We had over 740 entries in our The Marriage Ring and Fragments jewelry giveaway, and prizes aside, thank you for sharing such amazing stories. I think, like Sarah Frantz said, that the jewelry we value absorbs so much good feeling and comes to represent so many good moments that it’s value can’t be quantified, whether it’s heirlooms from generations past or gifts from our children and grandchildren. Thank you so much for sharing, and for making this thread such incredibly powerful reading. I had many a mascara problem reading your stories.
And now, without further ado, the winner and a message from Cathy Maxwell:
Congratulations to Tabithaz, the winner of the $1500 gift certificate to Fragments Jewelry is enough to make any woman kick off her stilettos, or sneaks, and start writing—but the stories you all shared came straight from the heart.
Thank you! Your entries were some of the best reading on the web this weekend.
When our winner was selected at random this morning, I couldn’t have been more excited, or relieved! It would have been difficult to choose just one winner. What a wealth of memories you shared. Jewelry is a touchstone, a reminder to ourselves of what is truly important, even priceless in our lives.
But Tabithaz’ story sent me searching for a piece of jewelry I own and haven’t given much thought to. She wrote about her high school class ring. For many of us, that is the first piece of jewelry we buy ourselves. It’s a symbol of community, of leaving childhood, and of taking giant leap out into the world. Thank you, Tabithaz, for reminding me of those teachers, mentors, and friends who helped me on the way to my future. After reading your entry, I’ll never look at a class ring the same way again.
And be certain you let me know what you buy. You lucky, woman. Fragments has some serious bling, and I love shopping vicariously!
Hooray for TabithaZ! Email me at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom and I’ll hook you up with you gleeful winnings. Congratulations!
And for everyone who entered, I have a bit of thank you from Fragments. If you’ve been shopping and can’t stand to not buy that amazing piece of jewelry you saw, they’re offering 10% off from tomorrow (2 March 2010) through midnight 31 March 2010 for everyone. Just use coupon code IDO10.
Thank you again, for entering and for sharing. May you have many wonderful significant moments and sparkly wonderful things to represent them!
Congrats to TabithaZ!! Even though I’m seething with jealousy.
Many congrats, TabithaZ! I sooooo enjoyed reading the many wonderful jewelry related stories here!
Congratualtions TabithaZ! Wear the jewelry well.
Congratulations Tabitha!
I would say congratulations to everyone who commented as well. How lucky are we all to have something so memorable in our lives.
I loved reading all the stories over my coffee in the morning. Truly lovely.
Nice work! I have to admit, I didn’t read all the entries, I think I’d have sprained my scrolling finger.
Congrats!
Aw, thanks for mentioning my little philosophy, Sarah! It was solidified for me….by a romance novel. 🙂 Madeline Brent (one of the few men who IMO successfully write romance) wrote a number of books like Amanda Quick, where there was a definite formula (English woman who grew up in a foreign culture who goes back to England and shocks the natives, then goes back to her place of upbringing and uses her knowledge to help solve whatever quest or mystery was at the heart of the romance). But they’re all amazing stories. In one (Merlin’s Keep, I think) there is a pearl that the natives of Tibet (?) thinks is a tear from the Buddha and it’s been prayed over constantly for many years. The villain wants to get it and destroy it, not because it really IS the tear of the Buddha, but because of the psychic energy it has absorbed by being the center of so much attention for so long.
Anyway, that’s all I could think of when we had to decide what to do with my husband’s ring, and I just couldn’t send it in for a replacement. 🙂
And congratuations, TabithaZ! I’m so envious!