what a great story! it made me feel like a little girl again - i remember doing the same thing with my mother. the earrings are divine - especially the pink square ones! they look good enough to eat.
What a lovely post! I have similar memories of watching my mom getting dolled up. I loved trying on her earrings, which were all the heavy, old, clip-on kind at the time. -Julia
It is evening. I am five or six years old. I am in the bathroom with my mother, she at the sink, me sitting cross-legged on top of the carpeted toilet seat cover. Our bathroom has the most fabulous '70s wallpaper: giant purple poppies (or anemones?), white daisies and bright green ferns. I am watching her "put her face on". She is getting ready to go to a party with my dad, wearing a pink satin tunic that she sewed herself, two rows of silver sequins adorning the keyhole neck and the cuff of each 3/4 sleeve. Her frosted hair is pulled back from her forehead with a tortoise barrette, the ends are straight with a flip. She looks so glamorous and pretty, even without the makeup, and I am in awe as I watch her apply powder, blush, eyeshadow. Her eyeliner is in a red plastic pencil that requires a twist, and it doubles as an eyebrow pencil. Mascara, lipstick for her, less lipstick for me. A spritz of Joy perfume for her, much less for me, on my wrist. [Image][Image] I am holding her earrings, candy pink squares that dangle from long silver sticks. They almost touch my shoulders when I try them on and they have always fascinated me. They are one of the items I covet most in her jewelry box, even more than the iridescent green crystal earrings, which are like shiny fairy moss, or the chunky smoky quartz ring, which barely fits my thumb and I'm always tempted to lick, certain it would taste like the root beer barrel candies that I don't really like anyway. [Image][Image]
The babysitter is here. She is very pretty and she gets me into my pajamas soon after they leave for the party. She lets me brush her hair, which is dark brown and really, really long. It's time for bed, and I fall asleep smelling the perfume on my wrist, dreaming of candy pink earrings that dust my shoulders like magic. {all photos from Etsy, click on the earrings to get to their respective shop}
17 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formGreat story and I can see your inspiration! Lovely earrings.
July 28, 2008 at 9:13 AM
what a great story! it made me feel like a little girl again - i remember doing the same thing with my mother. the earrings are divine - especially the pink square ones! they look good enough to eat.
July 28, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Thanks for helping remeber very similar moments with my mother...I hope you get yourself a pair of these little pink lovelies.
July 28, 2008 at 11:46 AM
This is a really lovely post, you have quite a way with words.
July 28, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Thanks for reminding me. I know we had many of those moments, which I will always treasure my sweetie. And, love those earrings.
July 28, 2008 at 2:06 PM
What a gorgeous, gorgeous memory! A-M xx
July 28, 2008 at 3:54 PM
What a sweet story! It reminds me of playing with my grandmother's many sets of earrings and bracelets.
And I want every single pair of those earrings you posted. You can never have too many pink earrings!!
July 28, 2008 at 9:06 PM
:: This is so precious ::
July 28, 2008 at 11:33 PM
I had totally forgotten about my mom's red eyeliner pencil until I read this :)
July 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM
I loved your story - such precious memories! And the earings are all beautiful finds!
July 29, 2008 at 5:51 PM
What a sweet story... thanks for sharing ~ Susie h
July 30, 2008 at 5:06 PM
mmm, i liked that!
July 30, 2008 at 11:55 PM
robin, you are such a beautiful writer, truly. you should write a book, I am always captivated by your words!
July 31, 2008 at 1:02 AM
What a lovely post! I have similar memories of watching my mom getting dolled up. I loved trying on her earrings, which were all the heavy, old, clip-on kind at the time. -Julia
August 1, 2008 at 10:57 AM
I swear you were wearing a pair of these earrings the other night. Are you up for the Farmer's market tomorrow? The kettle korn is kalling me!
August 2, 2008 at 2:24 PM
I see you are still dreaming about those pink earrings... well... put a pair on and come to Tuscany!
August 2, 2008 at 4:19 PM
Robin, what a nice memory ! it's so sweet...
(I wonder if you inherited the pink satin tunic and earrings).
Have a lovely week end !
(perhaps on the beach again ?)
:-)
August 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM