Annual Charm Bracelet

This is the project that inspired the concept for my jewellery business.

Her Dad, commissioned me to make a charm every year. This charm marks the most important object or memory of her previous year. It is an annual gift, that a loving Father will give to his daughter, marking their memories for now, and the years to come.

I am so honoured to be a part of this meaningful project, and look so forward to adding to it, as the years pass.

This series will be grow by one charm each year…

Custom charm bracelet: Bear, pet portrait, rabbit stuffed toy, watering can, snowsuit.

Year Eleven: iphone

Cell phone crazy… it’s the age…

Two fingers holding a tiny silver iphone charm.

Fingers holding a very small wax iphone.

Two fingers holding a tiny green wax carving, showing the bottom of the phone, where the ports are.

A green tablet of wax on papers with iphone image on them, saw and file across at a 90 degree angle.

Year Ten: Houseboat Charm

Every year of her life (and before she was born!), this family takes a holiday on a houseboat – discovering Lake Temagami in Northern Ontario. This is an annual favourite for this family. And it was really wonderful to be able to mark this tradition for them, in the ’round’.

Charm: 14mm x 7mm x 6mm

two fingers holding the jump ring of the houseboat charm.

Houseboat charm resting on the tip of a finger.

Bottom view of silver charm, with "Leisure Island" written on it.

Girl posing on the back of a Leisure Island houseboat

Two fingers holding roughed-out charm carving (green wax).

Year Nine: Covid Charm

Year 9, and it’s been a tough year for this active, bright-eyed school kid.
That’s it – you guessed it – A coronavirus – we all know it, it’s affected us all is ways known and unknown. It was a year of online schooling, and socializing digitally for this awesome kid.
She spent a lot of time on Facetime, so I drew a little logo on the underside of the dome of this representation of the virus.

I felt that this year, with all of it’s various struggles, had to be commemorated in gold (10K yellow) – every year I have made her charms in sterling silver. This one just had to be created gold.
Maybe not the happiest memories at this time. But one to look back on, as time passes, and she moves past the struggles of 2020/21.

The back of a wax carving, on a jewellers bench.

Image of quick graphite drawings for Covid Charm.

Small 10K gold covid virus charm, upside down resting the tip of a finger.

Wax carving displayed on a finger tip (plant in the background)

Year Eight: “Safe Harbour” Mask & Snorkel + Dad as Raft

Her Dad came to me with a pretty abstract, but heartbreakingly beautiful concept… they live on the lake, and usually swim at least one time a day, in the summer. He wanted something that represented himself as a raft… this year, when they swim she would crawl up on him, and use her Dad as a raft – a safe harbour, a support, a lifeline – now and for the rest of her years.

This was a pretty tough concept to create, and make readable, in 2cm’s of silver! But, with further conversation, we came up with using her favourite pink snorkel and mask. Perfect! I made the snorkel and mask, and a representation of her Dad, floating on his back, in ‘raft formation’ on the inside… this is what she would see, looking through her mask, when swimming. Also in seeing his supportive presence throughout her life.
The most jam-packed charm with meaning yet.
So lovely.

Back of hand carved mask and snorkel charm. Dad as a 'raft' in the water.

Motorcycle and Mask Charms on bracelet, with lake in the background.

Hand carved Charm of Mask and Snorkel with hearts at the mouthpiece. Cast in silver.

Fingers holding wax carving of snorkel and mask, drawing in background.

Year Seven: Electric Motorbike

She’s growing up so fast! A pretty exciting little electric motorbike that she loves to ride around with her Dad, who rides a much larger version.

(It’s so wee! and the wheels rotate!)

Two hands: motorcycle charm popping a wheelie.

Back side of custom motorcycle charm. '2019' engraved on the back.

Process of carving the motorcycle charm, at the jewelers' bench.

Graphite transfer of motorbike charm to wax.

Year Six: Bear-Bear

One of her favourite stuffies, immortalized on her Charm Bracelet, as time passes and she moves on to more ‘grown-up’ interests…

Silver bear charm, with source bear image below it.

Bear charm on finger tip, with plants in the background.

Bear charm carving in progress. Lots of wax dust.

Year Five: Mellica

Mellica, the beloved gentle giant, passed away this winter. He was truly a member of the family and will be missed in his Northern home by the lake. A beautiful silver Great Dane with such a gentle, cuddly laid back disposition. He is missed, but had a wonderful, long life with his human family.

Silver Great Dane, looking back, sitting on the deck.

The beginnings of a dog portrait wax carving on the bench.

Two hand carving a wax, a large drawing of the charm, to the right.

Year Four: LOVIE

This has been her stuffed animal of choice for four years now. ‘Lovie’ has been truly well Loved, and is always just within arms’ reach.

Hand carved, sterling silver rabbit stuffed toy charm

Hand carved wax of a rabbit stuffed animal.

Jewellers' bench: Wax with design on it, saw in the background.

Year Three: Watering Can

“Water” was the theme, so I took her favorite watering can, and shrunk it teeny-tiny (15 x 13 mm), carved in wax, cast in silver, and ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’ was engraved on either side, in their own handwriting.

Silver watering can, with "Dad" inscribed on it.

Thin wax watering can, with drawing in the background.

Silver watering can, with 'Mom' inscribed on it.

Year Two: Snow Suit

So sweet in her favourite snow suit. This little Northerner loves her winter!

Baby in a snow suit, sitting on a snow ledge.

Year One: Sophie the Giraffe

Her favourite (in her early toy-portfolio ; )

Left: Baby with Sophie doll. Right: Carved charm of Sophie.