Hi Summer here!

A few weeks ago I discovered that shopping for a keychain is no easy task.  In fact, shopping for a keychain really takes a personal investment.  A visit to my Great-Auntie Kitty’s house taught me this lesson.

I was over visiting with my Great-Aunt Kitty as I do every Thursday night.  At 90 years old, Aunt Kitty is still spry and sharp: she keeps house, cooks, and even works part-time at the local library stacking books and gifting factoids to children and professors alike.  The woman knows something about everything.  That is, with the exception, apparently, of key chains.

While I was over at her house, in the midst of a particularly brutal poker game with Auntie Kitty and her girlfriends, Myrtle, Pauline and Hilda, I noticed a pile of keys sitting on Auntie Kitty’s side table.  A pile!  Of keys!  Almost two dozen! 

Maybe, I thought, these are old keys.  Maybe Auntie Kitty is in the middle of creating a display of all the keys she has collected in her many years.  That would be interesting, I thought, and Auntie Kitty is an interesting woman.  It was all beginning to make sense to me.

At that moment, Auntie Kitty noticed my gaze.  Given that my eyes were diverted from my hand, the first thing she thought was that I was cheating.  “Summer dear” she said “are you pulling a fast one?”  I was taken aback.  It was at this point I explained all the thinking that had been going on in my little brain.

Come to find out that Auntie Kitty used that pile of keys on a daily basis: keys to her car, to the house, to the library.  Previously, she said, she had kept her keys in an old change purse but with the library’s new increase in locks and the extra deadbolts Uncle Willy had put on Auntie Kitty’s front and back doors, well, the change purse just wasn’t going to cut it anymore.  I suggested a keychain to which Auntie Kitty gave me a blank look.  A keychain had never crossed her mind! 

Knowing Auntie Kitty’s tastes, I offered to pick her up a keychain.  She was a bit hesitant to begin, but eventually agreed provided that I chose something she liked. 

Now I love my Auntie Kitty, but she is a particular woman.  I don’t think I have ever bought her a gift that she hasn’t exchanged or returned.  Finding a keychain for my Auntie had the potential of being a real hassle though the knowledge that there are thousands and thousands of key chains in the world eased my mind a little.  I was going to find a keychain that Auntie Kitty loved.  I had an idea.

As I mentioned, Auntie Kitty has a lot of keys.  The idea came to me to get a number of key chains, each with a different small charm, and a closed hook to attach them all to so she could easily remove her car keys, or house keys etc whenever she liked.

It was a great idea if I may say so myself.  I got her three charms, all with multicolored jewels embedded in them: a charm in the shape of a book for the library, one in the shape of a deck of cards for the house and another in the shape of a roadster for her car.  I attached them all to their loops, then attached the loops to a pretty purple (her favorite color) hook and presented them to her before our poker game last Thursday.  Somewhat to my surprise, Auntie Kitty loved her new keychain! 

“Now Summer” she said “you know this doesn’t mean I’m going to throw the game.”

How I love my Auntie Kitty

In observance of our most recent tradition, Mary Beth, Jackie and I set out in the Sunday morning sunshine for a leisurely breakfast of mind-blowing sweet and syrupy blueberry pancakes at a local hipster diner. 

Of course, Jackie was running late (as she is has a tendency to do) so MaryBeth and I patiently idled in Jackie’s teeny driveway for almost an hour, chatting about this and that, fashion, family and other things.  When Jackie finally emerged, the reason she was running so late became apparent.  As usual she wowed us, looking fabulous in her summery floral body-tight dress, perfectly coordinated sandals, bag and gems.  That girl is so glamorous! 

Anyways, it was fortunate that Jackie was tardy.  As it turned out, and much to our surprise (because we always stay on top of the local arty crafty events in our area), we happened upon the commencement of a crafts fair on the way to breakfast.  Being the crafty, accessorizing women that we are, we just had to stop and check out all the handmade goodies (despite our growing anticipation over blueberry pancakes). 

Well, between the unique designs of necklaces and bracelets beautifully crafted with Murano glass beads, quirky key chains and sexy body jewelry, the three of us were over the moon. 

We spent hours looking over this and that, talking to the artists and generally having a great time.  I found the perfect jewelry set to go with a brand new dress I just bought and MaryBeth discovered a pretty little freshwater pearl bracelet for her 8 year old niece.  Jackie of course bought the most: jewelry to accentuate her various outfits.  Between the three of us, we had so many bags that we were all a bit embarrassed. 

It was after 1:00 by the time we actually left the fair, goodies in hand.  We were famished.  You know what though, after all that shopping; those blueberry pancakes had never tasted better.  We’d put in a hard days work and darn if we didn’t deserve them!

Have you run out of unique gift ideas for the men in your life? Shopping for the guy who has everything can be frustrating when holidays and birthdays come around. We’ve created a gift-buying guide to offer ideas and highlight this often overlooked gift for men – jewelry. While jewelry is a popular and no-brainer gift idea for women, few people think of jewelry when shopping for a man’s gift. However, there are many masculine styles on the market today that make great gifts. Jewelry gifts are personal and thoughtful and for men, unique.

Pendants

Stainless Steel pendants have a modern edge and are available in both brushed and gleaming finishes. You can find shapes and symbols for just about anything…from zodiac signs to Chinese symbols to tribal styles. Learn the meaning of these symbols and match them to the personality and interests of the recipient.

Cell Phone Straps

Italian charms are usually worn on bracelets, but there are various ways to enjoy these fun customizable pieces of jewelry. Guys can sport charms to personalize their cell phones. Cell straps are available to hook onto his phone and attach whichever charms suit his mood or personality. This is a unique gift idea since most men carry cell phones but some might prefer accessorizing the phone over their own bodies.

Watches

Classically masculine watches are widely available and always make a great gift. After all, a watch is a piece of jewelry that is worn daily so it really needs to suit its wearer. Italian charm watches add zest to the classic watch styles that are seen everywhere.

Rings

Fashion ringsare available in so many different styles - there is definitely something to suit the taste of even the most discriminating man. Simple sterling silver and stainless steel bands are popular with men. Also, symbols add a hint of their personality and make your gift extra special.

Italian Charm Bracelets

You might think that Italian charmbracelets are just for women, but they are for everyone! Selection of masculine and unisex style charms is growing. The multitude of choices means that you can create a charm bracelet to suit his interests- from sports to his career or hobby. You can also simply build a themed bracelet based on his favorite color.

Key Chains

Another unique but practical jewelry gift idea is for the key chain. His car keys go with him everywhere, and so will your special gift! While different styles of key rings are available, Italian charm attachments add personalized style to his key chain. You can create a key chain Italian charm gift with any number of charms. Keep it simple with two or three standard sized Italian charms. Or, Use mega charms for a bold and masculine look.