Buttons and things from the past

I bought this pair of earrings at the Waterford Fair. Not from one of the crafters at the juried show--their wares are simply too pricey for me. I know that many people see jewelry as a wise investment: gold and silver, precious stones--a nest egg to stash for a needy day.

But I can't imagine wearing anything too precious to lose. What I've spent on my entire 365 days of earrings wouldn't buy a single diamond or an ounce of gold. Many pair have cost a few cents to make, a few cost as much as $30. Many have been gifts. I've acquired them over 30 years, and I treasure them for many reasons, but most especially for the memories they preserve for me.

     This pair was made by a local crafter who sells her wares under the moniker French Fox Jewelry: Jewelry made from buttons and things of the past. I love the tiny clockfaces that she glued to the waxing crescent moons--my favorite lunar phase. When I see the waxing crescent, I imagine curling up in the curve with a good book.

Those clockfaces are old--obscured by age, as tonight's waxing gibbous moon is by wispy clouds. I wore them today for a math activity involving elapsed time. Some of my students peer at clocks as if the faces lack clarity. Their lives are digital. The analog clock is becoming an anachronism. The stuff of French Fox Jewelry: made from buttons and things from the past.