Timeless memories

When my mother died, very suddenly and unexpectedly it was a terrible shock. She was in her 70s but was not ill. Grief was overwhelming at times, and sometimes, 18 months later, it still is.

I wrote about the aftermath in a previous blog - http://adiosmfyoyo.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/on-becoming-motherless-daughter-and.html (for experienced bloggers who may be reading this I have no idea how to insert the shortened link thing). If this link doesn't work it is a blog from 2011. On my 'to do' list - learn how to do this properly!

My sister and I cleaned out mum's things. Most of her clothes went to charity or were thrown out. Dad sat with us and we went through mum's jewellery. Most of it was worthless other than in sentimental terms. We had a good system for her rings. Dad held one in each hand behind his back and my sister and I picked a hand! One of the things I found was this silly little brooch that I remember buying for mum at a mothers' day stall when I was about 8 years old. Hideous really but of course mum had kept it.




It is a bird feather in a brooch. A feather. In a brooch. Nice. Lucky it's the thought that counts. I can't bring myself to get rid of it though. Mainly because SHE had kept it all those years, and sometimes actually wore it. My mother ALWAYS wore a brooch so her unbroken brooches have been given to her granddaughters and my sister and I kept some. Each of us, granddaughters included, wore one of her brooches at her funeral.

However there were a lot of watches most of which didn't work any more, and that were very old fashioned. Some were her mother's watches. I also had one at home I had had for about 30 years which had been my paternal grandmother's watch. I took them all to a jeweller to see if they could be fixed. One, my paternal grandmother's watch was easily fixed - apparently it just needed to be would up! Duh. Some could be fixed but at great expense. Others beyond repair. I felt sad because I knew I couldn't throw them out. I think the jeweller could see that look in my face and suggested I think outside the box a bit and turn them into something else. After much discussion and excitement this is what happened.

So my paternal grandmother's gold watch was turned into an enhancer to put on a gold chain:





Two others she turned into bracelets. One was a gorgeous watch (probably close to 100 years old now) with a mother of pearl face. This one she made into a pearl bracelet and I gave it to my sister:






The other was a gold watch with black numbers and hands she turned into an onyx bracelet and kept the original clasp:





They turned out so beautifully and I am so pleased to be able to wear a little piece of mum's and grandma's memory every now and then. And not very expensive to do at all. People often ask about them too, and are fascinated by the history of these pieces of jewellery, so talking about them keeps mum's memory alive as well.

These are timeless memories.





Now I just have to work out something to do with mountains of crocheted doileys




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