What my Grandfather Taught me about Jewelry

My grandfather was the type of person, having grown up during the Great Depression, that enjoyed life to it's fullest. Every morsel of food he put in his mouth was the best he'd ever had. Every baby he passed was appreciated for it's cuteness. He savored his family and enjoyed our company as much as possible. You can see him in the below picture on the right. My dad is to the left, and my aunt and uncle are in the center. Doesn't he look like someone you'd want to hang with? He was well-known for his love of corned beef sandwiches and would travel a great distance to obtain a quality sandwich.

What does this have to do with jewelry? Well, it's his passion and enthusiasm that was contagious. Sometimes, this passion was a bit misplaced. You see, his birthstone was the ruby, and so, he loved rubies. But at some point, he discovered that garnets were very similar in look to rubies, but A LOT CHEAPER. So, my poor grandmother endured gift after gift of garnet cluster jewelry. And she did not really care for garnets. But she smiled and thanked him sweetly for every piece she received, and he was a happy husband feeling satisfied for his good taste and frugality.

When I create jewelry, I only make pieces I love. I only wear pieces I love; I only buy pieces I love. And when I wear them, it brings me such joy that I remember the spirit of my grandfather, and he smiles down on me.