Monday, January 3, 2011

Blue Monday - Butterfly Pin

It's a good idea to show Blue Monday's icon--the blue jay. Many people place the Blue Monday button at the top of their post so that visitors can easily find their Blue Monday post. For full instructions, just click here.

Please leave a comment for me; I guarantee that I'll visit you and leave a comment for you.

You may visit other Blue participants by clicking on their links and leaving comments.

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One Christmas, my brother and his wife gave my mother this butterfly pin. They told her that it was a custom gold piece, made especially for her. When they divorced, it became a painful reminder, and my mother wanted no part of it. She gave it to me.

During our move, I carelessly placed it with other jewelry. Some of the color rubbed off. Feeling guilty, I took it to a jeweler for restoration. It took forever, but now it's finally finished.

There are tiny markings on the back that can be read. The jeweler said that it was 18k gold, made in Italy, and was "a real treasure." I was shown comparable pieces in a catalog and was surprised to learn the value.




I was able to choose the colors. I chose blue, yellow, and red. The jeweler had a hard time with the red, and it turned out to be a red/orange. Ah well. The pin looks different with its new colors. Now it reminds me of my mom and not my brother's unhappy divorce.

Happy Blue Monday!


Blue Monday Participants
1. mizhelle
2. Lani in Taipei
3. LaVoice
4. Sweet Nothings
5. Rose
6. John
7. Debra Kaye
8. Dena Es Imagine
9. Candy @ The Little Round Table
10. Mary@OnePerfectBite
11. Pie
12. Little World of Fun
13. Vernz, Phils.
14. Lesley
15. Annelie E, Sweden
16. imriz
17. Create Everyday
18. Rinkly Rimes
19. Shy@J&J Milestones
20. NatureFootstep
21. Loui♥
22. riz
23. Belle
24. Milla
25. Eileen, Md
26. LIFE Moto- Environmental
27. Eden, Australia
28. hip chick
29. Yoshi, Japan
30. A Red Rose for Blue Monday!
31. Fe's Journey of life
32. Beverly @How Sweet The Sound
33. Life is a Battle
34. January Blues
35. Reach Beyond Limits
36. Jeanne
37. Auntie E
38. Donnie
39. Dorincard: "Si vis pacem, para bellum"
40. Maritz, Philippines
41. Shaz
42. hapzydeco
43. Ann @ Tin and Sparkle
44. Black Eyed Susans Kitchen
45. Carol@My Painting Room
46. gengen
47. Elaine
48. Sherry@Back2Vintage
49. Diann @ The Thrifty Groove
50. Pure thoughts
51. zaza
52. annies home
53. Terry
54. Dhemz
55. Christine
56. Jingle
57. Fifi Flowers
58. sandi @ the whistlestop cafe
59. Best of 2010
60. Lynn @ Cottage & Creek
61. Joy
62. Shirleys World
63. Diana @ Find Your Happiness
64. Christine
65. Kayce's Life and Journey

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65 comments:

  1. really beautiful Sally! :) Happy new year to you!

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  2. That is so pretty Sally, have a great start of the year!

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  3. What a great idea to have the colors changed to make this beautiful piece much more YOU. :))
    Happy Blue Monday

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  4. The pin is so lovely. I'm sad it reminds you of something unhappy :(

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  5. Pretty Nice!
    Happy★ 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
    •。★2011★ 。* 。
    ° 。 ° ˚* _Π_____*。*˚
    ˚ ˛ •˛•*/______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
    ˚ ˛ •˛• | 田田|門| Happy New Year!!!

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  6. Wooooohooooo HAPPY NEW YEAR Sister's... Its another year of being blessed in BLUEs Sally!!!
    Hugs Dena

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  7. Just re-read, Sally....Glad it makes you happy and not sad! There, much better :)

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  8. It really is a lovely piece, Sally. Have a wonderful Blue Monday. Blessings...Mary

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  9. It's beautiful Sally. Happy New Year!

    Mine's here.

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  10. Very pretty! Neat to have it redone so it reminds you more of your mom.

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  11. One pretty butterfly good thing you were able to restore the beauty of it.

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  12. wow, pretty piece Sally... Happy New Year to you..

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  13. lovely pin and it seems to have had a vibrant rebirth!

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  14. loved the colors you chose Sally...perfect for blue monday...happy new year:)

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  15. Beautiful blue example from our gracious hostess. Blessings in the New Year.

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  16. What a good idea to save the memory but renew it.

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  17. Thats a cute blue butterfly pin

    happy New Year

    http://www.jnjmilestones.com/2011/01/box-tv-princess.html

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  18. It´s a lovely butterfly Sally. I had a similar one once but lost it. :(

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  19. Happy Blue Monday Sally!!
    hope you are adjusting well to our New Year!! I am!!
    love your new header!!
    gotta work on mine..
    warmest hugs!
    Loui♥

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  20. what a lovely brooch...

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  21. Sally, it is a beautiful butterfly pin. Happy New Years!

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  22. happy new year sally and everyone!

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  23. That is so cute, Sally.

    Happy New Year!

