I'm so charming, it's alarming

I'm an obsessive kinda gal.

(NEWSFLASH to those who know me).

I obsessively collect teapots, faeries, cats, unicorns, miniatures... OK, so I am spoiled.

My latest obsession is Italian modular charms.

I blame Melinda entirely for this obsession. OK, Marcia helped- but it was mostly Melinda. Sweet Melinda used to work for a high-end gift shop, and it is she who first introduced me to the lovely things. In fact, she and her mother gave me my very first charms. I really loved charms even back then, but they were $12-$18 bucks a pop, and the average bracelet is comprised of 18 charms... well, you do the math.

AND THEN I FOUND THEM ON eBAY!!! Mega cheap! Job lots even ! Oh frabjous day!

Not that I went nuts or anything.

I did assemble some nice jewelry, though.

So... what I am presenting today are four works of art. The first two are entitled "Let's Focus on me" and "Quality Family Time". Let's focus on me is about... hmmm, let me think. You may recognize the photo charm as the same shot on my blog. Hey, I am not photogenic, so when I get a picture I like... Anyway, this bracelet celebrates my various interests, hobbies, past lives (pirate), personality (sarcastic smarty pants) and Happy Bunny enthusiasm. Notice the Old Lady Mafia charm to the right of my lovely head.

"Quality Family Time" is a family in-joke. This bracelet celebrates myfamily- my marriage, my kids, my daughter-in-law, and my grand-kids. The top row consists mostly of our various names, while the bottom row consists of various configurations of birthstones (initials for the guys, butterflies for the women, and little girls for the little girls). Of course, it is also a watch- hence the "time" part of QFT.

Now, for your consideration, two bracelets honoring two of my greatest obsessions- faeries and cats.

Bracelets like these make wonderful gifts. It's like giving someone a biography they can wear on their wrist. Mine are double stranded with mega links holding the two strands together, but most of the ones I have created as gifts are single strand and have been very well received.

Looking for the appropriate charm for a person is great fun. My sister called her son "Bamm-Bamm" when he was a baby, and sure enough, I was able to find a "Bamm-Bamm" charm. I found charms of Orlando Bloom, Daniel Radcliffe and Johnny Depp for my adorable god-daughter, who is in love with all three. Dave's sister has been accepted into nursing school- so I found charms of Miss Piggy and Betty Boop, among others, dressed as a nurse.

I could go on, and generally do, but must go. There is a cat-fight going on in the next room; apparently Binx has taken a break from teat-feeding the Five Little Peepers and is attacking Hobbes again. Gee, I hope she isn't a man-hater. Hobbes is NOT the cat who got her pregnant.

Off into battle with the spritzer I go!

By the way.... would you like a kitten?