Do they make blue pearls….?

I made something crafty.

I KNOW!  I was shocked too!

I have A LOT of jewelry.  It’s embarrassing, really.  And it usually sat in this terribly useless pile of tangled mess at the bottom of a jewelry box.  I never wore it, because I couldn’t find it and didn’t even remember what was there.

Then I saw this post by Stephanie a while ago, but utterly failed at making it.  I mostly gave up at that point, but still had the vague idea in my head that I should really do something about that mess.

It takes a long time for me to get from ‘I really should’ to ‘actually doing’ something.  A very long time.  Hence why the trim in our house is still unfinished.

But amazingly, I actually did something this weekend and I made a cool display/organizer for my jewelry.

I know it’s awesome.
(I also know the ribbon is crooked.  But a nice person wouldn’t point that out.)

I thought, going into making it, that I would kill 2 birds with it.  I have a TON of scarves from Afghanistan.  I thought I could use one of them to make this.  But when it came down to it, I just couldn’t staple something that pretty to corkboard.  So I used this scarf from the dollar store.  Stapled to a corkboard with dollarstore ribbon stapled on top and decorative tacks used to hold the necklaces.  I know, I know, you are amazed at my ingenuity!

It also made me think about all my jewelry.  Let me just start by saying I’m okay with talking about it all because I don’t have anything worth stealing, and that’s the way I like it.  I am not to be trusted with anything of monetary value.

Most of it isn’t worth any money but there’s not a lot that doesn’t have its own story.  And most of the stories go something like this:

Far right necklace: I’m sorry I had to go teach a course Mother’s Day weekend and you celebrated by having a 3 year old wake you up in bed by vomiting in your hair.  I got you this.

3rd necklace from the right: I’m sorry I went back to Kabul from HLTA and our 2 year old was overwhelmed and frustrated and decided to take it out on you by hitting you with a broom handle and you spent the night hysterical that the province might come and remove your out-of-control toddler from your care.  I am also sorry you are such an over-reactive spaz.  I got you this.

Silver spiral earrings, bottom ribbon, middle:  I’m sorry I spent Canada Day at a Parade in another city as girls took pictures with me while you attempted to take the kids to a parade and then spent your day volunteer facepainting for the Town for 4 hours straight. I bought you these.

There is also my jewelry box still, now with organized drawers for my special jewelry.

Braided necklace in Box: I’m sorry I knocked you up and then went to war and made jokes at every opportunity about how this was the best way for a guy to have a kid, or that the war is so much safer than being alone with your hormonal wife, etc…  I got you this.

White pearls in Box:  I’m sorry they didn’t have black pearls in Guam.

Pink pearls in Box: I’m sorry they didn’t have black pearls at the market in Kabul.

Black pearls in Box: I’m sorry it took me three tours to find you black pearls.  Can I stop going back now? (I’m also sorry for joking that you made me go back until I found you the right necklace, so I got you the matching earrings and bracelet).

Now, they are not ALL like that.  Some are from here, too:

Green necklace middle right: I didn’t know what to get you for Christmas
and I liked what one mannequin was wearing so I told the lady to give me
everything she had on.  She was also wearing this.

There’s a necklace from a friends trip to Africa.  And one from my cousin in Thailand. Some jewelry has been made by friends and some bought as ‘just because’ gifts from those special to me because they wanted to make me feel special (and it worked!)
And countless amusing Christmas earrings from my mom.
All of it comes with a story or is connected to a person that makes me smile

Truth is, I’m not classy enough to make it through even one whole night with a pair of earrings before I get annoyed by them and put them in my purse. I don’t even wear a wedding band, I have mine tattooed on.

But now that I can see all my jewelry, the next step is wearing it, right?  I might just be grown up enough to get there.

And amusingly, I’ve have this song in my head all night while I’ve been detangling
(Warning – this song is much more fun if you turn it off before the last 30 seconds or so.  Then it’s just depressing.  Before that – awesome!  Her voice is phenomenal!)

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