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  24. The butterfly pin is lovely and the colors you chose for restoration are beautiful. Such a treasure!
    Happy New Year!
    Coralie

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  25. ohhh....I love butterfly so much expecially when its blue because I love blue too :) It's so beautiful Sally

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  26. Happy Blue Monday and Happy New Year, dear Sally.

    I believe your mother would be pleased that you have learned to treasure this butterfly. It is exquisite.

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  27. lovely pin Sally, nice blue color pin. happy new year!

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  28. This piece is gorgeous, Sally. I'm glad the jeweler was able to refurbish it and that it now holds happy memories.

    Have a great week! La

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  29. Oh what a beautiful butterfly, and the colors are fantastic for it, Sally..

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  30. Good morning Sally, your pin is beautiful. I love butterflies and the colors you chose are perfect. My mother loved everything with butterflies and had some lovely things to hand down to us when she passed away. In spite of the sad memory of the pin you can enjoy the new look and know that your mom loved it when she first received it from her son. My sisters would be drooling over that lovely pin(the antique dealers) because they sell vintage jewelry like that in their shop.

    Warm hugs, Jeanne

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  31. Happy New Year, Love the Butterfly pin.

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  32. Such a lovely pin - and you chose the most beautiful colors! I'm sure your mom would be delighted to know that the pin now holds more happy memories than sad ones.

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  33. "Somebody's junk is somebody else's treasure" - who said that? An airport screener?
    Objects also have the emotional value(s) that we attach to them.
    They are what we choose to believe that they are. Figments...
    Your pin had more...blues than blue, but you gave it a new meaning, a new life. Until the next Tunguska event...:)
    See my butterfly blogposts: http://dorincard.blogspot.com/search/label/butterfly
    Happy Blue Monday, Sally!

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  34. that is such a lovely butterfly pin! Happy New Year to you Smiling Sally! :)

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  35. Gorgeous...:-)Happy new year Ms. Sally....

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  36. Sally, that pin is absolutely stunning. I love it and the colors. What a wonderful treasure you took and made it into even more of a treasure. A real keeper.

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  37. It's a lovely pin. Wishing you a wonderful New Year!

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  38. Yes it is pretty pin...Mine is up also...Have a great Monday.

    Mine is here

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  39. What a lovely pin Sally. Now it has good memories and not bad so you'll be wearing it more. Have a great Blue Monday.

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  40. Good morning and a happy new year...Love the butterfly pin...it's so vibrant looking..

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  41. Hi Sally...I've just found your blog and I'm participating in Blue Monday for the first time. I love your butterfly pin...I hope you love my blue Fiesta tumbler.
    Sherry@Back2Vintage

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  42. Howdy Sally
    Happy Blue Monday this New Year !
    Thank you for sharing this lovely butterfly :)
    I am so glad you created a beautiful memory out of this gogeous piece of jewelry.
    I like the colors you picked out .
    Thank you for bringing so many amazing blues together .
    Have a blessed rest of the week.
    Until next time
    Happy Trails

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  43. thanks for hosting once again this is one of my favorite memes and I participate whenever possible I love the beautiful butterfly picture you shared how precious and colorful it is

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  44. what a gorgeous piece Sally!
    Happy New year....:)

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  45. It's a gorgeous brooch, Sally. I am glad you restored it. Happy New Year!...Christine

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  46. The caterpillar turned into a new butterfly with your help! So glad you decided to keep and alter it to remind you of your sweet mother.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  47. happy 2011.
    kind of late, because i almost forgot.

    Thanks for the platform.

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  48. Very pretty pin and interesting story. I think it's quite interesting that the butterfly's colors have changed, just like the relationship between your brother and his wife.

    Happy Blue Monday!

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  49. Lovely post, Sally. Glad you brought good out of something sad. It's a beautiful pin. Happy New Year and God bless ... Lynn

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  50. Beautiful Pin! Glad you were able to get it restore. Take care and Happy 2011!

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  51. A Blessed New year Sally.
    Cheers and regards.

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  52. What a special piece to remember your Mom. Very pretty colors.
    Ann

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  53. How lovely to remember your mother with this beautiful butterfly pin. Happy New Year!

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  54. Sally, it's beautiful! What vibrant colors, and what a nice way to wear a reminder of your mother. Wishing you a wonderful 2011! laurie

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  55. It is a really beautiful Sally! Love the colors...
    Happy new year to you!
    {{{HUGS}}}
    Donna

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  56. Sally, Happy New Year!! I got my post all ready to finally tag in and my computer was down. lol
    It looks like you are closed for entries so I'll try again soon.

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  57. Happy New Year Sally
    What a very pretty piece. How sweet that you could choose colours like that. It is too bad your mom was not able to enjoy it but nice that you got it. I'm sure you will really enjoy it.
    Hope you had a lovely and Merry Christmas and holiday season.
    Judi

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  58. Sometimes, it's good to block out a bad memory. That was a wonderful way to do it. Sally

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  59. Hey Sally girl, I love what ya did with the broach. I can tell by the picture it is a jewel indeed.

    I hope you had a blessed Christmas and here's wishin' ya the most wonderful New Year ever sweetie!!! :o)

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  60. Nice to join again-fun blues as always!

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Comments make me happy! I enjoy reading what you have to say. Please come back often and comment some more!

Sally