How to Make Mother’s Day Extra Special - A Story
My beautiful mother, Holly, and I
My mom still remembers breaking her mother’s English tureen many decades ago. She was quite young, under 5 years old. She and her brother were traversing “hot lava” upon flat cushions across the living room floor and transporting a precious “treasure” in her fashioned blankie-knapsack. Even as a small child, she knew certain things in the house carried more value than others.
In the midst of her quest, this treasured prize accidentally fell off the couch, into the “lava” and broke in several pieces.
It was important to her mother (my grandmother) to have nice things in the house, because she grew up poor and understood what it was to go without. Instead of throwing the shards away, she carefully glued them back together, with a few gaps here and there.
Eventually this antique heirloom was passed down to my mother, who displayed it in her first home despite its imperfections. It was a part of her family’s history, which is sparse with memories, and my mother wanted to hold onto what little stories she had.
When I started making jewelry from vintage china, my mom gave the tureen to me so I could make something of it for her to wear. The glue that held the tureen together had long been yellowed and weak, and the missing pieces were still gone. My mother wanted to keep her family’s china relevant and wanted it to serve a better purpose.
I designed a custom necklace from the tureen that I knew she would love. I chose sterling silver for her as it was what she wears the most. I was so excited to give her the necklace, and I also wanted to present her another tureen just like the one she inherited. One that was whole and undamaged, so she could experience the object as her mother had. It took some digging online, but I finally found one just like it.
When she unwrapped her necklace, she was stunned. She was thrilled with having the original piece in a form she would love to use. When I surprised her with a second box – she was confused at first, but then overwhelmed with the sentiment that she would have the tureen in its original form too.
She uses the tureen during special holidays, just like her mom did. And whenever she wears the necklace, she can’t wait to tell the story to anyone who compliments her on it.
If you’d like to create an extra special Mother's Day this year, email me to discuss a custom project. I hope, despite our current circumstances, you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
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