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Celebrate Moms To Be With Pastel Creations By Bethany Waldrop Keiper "Love has wrought these miracles." -- William Shakespeare This year, instead of thinking about Valentine's Day itself, I was thinking about one of the possible results of it -- expectant mothers. With a little creativity, you can design beautiful pieces of jewelry to help commemorate the special and challenging months of pregnancy. Of course, thoughts of pregnancy bring to mind baby showers, tiny clothes and toys, and blankets and bibs. Almost all of these things will feature pastel colors, with two in particular: pink for baby girls and blue for baby boys. Information on just how blue came to be thought of as a boy's color and how pink became identified with girls is surprisingly sketchy and somewhat anecdotal. Many sources suggest this gender identification of colors came about as a 20th century idea, with World War II or later considered the true beginning of the idea.Some sources suggest that in Europe, prior to the 20th century, the reverse was true, since pink was considered closer to red, and therefore a stronger color more suited to boys, while blue was seen as very pale, dainty, and feminine. Others might credit Sir Thomas Gainsborough, one of the most renowned English portraitists, with the concept. His painting, "Blue Boy," is one of the most recognizable paintings in history. This mid-1700s painting features a boy elegantly attired in vibrant blue clothing popular in the 17th century. But what most people don't realize is that Gainsborough painted another, less-well-known portrait entitled "Pink Boy," which features a young man in a somewhat similar outfit that is quite pink.However it came to be, one thing is for sure -- it is now very firmly rooted in the minds of parents-to-be. While pink and blue have their gender associations firmly fixed, it is interesting that light yellow and pale green are considered appropriate for either sex. Since most couples find out the sex of their baby as soon as possible, you can custom-make a mother's design in the appropriate shades. Of course, since moms are girls, a little pink can go into any design, and since dads have a little something to do with the situation too, a bit of blue is a nice touch.Pearls are perfect for new moms or moms-to-be, and what better to pair with pearls than tiny encased rosebuds and sparkling pink crystals.
Encased rosebud beads can also be found in powder blue, and would be lovely with pearls and aqua crystals.
Pressed glass matte aurora borealis pink and blue butterflies are perfect for mother-to-be designs. Most people associate babies with things that are soft and sweet and delicate, just like a butterfly's wings.
Use the butterflies in a pastel bracelet with crystal clear Swarovski aurora borealis crystals, or make a charm and earring set with these soft-hued beads. Clear glass holds a tiny blue and white garden with pink and green rosebuds in this design.
These beads are appropriate for any mom, and look beautiful with accents of aqua bicones, metallic pink facetted beads, or pearls. Blue hearts and encased pink rosebud beads courtesy of The Bead Peddler. Sources:Christopher Wagner, Historical Boys Clothing, http://histclo.com/index2.html
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