 While some consider it a fake holiday, almost any mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or other woman who has nurtured others certainly deserves a day of appreciation (and hopefully rest) this coming Mother's Day. It's coming up quickly, on May 9. This year, make Los Gatos merchants and services a part of your holiday.
When it comes to gifts, any of the three books recently written by local author Meera Lester would make excellent gifts for mother. From Adventures in Mosaics: Creating Pique Assiette Mosaics from Broken China, Glass, Pottery and Found Treasures (co-authored by Marsha Janda-Rosenberg), to Blooming Rooms: Decorating with Flowers and Floral Motifs (with A. Bronwyn Llewellyn), to Saints' Blessings: Wisdom and Guidance Inspired by the World's Most Beloved Saints, all three books resonate with the theme of finding wisdom and beauty as well as comfort and joy in simple things.
Borders Books, located in Old Town Los Gatos at 50 University Ave., is hosting a booksigning event with Ms. Lester and Ms. Llewellyn, the authors of Blooming Rooms, on May 8 at 4 p.m.
"In Blooming Rooms, we covered everything from designing indoor garden rooms to decorating nearly every room in the house. One of the best things about the book is the wonderful photographs of flowers and floral themes, including those of Parisian photographers, such as Guillaume Laubiere," says Lester. "While we've incorporated elements of feng shui and other styles, the goal is to show readers how to use flowers and floral motifs to imprint your own personal style on your home."
"While writing these books, I personally was going through the grief of losing my husband. Each book focused on a different aspect of creativity and brought its own blessings," says Lester. "For example, I wrote the first book on mosaics because I'd made mosaics and found great satisfaction in creating something of beauty out of brokenness.
"The second one incorporated the healing power of gardening with the timelessness of flowers and florals as a way to express style in interior design. With the third, Rockport Publishing actually commissioned me to also create 36 foil prints of the saints for the book—in just 45 days. Writing these books was a powerful time of holding both sadness and joy, and the process gave me a greater appreciation of the Creator, my family and the daily blessings in life."
A perfect place to see a unique way to create effective floral themes in the home is the upcoming demonstration of Dintiman Designs Inc.'s hand-painting fabric techniques being offered by George Davis and Eduardo Rivas of George Davis Interiors & Antiques on May 5.
This unique art form involves high-quality, hand-woven and/or handprinted fabrics that incorporate custom designs selected by clients. Dintiman Designs specializes in juxtaposing the ancient Japanese techniques of hand block printing, stenciling and burnishing with contemporary designs and a wide range of color combinations.
The demonstration will take place at George Davis' showroom at 35 West Main St., 24 p.m. For more information, call 408.395.2510.
A different kind of art form can be found at Tercera Gallery, where director Michelle Scott welcomes the arrival of the flowing silver designs of Greg Silva Jewelry. Contemporary and bold, yet with graceful feminine lines, the pieces can be viewed online at either http://www.terceragallery.com or http://gregsilvajewelry.com. To view (or even purchase) them in person, stop by 24 N. Santa Cruz Ave. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
For more information on this and other collections, call 408.354.9484.
A great gift choice for many women is additional charms (or even a starter bracelet) of Zoppino Italian Charms. Check out the charm selection and traditional jewelry choices at Blacy's Fine Jewelers, located at 51 University Ave., Suite B. The store can be reached at 408.354.9500. For something unique and different, visit The Indian Store nearby at 50 University Ave., No. 240. Call 408.354.9988 for hours.
If giving her candy is your tradition, consider flower-shaped chocolates from Fleur de Cocoa, the French bakery located at 39 N. Santa Cruz. Call 408.354.3574 for hours and times. Also, the shop gives a 5 percent discount on pastry items when ordered by 5 p.m. the day before.
While pampering services such as facials, pedicures or massage are almost always welcome, think about what most ladies in your life really need—such as a break from routine duties.
Hiring a cleaning service to finish up (or start) the spring cleaning or ordering all of your wife or mother's favorite meals brought in throughout the weekend may mean more to her than flowers and candy, and words of appreciation are more meaningful still.
To my own mother, I say thank you for sharing your time, laughter and wisdom with us and for being a wonderful example of perseverance under pressure and never being too proud to learn new things. I love you.
Do you have or know about a cool new Los Gatos business, a hot news tip or a business anniversary or special event to announce? We'd love to hear about it. Contact Michelle C. Crowe at 408.378.9056 or a1writers@hotmail.com.
Michelle C. Crowe is a Silicon Valley-based freelance writer
and editor.
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