28 July 2006

simply charming

Birthday season is upon me... this weekend marks my neice's 3rd birthday, next week is Greg's and soon on his heel, the wee B will be 3 too! This got me thinking about gifts, traditions and charms...

When I was younger and my grandmother was living, she used to take me into her bedroom and let me look at her jewelry. She would tell me the stories behind certain pieces and we woudl dress up. My favorite and the one with the most history was her lovely charm bracelet. Though she promised it to me many times over the years, it dissappeared later in her life, either when she was in a convelescent home (Alzheimers) or after her death. Remembering how much I loved picking through each charm and hearing the stories of each charm, I decided I would create my own bracelet.
charm bracelet

I started my bracelet when I got married, in August of 1999. My first charm was a silver heart and I added a small set of wedding bells for kicks. On our FABULOUS honeymoon, my bracelet got a huge kick start with the addition of 5 more charms from the countries and landmarks we visited. Since then, I have added charms for special occasions and trips bringing my charm count up to 18 with some new additions in order soon!
cable car seaweed Sapphire Baby Shoe

While someday I hope to pass along my bracelet to my daughter, I thought it would be fun to start a bracelet for her when she was a baby, adding charms each year on her birthday, keeping a small notebook as to why I chose that charm each year and then presenting it to her on some landmark birthday. So far she has 2 charms and I am currently on a search for what will be her 3rd addition.
This charm was the first charm I purchased for her bracelet. It is what I believe is called a "sports crystal". It is a vintage crystal cab engraved and colored from the back and set into a silver bezel. It is to commemorate her birth month of September.

To commemorate her second birthday I was fortunate to find this vintage silver charm from England of a boot with TWO tiny mice in it. I think it is so darling and fun.
I am currently on the prowl for addition number 3. I have my eyes on something in eBay.. but it doesn't end for a couple of days yet. Keep your fingers crossed!!

(You can click on any of the images to go to my Flickr page and get more info on the charms/ bracelet I have shown.)

4 comments:

  1. That is UBER cool! SOmeday in the way future is I have a granddaughter, I am going to do that.

    I had a charm bracelelt my grandparents were building for me, but it got stolen. My mother gave me hers when I was in my 20's (for a birthday) but she gave it to me in such a way that I have never worn it and it sits in my safety deposit box.

    I have always LOVEd charm bracelets and the one I got from Artist friends is my fav!!

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  2. That is beautiful! I think there is something about charm bracelets that is personal, I think because the charms you pick say something about yourself...

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  3. What a wonderful tradition! I especially love the idea of keeping a notebook of the charms for your daughter. I have my Grandma's charm bracelet in my bedside nightstand drawer.....It has charms for each of us grandkids. What a treasure......

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  4. i love my charm bracelet..my first one is so full that i have enough charms to house 5bracelets..still at 46, i still love the hunt of the perfect charm to remember that special event or celebration in our lives...i still get my bracelets out and spread out the charms and pour over each one and remember the stories for each..thank-you for sharing!!1
    ~k

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