A Look to the Past and New Beginnings

Posted by Lisa on March 1st, 2011 — in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Carnation

I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break.  With all this miserable weather the whole country seems to be having, it was well-deserved and much needed!  Perhaps you went somewhere warm and relaxing or maybe you decided to just enjoy the snow and went skiing.  But now it is time to look toward Spring (hooray!) and celebrate the new life this season symbolizes. 

For my family, this past break was difficult, with the passing of my husband’s grandmother.  She would have turned 104 on March 31st.  Yes, 104 years old!  Nana Mary was an incredible woman who saw two sons go off to war, lived through the Great Depression, the first man on the moon, the assassination of President Kennedy, the baby boom, the radio, the telephone, television, cell phones, computers, the internet, the list goes on and on.  She lived a remarkable and full life and enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren immensely.  She danced in the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade and was a Scrabble champion.  She loved to write and draw and was creative and kind. Most of all, Nana loved the spring. 

She would write notes and letters and would draw little flowers and pictures depicting the sun and birds next to her signature.  She was born in the springtime and she passed away just as winter was winding down.  I think she was telling us all something…the timing of her death was part of the natural course of things.  She would want us to let go of Winter and look toward the coming of the buds, the flowers, the birds, and the sun.  She would remind us that there is beauty in everything.  Nana loved colors and loved to dress up.  Her clothes, hair, and jewelry always matched and was always meticulous.  Her outer sparkle reflected what was on the inside.  She was so excited to learn that I get to write about beautiful works of art and pieces of jewelry.

This year, with the coming of Spring and Passover, we are reminded to look back at Winter and its necessary place in the cycle of life, but also toward the new life ahead of us.  The passing of Nana reminded me that we should celebrate those we have lost and also cherish our friends, loved ones, and families who are with us now.  In addition to Passover, there are so many holidays that Spring ushers in and so many reasons to celebrate -  Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, weddings, engagements, showers.  Whatever the occasion, make sure you cherish the time with your friends and family.  Make each moment count and mark these special times with meaningful symbols, traditions, and gifts which represent what is in your heart.

With this in mind, I plan on purchasing a special piece of jewelry for myself and my daughter, whose birthday is in April, in honor of Nana Mary.  Every time we wear it we will be reminded of her love of beautiful things.  We will pick something colorful and vibrant so it will remind us of her always and it will be like wearing a little piece of spring every day.

Introductions…

Posted by Ulana Illiano on May 28th, 2008 — in Uncategorized | Click here to comment

Hi, I’d like to introduce myself — I’m Lana and I have been working with Risa at JewishGiftPlace.com for a few months now. Risa has asked me to contribute to the site’s blog so I will try to keep you posted once a week on what’s new and what’s happening at Jewish Gift Place! This week Risa showed me a new artist she was adding to the site and I could not get over how beautiful the line is! I am referring to a line of copper watches by Eduardo Milieris that we have added to our inventory.

Risa has a terrific eye for bringing beautiful things to the site and these watches are no exception. These modern Hebrew watch designs have such a timeless appeal and are so unlike anything you will find in any store! Great for a man or a woman, the pieces are oxidized and weathered to have an aged patina.

What I found interesting about this copper watch collection is that Eduardo Eduardo Milieris - The Artistdoes not seal the metals so that they can continue to age and grow more beautiful over time. What a great gift this would be for a groom from his bride with these sentiments attached — “grow old along with me, the best is yet to be — that’s goes for me and the watch!” Sweet!

Risa is always mindful of packaging and presentation of the items she carries but these watches are packaged so beautifully — you would truly be proud to present this gift to anyone! The watches come in a gorgeous creamy brown faux suede box that is incredibly luxurious. And if that wasn’t enough, they also come with a terrific CD of music (Gustavo Casenave “Project Time”) that is a gift in itself!

And, as always, we would love to hear your comments. Please email us and let us know what you think! See you next time!