Every girl has a treasure box

My hospital monkey that grandma nurse (that's what all the kids called her) made for me.  I was in the hospital about 26 times between the ages of 1 and 6 and this guy went with me every time.  He's made out of hospital towels.

Here is my "treasure box" Jerry bought me this chest several years ago as a Christmas present

Pocket watch, 1913 and it still works.  This was a gift to me from my mentor in College.  I am never cutting this one apart!

 Every girl or woman has, somewhere, tucked in a closet, or a drawer, or in box -- mementos that she will never throw away.  That defines who she is as a person.  When you are a little girl, it might start out as a collection of "kewl" things, things that just make your heart happy for no special reason.  But as you get older, you add things that are more than just happy thoughts, that are a solid link to part of your character.

Your first "real" valentine from the man you end up marrying.  A snip of hair from your child's baby head.  A love letter you find between your parents after they pass.

I got to thinking about this watching Castle a couple of weeks ago.  The daughter of the family was having a hard time deciding what items to leave at home and what items had to go with her to college... and later, Kate had items in her desk at work that had great emotional power over her.

Jerry and I have been buying all this lovely vintage stuff, and sometimes I just have to stop and think that "hey, this might have been someones treasure.  This might have been someones solid memory of something important to them.

That got me to thinking about my treasure box, which happens to be a trunk Jerry bought me several years ago.  It's actually quite full, so I spend a couple of hours cleaning it out and organizing it.

I decided I needed to just leave those things in it that are really important to me, and the rest of it, even if I want to keep it, needs to go elsewhere.

I actually found a bunch of vintage jewelry, some bought when I was a child, that didn't have any specific meaning for me... so I've added those to the pile for future art jewelry goodness.

But some pieces are important.

The Edwardian necklace my Aunt Poss gave to me.. which was once her Aunt's.   I adore my Great Aunt Poss ( she is my Mom's aunt, my great aunt) and she picked this out especially for me when I started to make jewelry myself, to give me inspiration.  I have a few pieces of jewelry she's given me, all older family hand me downs.  They are keepers.

I tripped over my own pocket watch that my Mentor in college gave me.  It's still working, though I bet the time would be off.. watches should be used to keep time.  I actually wore it for several years, but stopped at some point.. probably when I had Jesscera.  having a chain dangling within a baby's reach is probably not a good idea.

I've always loved pocket watches, I have no idea why, but I made myself a pocket watch as a child.  I still have it, it's made with gold craft foil plastered with tape over a cardboard frame.  I remember playing with it and at the time I had it on a chain and everything.

Yes, I have a couple of early birthday/valentine's what the heck cards from my now Husband, Jerry, packed in my box.

I have artwork and notes by Jesscera ( my now 16 yr old baby!) at various ages.

I have my hospital monkey, my stuff friend who helped me through some very scary childhood experiences.  He's falling apart but I'm not going to hold that against him.

And I have items that are too personal to share, just like you have.

What's in your treasure box that you can share?

Edwardian era necklace, a gift from my Great Aunt Poss who is now 95? something like that....