I was blessed to get my Grandad's jewelry tools when he became unable to make jewelry anymore. I spent oodles and oodles of my summer vacations with my grandparents in his workshop as he taught me lapidary and basic jewelry making. He also taught me calm persistence and how to work through a project from start to finish. He also taught me how to see...what could be.
This is the ring mandrel he used, and that I have used since I started making jewelry. There is a ding in it at size 7 1/2 where it looks as though he filed the edge of something without a safe edged file. I treasure the memories that it brings to mind.
@joysabin Thank you very much! I agree. I have a friend who fusses at me about all of the "things" I have on side tables and walls. To me, they are memory keepers; things like my Daddy's baby dress that my Grandmother smocked and the wee suitcase that my mom kept her baby doll clothes in when she went to her Grandmother's house. I could get rid of them; they aren't worth anything, but that connection to my parents as littles is so lovely.
