I recently came across an article, "Collecting Is About More Than Just Stuff" that answered a big question for me: WHY am I a Collector?

Many of us collect something...and for me, it's Jewelry (big surprise!), especially jewelry with a vintage date :).  Bits of the article really resonate with me and shed light on why I have been collecting Jewelry all of my life. Well, I learned I am basically Preserving Memories. For What? I assume, when my brain (which is already overloaded with everything from the ins and outs of being a wife, mother to a spirited three year old, and a business owner) fails me in the memory department, I can count on something to instantly transport me back in time. Watching my toddler grow in leaps and bounds right before my eyes has made me more aware of Time than ever, and, believe me, I am a willing Time Traveller!

I credit my parents, who presented me with my first "real" piece of Jewelry for my 6th Grade Graduation, as the originators of my love for collecting Jewelry. It was a delicate, sparkling turquoise Blue Topaz ring set in gold. Two small, heart-shaped stones and two small diamonds. I have still never seen another color like it to this day. I cherished that ring, I was proud of it...proud that I was now responsible enough to be trusted to take care of something nice. Which only lasted a few years when my precious ring found its way to the Ocean Floor in the Florida Panhandle. It's been 20+ years and I am still not over losing it! The memory of this ring being my first, but also my first loss. The stinging memory (that keeps me aware and careful of what I am wearing to this very day!) is as clear now as it was all those years ago...
          I am diving under the shallow waves, frantically feeling deep into the sand, uncovering seashells...but not my Ring. The pit in my stomach. The helplessness I feel as I realize I am no match for the Tide, burying my precious treasure on its floor with all of the others. Why, why did I think it was a good idea to switch the ring to my other hand in the middle of the Ocean?! The security of it being on the other finger, which it fit more snugly on, that's Why. But, then that rogue wave hits me, and the ring falls from my fingertips just as I am transferring it to the safety of my larger finger...gone. Where's a Metal Detector when you need one?!

Like a song, Jewelry transports me through the years. I am instantly "there". Just touching the pearl choker necklace in my jewelry box, it's suddenly 1995 and I am excitedly opening its velvet gray box with my parents looking on, just before we jump in the car to my High School graduation...                                                                   My first real set of Pearls! I am overjoyed. This means I am an adult, at last, right? My dress is a soft off-white silk with a ruffle at the bottom that hits just above my knee. My strappy patent leather sandals are uncomfortable, but I can mush through since they are luckily not high heels. I can't stand it when my feet hurt, and since I'll be on them for hours, no staggering heels for me! My hair is long down my back and I am not, I repeat, not excited about putting on that generic navy blue cap and gown with its gold tassel hanging in my face! Uggg. A Uniform. An absolute death sentence for Creatives....

Ok, I am sure by the length of this post (if you are still reading this!), you definitely get the point! Wow, that was a fun trip down memory lane, thanks for humoring me and coming along. I think I could use one of those Harry Potter Time Turner necklaces pictured above!

How about you? What transports you through time?
xox- Laura

p.s: click here for the article that I mentioned at the top of this post

photo: Harry Potter #TimeTurner Necklace

Cheers, everyone! Summer 2016 will be here before we know it!

For those who want to know what to rock from the Pool to the Party, these top three jewelry trends should keep us all on point. Check out Style360's top three "Defining trends for 2016"...

Trend No. 1: Keep it casual

With the importance of athleisure in Americans’ wardrobes, jewelry selections have become a lot more casual. Why? When you’re wearing yoga pants and a T-shirt, big diamond jewels could look a bit out of place. Consider Kate Hudson’s new line of athleisure clothing dubbed Fabletics, and last week Royersford, Pa.–based jeweler Cathy Calhoun told me that many of her clients “don’t dress up as much.” The appropriate jewelry to wear? Think stackable bands with small stones and a smaller profile, wearables such as Fitbits or a sporty watch, or even charms, cabochon-cut gemstones, and signet rings.

Trend No. 2: Boho chic

We can thank all the 1960s- and 1970s-inspired attire on fashion runways in recent years for the plethora of fringe, feathers, beads, and turquoise motifs that followed. Plus, the annual music fair Coachella (happening now), with its earthy vibe and setting in Indio, Calif., has become such a scene that many celebrities are now paid by brands to attend. Boho-chic jewelry includes silver and turquoise, feathers, and long beads or necklaces.

Trend No. 3: Chokers and collar necklaces

Thanks to recent red carpet looks and runways shows in which designers dressed models in myriad necklaces, the style has finally gotten some major attention. Jewelry designers have responded accordingly with lots of new offerings aiming to adorn the neckline—which is fun for jewelry lovers to embrace after years of big cuffs and dangling earrings.

Enjoy and Happy Summer!

xox-Laura