The couple weeks before my daughter's birthday are typically a bittersweet period for me. As Jade was born on the eve of Mother's Day, I am reminded of how blessed I am to be her mother but also of the void created when Mom passed away over ten years ago.
Holding onto something that belonged to a loved one can replace grief with solace. I held onto these stone bead necklaces that have no significant monetary value but were Mom's. I love the rustic earthy feel of the beads, but I would never wear them as they were.
Holding onto something that belonged to a loved one can replace grief with solace. I held onto these stone bead necklaces that have no significant monetary value but were Mom's. I love the rustic earthy feel of the beads, but I would never wear them as they were.
Some years ago when Vietnamese designer Chan Luu popularized leather wrap bracelets, I decided to learn how to do the ladder stitch in order to turn the necklaces into bracelets I would wear.
Truth be told, I am not fond of the technique, tedious and time-consuming as it is, but the result is this gorgeous, versatile piece of jewelry, casual yet sophisticated. At the time I only managed to complete a few bracelets using the pink beads. Here is one that I wear.
Truth be told, I am not fond of the technique, tedious and time-consuming as it is, but the result is this gorgeous, versatile piece of jewelry, casual yet sophisticated. At the time I only managed to complete a few bracelets using the pink beads. Here is one that I wear.
To honor both my daughter and my mother during this bittersweet period, I decided to work on some ladder stitch bracelets. Here are 3 created using Mom's stone beads:
1) mauve beads with faceted garnet beads in a bracelet that wraps 3 times around the wrist,
2) midnight blue and aqua blue beads in a bracelet that wraps 3 times around the wrist and
3) white beads with Hill Tribe silver beads from Thailand in a bracelet that wraps 5 times around the wrist.
1) mauve beads with faceted garnet beads in a bracelet that wraps 3 times around the wrist,
2) midnight blue and aqua blue beads in a bracelet that wraps 3 times around the wrist and
3) white beads with Hill Tribe silver beads from Thailand in a bracelet that wraps 5 times around the wrist.
Then using 170 jade beads, faceted and smooth and of different sizes and shades of green, which I purchased after Jade was born, I created this piece which wraps around the wrist 5 times and can be worn as a belt:
And as a bracelet closure is a sterling silver button that I cast myself. As a tribute to Mom, there is a moon on the button.
Happy birthday, Jade! Happy Mother's Day, Mom! You are forever in my heart and now on my wrist, too. ❤