fight with breast cancer and kicking it in the behind! So, I wanted a fitting tribute to her.
The choice of Rose Quartz gemstones seemed to be a win-win all the way around. Pink is Alicia's favorite color and it is also the color of
breast cancer awareness. Alicia is the ultimate girly girl and I wanted to make sure that the collection was consistent with her personality. I knew that I had achieved that goal when Alicia's mother said to us, "WOW, these are really feminine!" All I could do was smile. Mission accomplished!
But yesterday, one of my
biggest customers, and the first to purchase from the collection,
tweeted me that she was wearing her
Alicia Bracelet. And then she tweeted, "It's the Ultimate in Girl Power!" I agree...
Then we had a conversation about her 9 year old daughter who loves pink and was trying to maneuver the bracelet for herself. When
Willie explained to her daughter the significance of the bracelet, her reply to her mother was, "You better sleep with it on." Willie and I exchanged a few more tweets about this young activist in the making. But the bottom line is that Willie had already begun the important discussion in a small way with her daughter about breast cancer.
I hear time and time again that women are afraid to touch their breasts and give themselves an
exam, but doing so could mean early detection and
early detection can save your life. We must begin educating our daughters as early as possible on issues related to being a woman, from self-love to self-exam. And yes, we lead by example. So something as simple as wearing a
bracelet for breast cancer and
HIV/AIDS awareness will let your daughters and nieces know that you are concerned about these issues. There is a lot of power women wield in almost every society. The saying is true, "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." As women, we have to use our power to enrich our lives and the lives of others.
The wrap bracelet in this collection was designed with a peace sign because Alicia loves peace signs. She has them in every shape, size and possible use, from earrings to t-shirts. More bracelet designs will be coming to this collection with a peace sign.
Post Script: Alicia has just completed chemotherapy successfully and is moving on to the next phase of treatment. She is handling this with grace and dignity. Oh, and the little girl in the picture above is Alicia's 15 month old granddaughter Jazmyn. She's in a contest at WGN beginning June 28th.
Do us a favor and vote for this Diva in the making...
Tea began as medicine and morphed into a beverage of choice!
I don't quite remember when I fell in love with tea but I do remember the most 
Until recently I had never drank Peppermint Tea made with loose leaves. And Honestly, I will probably never go back. The freshness of loose Peppermint Tea cannot be denied. When I open the can of 
I love to read! Inside a book I escape into someone else's life. There is something wonderful about turning to the next page of a wonderful story. Something intoxicating about the smell of the book and the story it brings to life. Reading brings me joy, and these days with my health in the balance, I find solace in my books.
