A Charming Tale

This is a tale of a charming little necklace made of 40 different charms of all shapes and sizes.

Why have charms been so popular over the years?   The history of charms goes back as far as the Neolithic era when men would pick up an unusual stone or piece of wood and carry it with him to ward off his enemies. Thousands of years later, elaborate jewelry made of precious stones and metals emerged during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs, which was when the first recognizable charm bracelets and necklaces first appeared.

The end of WWII saw the charm jewelry gain in popularity. Soldiers leaving Europe and islands in the Pacific purchased little handmade trinkets fashioned into small metal replicas of items common to the area. These were hung on chains or secured to bracelets as mementos and tokens of affection for their loved ones back home. Jewelers in the US quickly picked up on the trend and began creating charms in all shapes and sizes.

By the 1950s, the charm bracelet was a must-have accessory for girls and women. Major rites of passage - 16th birthdays, graduations, weddings, travel and the arrival of children - were all recorded on the links of their bracelets.

The charm bracelet began to disappear from the fashion scene during the early 1970s but in the mid-1980s charm bracelets reappeared and since the 1990s people have been collecting vintage charms and charm bracelets.

In recent years, the fashion industry has again discovered the lure of the charm bracelet, and has flooded the market with new charm styles in all price ranges. Charm bracelets are now a must-have accessory for any occasion.

I have always had a fascination for charm bracelets and have a few myself. I made this charm necklace from a variety of charms that I salvaged from broken necklaces and charm bracelets I found in my flea market travels. Destined for the scrap pile, all these wonderful charms have been united in one bold necklace that jingle and jangles with delight.

The center charm is a lovely little book locket that says "This Is Your Life" on the front.  A sure sign of it's age. There are heart shaped charms, a unicorn and an Egyptian goddess, a few engraved lockets, some lucky clovers and a Tinkerbell charm, a cowboy boot and an elephant.  And the list goes on...

I call it my lucky necklace and it's fun to wear!

If you want to see more of my vintage re-makes, visit my website www.gypsygirldesignsshop.etsy.com

Holidays at the Cabot Mill Antique Mall

We stopped by the Cabot Mill Antique Mall  in Brunswick, Maine, to see how the dealers had decorated for the holidays.

This Santa greeted us at the entrance to the mall. He sports a vintage red wagon instead of a sleigh. But where are his reindeer?

Uh oh!  If their fate was anything like this guy's, I don't even want to know!

Santa seemed to be the theme around the vendor booths.

And how could I resist another Christmas pin for my collection?

My favorites were the vintage glass ornaments...

And the old runner sleigh.  Oh how I remember screaming down the hill on one of these!

A unique collection of handmade ornaments displayed on an antique coat rack made for an interesting reflective photo.

This elegant cut-glass punch bowl made me thirsty for a cup of egg nog.

And I guess I'm not the only one in the mood for some holiday eats!

As usual, we spent almost two hours strolling through the displays.  There are over 160 of them in this 16,000 square foot mill space. It's amazing!

 

And if someone on your Christmas list loves antiques and collectibles, stop by the Cabot Mill Antique Mall during the month of December and take advantage of savings up to 25%. All the dealers are in the holiday spirit!

 

 

But you'd better hurry!  Time is ticking away and Christmas will be here before you know it!  Happy holidays!