My first ever job was at a Aladdin’s cave of a gift shop, called The House Of Ashley Peake. Full from top to bottom with amazing treasure. There were many, many cabinets of expensive china, jewellery and even teddy bears. You needed to use carefully labelled keys to unlock them individually, it was our job to keep them protected. The system for boxing something up for a customer who bought a gift, was legendary. It was there that my love of jewellery started, we sold mostly costume jewellery like Christian Dior, it all felt very glamorous to me as a girl aged 15. I remember saving up to buy my mum some china poppies earrings, they were so beautiful, and she loved them. Each month, was the careful and painstaking job of removing each piece and polishing them.
The year before I went to University I spent a year working in a jewellers, to earn some money, my own kind of gap year I suppose. This was a different experience, as I learnt more about watch and jewellery repairs as well as ear-piercing, the thought of that still makes me shudder. It was more of a basic of jewellery foundation that I had on this part of my journey, but it added to my love of jewels!
So jewellery has been with me for many years, my tastes and loves have changed during that time. For me jewellery is important, it’s something that I both wear every day, my engagement and wedding ring mostly, but I have more individual items too that I love to wear. They reflect my personality, and reflect my style and life story.
One of those items is my troll bracelet :
The above was an old photograph I took when I first started blogging, showing some of my favourite beads.
I have collected trollbeads for many years now. I think the reason I love my troll bracelet so much is that it tells a story, my story. They take time to build up, and each bead represent something to, or about you. Not just that it was a gift, but for example I have a unity bead, which reminds me of the great friendships that I have made. My large daisy bead you can see in the centre of the bracelet, I chose for so many reasons, but now mostly makes me think of my two girls and making daisy chains in the summer. I also have a ‘A’ and a ‘N’ bead as these are their first initials. Another important bead to me, is a silver and gold heart, given to me on our wedding anniversary by my husband. All precious memories, all together telling a tale.
As you can see though, my bracelet is full, and like most people over time my life has changed and I am ready to start a new bracelet and journey. So trollbeads have kindly offered to start me on a new journey.
My first new bead makes me think of holidays and a bright turquoise sparking sea. As we are hoping for a summer of fun this year, hopefully involving the beach. I thought this bead was a great way of starting this new bracelet, here’s to new beginnings.
I would love to know what jewellery is important to you, and what it means?
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