As most of you already know, Tim and I have a nearly-three year old son whom we adore. He is enrolled in a sweet little pre-pre school where he gets to play with kids his age, learn about birds, and, of course, work on art projects. I love his art and when I find a little something marked “To: Mama” tucked into his backpack when I pick him up, my heart always skips a beat. There’s just something so special about having a loved one make you something...I was thinking about this the other day and realized that Alx&Co. is kind of like a very grown-up forum for our clients to get creative and recreate this special exchange. Custom design can sound intimidating, but we make it very, very easy to build a piece of your own that represents you and your family perfectly. Just yesterday I sat down with a client and together we put together a sweet diamond pendant to celebrate the birth of their second child, due in April. He told me about the metal tone she prefers, her overall style, and showed me pictures of a pendant she wears already to get ideas. We built a lovely necklace that I’m positive she’ll treasure for life.With Mother’s Day approaching, I thought I would put together a collection of my favorite customizable pieces from our collection. Each item is tailor made with your own preferences in mind. For example, these halo style earrings would be a beautiful gift for a new mother (remember: toddlers grab necklaces; I can only just now wear delicate chains again!). We can customize these with any birthstone of your choice and, of course, you can choose between 14k yellow, rose, white gold, or platinum. Like the earrings idea but aren’t sure if the halo is right for you? Visit us for other options, like our Constellation Earrings or these beautiful vine-inspired ear climbers, both of which can be customized to your choice of gemstone.If you have been in our shop you have probably seen our Open Circle Pendants, which can be customized to your choice of one or multiple gemstones.And, of course, our Constellation Necklace has been a popular choice, I think because it’s such a different take on your standard birthstone necklace.We have other pendant options available, though, like this baguette-set pendant that can accommodate up to six different gemstone options, flanked by diamonds for extra sparkle. I love the versatility of this necklace, and the abstract layout of the gemstones lends a really cool yet sophisticated take on the traditional birthstone necklace.If you’re looking for something more subtle, I really love this vertically set pendant featuring your choice of gemstones. The setting can accommodate up to six different gemstone options and I think it’s a beautiful yet understated approach to wearing your family near your heart. Not sure a necklace is right for you? Talk to me about converting this into a bracelet!If you haven’t checked out our new line of customizable jewelry at The Shoe Hive, make sure you put it on your list (and I'll be at the launch party tomorrow night!). We have some great options for Mother’s Day, and each piece was designed with simple customization in mind. You can also stop by our showroom (or send an interested party) to talk through other custom ideas. We always feature a beautiful selection of personalizable jewelry, and I’m happy to sit down and walk through ideas to make your piece truly you.