Allow me to introduce you to my Grandpa Iverson..... or at least one of his passions! My grandpa loved rocks! He loved to go on trips and find rocks and bring them home where he would cut them, tumble them, polish them, and turn them into necklaces for his granddaughters. He loved to do this for us. Just look at the varieties. Look at the art. Grandpa and Grandma had one of their rocks put in a display case at the Dickinson Dinosaur Museum. Man, were they proud of that! Now I get to remember my grandparents each time I wear one of the necklaces they made for me.
Those rocks are just one of the highlights of my sentimental accessories collection found in my antique dresser in my home. Everything has a story, right? RIGHT!
The colorful necklace to the left belonged to my Grandma Alber. After she passed away, my siblings and cousins and I divided up some of her jewelry and I was delighted to get this colorful piece of art. Beside it is a necklace from the 1960s that my mom wore with a particular dress. I think it's SUPER COOL! I enjoy wearing it.
Next you'll see four necklaces that have stories of their own. My grandpa and grandma Iverson loved to teach their grandchildren about the beauty of the Native American culture. Considering the fact that they lived in North Dakota, there was a lot of Native American history to be learned. I adored the "papoose" necklace I was given as a girl. It's carved from bone and strung on a leather strap. Next you'll see my newest purchase from Amazon. I bought it for myself the day that one of my best friends moved to Spain. The necklace has some of the Spanish Bible printed on it. I reminds me to pray that the Spanish people my friend meets would come to know the Lord. Next you'll see a cord with two coins on it - these coins are from Japan. I was so fascinated the first time I learned that some countries have coins with holes in them! Patty gave me these coins to enjoy wearing after she came back from Japan. I think of her when I wear it. Lastly is a necklace from my sister Kimberly. She got this for me in Papua New Guinea when she was a missionary there. I love the little shells on it!
My dear friend Amy got this black, red, and yellow necklace for me in Jamaica when she was there on a mission trip and my friend Angie got this green one from India. The brown one is from Venezuela. I bought it myself in 1996 from a street vendor little boy. You are supposed to barter for things you buy on the street, but I simply couldn't do it! He told me an amount and I handed him the money - no bartering. He was thrilled and I loved helping him survive! I probably paid $5 for that little string with wooden beads, but it made my day.
When my husband and I had only been dating for a week, he had to leave for a vacation with his boys to Wyoming for some trout fishing. While there he bought me a bracelet made of horse hair. He thought I would like it because the bow hair on the violin is made of horse hair and he liked that I play violin. I adore that bracelet. After being married for two years we went to that same spot in Wyoming and bought a necklace to match the bracelet. The green bear is from our honeymoon to Banff, Canada. It's made of jade. The beautiful silver necklace and bracelet are gifts Todd
gave me when we were dating. They are simply elegant and I treasure them!
Anyone remember those colorful stretchy bracelets on my blue jewelry box? They were all the rage when I was a girl in the eighties. I still have mine and my students enjoy when I wear them to school. I also have some of the plastic bracelets that are all the rage NOW. They all have some word or message on them that inspire me. One is for the organization Feed My Starving Children and one is to remind me to pray for a little girl named Cassidy who had Leukemia. One is for school to remind us to "Be Your Bulldog Best" and the others say "Courage," "Hope," and "Faith." Great one word reminders of what is important in my life. The silver and pink one on the top of the pile belonged to Todd's Mom who died of cancer about 15 years ago. I will forever be disappointed that I never got to know her.
My friend Christin went to Kenya while we were in college. She brought me back the two brown bracelets you see in the next picture. I love
knowing they are from Africa. The colorful green and blue one is from Africa too. I got it at one of my favorite stores: Ten Thousand Villages! The colorful one on the lower right is from Haiti. It's made from coconut shells. Cool! And the upper right two are from my students Emily and Jazlyn. They both knew I loved blue.
In the next picture you'll see a pretty pink bracelet. I bought this bracelet with Sheryl shortly after she found out she had cancer. I wear it often and it reminds me to pray for her. Underneath it is a bracelet made locally here in Becker. But, it
reminds me of bracelets and necklaces being made by women in Uganda. Katie Davis who wrote "Kisses From Katie" started a ministry in which people in America can buy these pieces of jewelry to help support these women in Africa. This bracelet reminds me to pray for Katie and her ministry in Uganda. In the upper right hand corner you'll see a bracelet that tells "The Lord's Prayer" through each bead. I adore this bracelet. When I wear it, I say the Lord's Prayer over and over and over throughout my day - standing in line at the grocery store, waiting at a stoplight, waiting for my students to be finished with gym - so many opportunities to pray. The last bracelet is one I received from my dear husband. It has a heart on it and colorful beads. I love doing life with him!
Lastly I have displayed my pins. It seems that no one wears pins anymore! But, these pins I wear on a regular basis. My students at school love these pins. The two violins belonged to my Mom. The Matrushka Dolls and round pin with the red roses on it come from Ukraine. The heart and three gals made of wire come from Africa. The rose inside the glass case from Beauty and the Beast is from my friend Rebecca. The children playing Ring Around the Rosey pin is from Cobber Kids Corner Preschool where I worked for my college years. The covered wagon pin is from Walnut Grove, Minnesota from one of my road trip with Mom to see one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's homes. So many pins and necklaces and bracelets - so few days to wear them all. May this blog inspire you to dig in your drawers and wear your sentimental accessories! They make for great story starters!
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