Once I Was...

...a collector. That person no longer lives here, but she left behind different collections of "things".  Today I, the new person, only collect yarn and fiber (apparently) and that's something I'm trying to keep under control. That's a story for another day, however, so let's get back to the person I am no longer...the collector or "things". 

One of the "things" that held my desire for many years was jewelry.  It started with gifts from Smith...a very sweet gift giver he is. His mother loved fine jewelry and I have many beautiful pieces from her collection which I cherish to this day.  Smith is very good at finding just the right piece for the right occasion and, consequently, I have many fine jewels of my own to cherish.  To make this long story very short, we'll jump ahead a bit to the late 80s-early 90s when I fell head over heels for costume jewelry...collectible, vintage costume jewelry. There were so many sub-categories to collect and I did try for a time.

This collection is small Victorian pins and other early pieces. 

The antique shows brought in many a seller with large varieties and categories of collectibles...it was overwhelming and fascinating. For a time small silver Victorian pins were a favorite of mine. The first pin I purchased was $15, but within a short period of time, the prices escalated to $100+.  (High prices put an end to much of my collecting.) Mexican jewelry (Taxco and other signed pieces) were affordable for a few years and after picking up a few choice pieces, that market climbed sky high.

Signed Mexican and other designer pieces.

When traveling my favorite souvenir was a unique pin, bracelet or necklace. They could be vintage or contemporary, but I just had to have something to add to my growing collection of "things".  While jewelry isn't something I spend my dollars on any longer, I have been the recipient of many beautiful, unique handmade pieces and this is the jewelry that means the most to me and that I wear most often.

Gifts of contemporary jewelry.

The pictures show only a small portion of the amassed collection.  It might be time to become a divestor rather than a collector and buy a new wheel, eh?  As you might have guessed by now...

J is for Jewelry.

Comments

[sandy]

You have some beautiful pieces! At least a jewelry collection can be held in a jewelry box. Yarn cannot be contained as such! :D
I am especially amused by the woman in the last photo with the great hair. LOVE IT!
xoxo

[Carole]

Excellent J! I've bought a few choice pieces from the Civil War era that I wear when reenacting but otherwise most of my jewelry is costume pieces or things I inherited from my mom.

[Nora]

Well, that's cool! And you don't need to collect it any more, because you have so much wonderful stuff. I love special pieces (and special doesn't mean expensive - just unusual or obtained during a memorable trip) and I only buy what I really, really love - then I wind up wearing the same things over and over. I'm pretty sure no one notices...

[Kim]

Lovely pieces! I always wished that Ken was more of a jewelry person, but alas he is not :)

[Kelly]

Those are some gorgeous pieces!

[CindyCindy]

So many pretties. I have always loved the look of antique jewelry. I have a few pieces from my Grandmother and my mother has some pieces that will eventually be mine, including her pink pearl necklace that was my father's wedding gift to her. I don't know if I could give up those pieces, but if you bought to collect? Why not? I have never collected anything that appreciated in value. If I had, I would most certainly divest and buy me a cool new wheel, too:))

[Judy]

What a fun post! I love a bit of bling.

[Chris]

It was nice of the former you to collect things that have value and can finance your new collections if need be!

[deb]

Awesome J! I love the piece in the first photo with the teesy hands - are they holding up the heart or is it two separate peices? Regardless - the teesny hands are precious!

[Norma]

Nice J. I love the way you have been executing the ABC-Along this time. Clever!

[Birdsong]

What a great choice for J! I HAVE to get caught up, so that I don't keep seeing good ideas I don't feel I should copy before I get to my version:) Let me know if you decide to become a jewelry seller... I collect far less than I used to myself, though I know you have some pieces I wouldn't be able to pass up. Now... what kind of wheel is calling?

[Marcia Cooke]

What fun! You have some very cool pieces! Of course you beat me to the punch on J, but I'm going off in a slightly different direction.

[susan]

Is that a Judith McCann pearl necklace in the second photo????

[Wool Winder]

I really like the heart and hands pin in the Victorian collection.

[Teresa C]

Wow, great J. I, too am a recovering collector. I have divested, but still have some things hanging around.

[Hillary]

Your J is a lovely collection. My feelings about jewelry have varied over the years so my stuff is kind of a hodge podge. i think that my favorite pieces are those I've gotten from my grandmother. She's got great taste.

[Cheryl S.]

Just Jawdroppingly Juicilicious Jewelery!

[Barbara M.]

For a while I collected and wore pins shaped like fish. It was fun, relatively cheap and I enjoyed myself, finding a fish pin from time to time at an antique store or tag sale. THEN.... I discovered e-Bay, where there are ALWAYS a lot of fish pins! Pretty soon I had a much larger collection and a much smaller bank account, and the collecting had stopped being fun. It was no longer the serendipitous find, it was a slog through listing after listing. I finally had to go cold turkey: if I find a pin by chance, I still let myself buy and enjoy it. But I no longer search on-line. Now I need to apply this principle to the collection of yarn, which has lately become equally indiscriminating and less fun, because the burden of owning so much is weighing down the fun. Thanks for showing your beauties!

Barbara M.

[marie in florida]

ooh; lovely pearls.

[Lucia]

Excellent J! Your jewelry is beautiful. I've gotten out of the jewelry habit in recent years (ever since I really thought about what it takes to get gold out of the ground), but I have a few pieces I treasure, some of them heirlooms.

I'll probably do my J post today; mine too involves acquiring things.

[Heather Joins The Round]

I love the little gold birdie and the guy with the hat.

[Sunnyknitter]

A lovely collection indeed. I have cut back on my jewelry collecting too, cuts into the knitting budget! I'm in the SLC airport right now on my way to Calgary. It'd chilly but looking green! Hope it gets warm for you soon.

[Vicki]

A wonderful J! You have some beautiful pieces.

I love the collecting so much better than the collections (usually) -- especially when it's still something of little interest to others, when the market isn't flooded and prices are still low (if not downright cheap), and each find is a thrill.

[Cookie]

You have some fabulous pieces. Wonderful J, Margene.

[Beth S.]

I wouldn't part with ALL of it--I'm sure some of those pieces must have profound sentimental value. But if you can finance a new wheel by selling some of it, and the wheel would make you happier than the jewelry... then why not? :-) I've considered the same thing with regard to some of my books and stash, but haven't quite been able to bring myself to do it yet.

My favorite is the one with the blue stones in the first picture. Absolutely lovely!

[Nora]

The second photo made me gasp - gorgeous!

[Laurie]

What treasures! I can see how they made you happy, but it's hard to imagine letting go of them, even for a new wheel.

[Jennifer]

I have a jewelry collection to. It's a side effect of being a beader for so many years.

[claudia]

Jewelry has never done it for me. I'll bet you could cull your jewelry collections and turn that stuff into a fine new wheel.

[Teyani]

wonderful J post.
And such an incredible collection of jewelery. wow.

[Tan]

Those are some really great pieces! If you aren't using them, maybe you would want to sell them, but on the other hand, maybe you want to start using them.

[Knitnana]

What fun, and gorgeous, too! (Is that French Ivory on the far right of the first photo? Yummy!)
I have collected CAT pins...among other things.
And like you? I am not into collecting such things other than yarn and needles now.
lolol
(((Hugs)))

[kathleen]

oooohhhh...i love those blue birds in the designer pics! lovely!!

[Wanda]

I love jewelry. I used to sell fine jewelry at a department store right after college and collected a few pieces. Since then, I still love jewelry, but I don't buy or receive as many pieces of jewelry, which is good.

[Romi]

I used to collect antique rhinestone jewelry! I still have it somewhere or other....