Story-time: Loss, Friendship & Memorial Jewelry

This is Rachel. She died unexpectedly on May 4th 2023. We were friends for 28 years. This photo encapsulates her personality. She was a force - fierce & passionate. She took no shit. If she loved you, she loved you hard. 

We shared dreams together, visions, creativity, loss, weathered hardships, & celebrated our joys. 

Memorial jewelry is private, raw, sorrowful & powerful. They are special items to honor & remember our loved ones. 

This is how I honor Rachel & our friendship. She had this thing. She would always find the arms of action figures. Just lying on the ground. Only the arm or, occasionally, a leg. I knew this about her. Sometimes I would even find one, pick it up, & mail it to her. Just to share in their strange phenomenon in her life.  

Well, her sister gifted me some art supplies of Rachel’s. Including her jeweler’s hammers, pliers, old castings, rubber molds, a few of her paintings, & books. Tucked in one of the books was an envelope. It was upside down & when I turned it over, I recognized the handwriting immediately. This was a letter I sent her. I opened it & there was this little action figure arm taped down to a quick note I wrote about where I found it 15 years ago. It’s been lovingly saved & now I have it back.

I made a rubber mold of it. I cast a bunch in sterling silver. And for some, including mine, I added a gold bangle to symbolize her personality that often included feather boas & big sunglasses. This I will wear when I need the power of our friendship with me. 

I am adding these to my philanthropy items. I already make miniature jeweler’s saws donating $10 of every sale to cerf , an organization that helps artists in crisis. For Rachel’s arms, I will donate $10 to the Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation, and put some power in these arms. 

Rachel was phenomenally talented. I was in awe of her extensive gift. She was one with whom I would call to dream & share this creative life. I still want to call her, I find myself often wanting to tell her about a new idea. 

Superhero arms for sale. Superhero arms for strength.

• sterling silver
• 18k yellow OR 14k rose gold bangles
• bangles are either heart shaped or round
• oxidized
• choice of chain length for necklaces