October 12, 2006
Princess Charming
There had better be some tiny goddamn packages waiting for me when I get home today.
Yes, I've been eBaying again, my friends. I currently have 620 individual Feedbacks. I'm so eGay.
Lucky for me, The Girl Child has always been quite the little fashion plate, so her outgrown clothes are selling very well. And my 20% commission of very well is nothing to sneeze at!
(Yes, I'm charging my own sister commission. Dude, she gave me SIXTEEN BOXES of clothes to sell! Do you know how many articles of clothing can fit into one box when they're size 3T ???)
Recently, I have become obsessed with charm bracelets. And not just any charm bracelets -- those vintage, silver charm bracelets with the travel charms and such that were so popular in the 40's through the 70's.
I think it's the tininess that fixates me, much like my fondness for little chairs. The tiny windmills and bicycles and trolley cars -- DYYYYY-ing of the cuteness!
And I would love to blame Heather's Mom's vintage charm bracelet for it all because, really, I enjoy blaming Heather's family for anything. Childproof medicine bottles? Heather's brother. Hate crime laws? Heather's Dad.
But, although Heather's Mom's bracelet is really cool, I think it was a conversation with Older Sister that planted the charm seed. I was ragging at her for not wearing the Tiffany bracelet I gave her for standing up in my wedding because -- IT'S A TIFFANY BRACELET! It's needs air and love and sunshine and attention!
And she's like, "Oh, yeah! I have to wear that sometime! I just... it's in my jewelry box, which is really packed, and if I don't see it, then I forget I have it."
And as much as I'd love to mock her for that, I can't because I, too, was born with The Ditzy Gene. (Thanks, Mom.) My maternal grandmother will forever be remembered by the phrase, "Now where did I put my purse...?"
For whatever reason, talking about her jewelry box sparked a really, really old memory for me. Older Sister has an old, silver charm bracelet that I used to LOVE looking at and playing with. I just remember it has a little bulldog charm, which is weird because I don't even know if she's ever even seen a bulldog in person.
I am obsessed with charm bracelets, and it's all her fault. I am giving her full credit on this one because it doesn't happen very often that she influences my life. She leads a life of virtue and charity and serving others and... well, you see my problem.
So I sold a ton of Girl Child's clothes and made a truckload of money, and I started searching eBay for vintage bracelets and charms. Seriously, I probably spent twenty hours a day for two weeks on eBay.
What? There are a lot of silver charms out there! And I'm very particular.
After much searching (and wringing of the hands, since most of the really good sellers are in England, and shipping costs are a bitch!), I found a charm I couldn't live without and bought a bracelet from the same seller (to save on shipping).
I introduce to you, the only damn charm of it's kind ever to be found on eBay...
Wenchie's Viking Longboat Charm
Isn't it beautiful?! I love it so, so very much. Every five minutes, I dangle it in front of my eyes and coo and fawn and sigh, so enamored am I with my viking longboat charm.
And now, I will be Completely Insufferable. I will wear my charm bracelets everywhere and jangle them incessantly, and everyone in a 50 yard radius will be required to inspect them and remark upon them. Each and every time I see you.
Consider yourself warned.
TINY HOUSES! Oh, gawd, little, tiny houses! That open and have things inside them! Things!!!
Comments
What's this!? A new obsession? Has Barbie been replaced?
Those are darn cute charms! Please buy from the Cat's Wiskers.
I love the name ... and they have some cool charms.
Lucky Charms ... hehee!
Say ... maybe Dad would make you some charms???
Posted by: Snippy Bitch at October 12, 2006 02:42 PM
Thank you for all the lovely remarks. I won't let them go to my head. And I can't really debate the ditzy comment, because I lose things several times a week. I even call myself often just to find my cell phone! Anyhoo, I have been wearing bracelets more (not today, of course. Why have great timing?), so thanks for reminding me I have a bracelet drawer. And I even wore my charm bracelet last week. That viking ship looks familiar. I'll have to check if it's on my bracelet. I've seen it somewhere and can't remember where. If I don't have it, I'll have to bask in your charm. I LOVE it! And next time I wear mine, I'll show you it and tell you what each means. The bulldog may have been a KALO treasure, as weird as that sounds. I have a fly that's a KALO too. Those items must have been in their druggy years.
Posted by: Older (and Wiser) Sister, now going by Spikette at October 13, 2006 11:13 AM
I JUST found my charm bracelet from my childhood, and it really is SO cool! It was a travel bracelet and it has: cable car from SF, cactus from AZ, totem pole from Alaska, Orange from FL, sea lion from OR, corn from IA, an Eiffel tower and a statue of liberty. It rocks, but it won't fit my huge adult wrist. So, I could flaunt it in front of you, but I won't be able to cause I cant put it on!!! Do you feel weird about buying and wearing a piece of someone else's past?
Posted by: elle at October 13, 2006 11:58 AM