“You can imagine my surprise when I got a call from Brooke Shields herself!” says Marci Struzinski, the talented designer who created the best-selling Children of the Inner Light® giftware collection.

Marci said of the experience, “It turns out that Brooke has been buying my work to share with her family and friends. She told me she just loved my little characters and their inspirational sentiments, and asked if I would design something special for her secret, private wedding. I told her that I was developing a series of ‘Hugging’ characters and had just completed the ‘Bride and Groom Hugging.’ We both decided that they were perfect for her wedding. Sure enough, she loved them!”

Shields was married on April 4th to writer and producer Chris Henchy in a small, private ceremony on Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California.

Inspired by her family, Marci began her career drawing adorable, child-like characters in black and white, then adding inspirational sentiments to her illustrations. In 1997, she invested her entire savings to concentrate on selling her designs on shirts and cards from a cart in a local mall, and the Children of the Inner Light collection of giftware was born.

The response to her expressive designs was overwhelming from the very beginning.

“People smiled and chuckled out loud, as my characters caught their eyes and tugged at their hearts,” Marci says. The series concerns relationships and the opportunities that relationships provide for spiritual growth, with gifts that express love, acceptance, and gratitude--all necessary elements in a growing relationship.

Marci’s Children of the Inner Light giftware collection is manufactured and distributed by Papel Giftware of Monroe Township, New Jersey. Her delightful “Hugging” characters are scheduled for introduction in July 2002. The same bride and groom used by Brooke Shields will be available, along with other beloved characters that touch the soul and uplift the spirit of anyone who receives a piece of her giftware--even the rich and famous!

For more information on Marci or her inspirational products, please contact Children of the Inner Light Inc. at 410-538-6118.

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Photography Available Upon Request