A Charmed Life

I have two charm bracelets. The first one is mine. It was a gift for my 30th birthday from my parents, which I absolutely adore. It is a sterling silver link bracelet from Tiffany's and currently houses one charm: a heart with Tiffany's address etched across it.

My second charm bracelet is not mine, though it was given to me as a gift by my Aunt Skip. My aunt, who has been gone since 2005, was actually my great-great aunt. She was fantastic, full of energy and so much fun. I could hang out with her for hours and listen to her stories.

I was visiting my grandparents in Florida one summer and when my aunt came over, she gave me a small white box and inside it, was the most fabulous charm bracelet I have ever seen.

It's been a while and thinking back, I wish I would have written down all the stories that came with the bracelet. It's hard for me to remember a lot of them, but then again, the charms basically speak for themselves. I take this bracelet out of my jewelry armoire from time to time (I should wear it, but the two EXTREMELY SHARP steeples on the St. Patrick's Cathedral charm bring about anxiety against my delicate wrist!) and I run my fingers over each charm, inspecting them and remembering (imagining?) the story for each one.

To an outsider, this charm bracelet could be perceived as quite random, but to have known my aunt, this bracelet speaks of her travels, experiences, personality and life in general. The bracelet is comprised of the following charms: an old fashioned water pump, comedy/tragedy mask, Empire State Building, push lawn mower (which really rolls), sleigh, New York skyline, love letter, toilet bowl (the lid raises up), St. Patrick's Cathedral, Chicago Water Tower, scissors (they open and close), bells, horse drawn carriage, Scottie dog, Statue of Liberty, United Nations Building and a passport case (that slides open).

I treasure this gift from my aunt. She could have given her charm bracelet to anyone (remember, she was actually my great-great aunt) and she presented it to me. Very few gifts in my life can ever touch me as much as this one does and I can only hope to build my own charm bracelet with such panache as she did.

Tear Drop Earrings: Unknown (gift); Necklace: Ann Taylor; Sweatshirt: Old Navy; Charm Bracelet: Unknown (gift); Silver Hammered Bangle: Unknown (gift); Silver Link Bracelet: Simply Vera Vera Wang; Cocktail Ring: Unknown (gift); Oversize Clutch: Liz Claiborne; Moto Jeans: Gap; Peep Toe Lace Up Pumps: Rock & Republic 

 

Cocktail Ring: Unknown (gift); Necklace: Ann Taylor; Sweatshirt: Old Navy; Moto Jeans: Gap; Peep Toe Lace Up Pumps: Rock & Republic

 

Charm Bracelet: Unknown (gift) 

 

Necklace: Ann Taylor; Sweatshirt: Old Navy 

 

 

 Moto Jeans: Gap; Peep Toe Lace Up Pumps: Rock & Republic

 

 Necklace: Ann Taylor; Sweatshirt: Old Navy; Charm Bracelet: Unknown (gift); Silver Hammered Bangle: Unknown (gift); Silver Link Bracelet: Simply Vera Vera Wang; Cocktail Ring: Unknown (gift); Oversize Clutch: Liz Claiborne; Moto Jeans: Gap 

 

 Cocktail Ring: Unknown (gift); Sweatshirt: Old Navy; Moto Jeans: Gap, Peep Toe Lace Up Pumps: Rock & Republic