Thrift Shop Karma and Charm Bracelets

I love stories about coincidences in thrift shop finds. Maybe it is wishing and hoping for some kind of clue as to the previous owner. 

My recent find was a sterling silver charm bracelet. These types of bracelets were all the rage beginning in the 1960s and continued on into the 1970s. I had lost the bracelet of my youth. I started buying single charms and then bought a bracelet with a few charms. When I called my jeweler to inquire as to the cost of adding charms to a bracelet, he said it was $15 per charm! 

Sometime later, I had located my mother's bracelet. 

In addition, I bought another bracelet from an online auction site. I think I paid around $30 for it. This one reveals it was Berta's, born on 7-26-67. 

This bracelet was priced at $18.50, reasonable. I saw that Lois had engraved her name on the back of one of the charms. When I got to the cash register, I told the cashier, "I am going to wear Lois' charm bracelet." Then said, "Let's see if she put her birthdate on it." It was a common practice for charm bracelet owners to have their name and birthdate on one of the charms. 

I then asked the cashier, "What is the date today?" She replied, "July 14th." I got the chills, engraved under Lois' name was the date "7-14-67." 


My first thought was that a wonderful charm bracelet such as this landed in the thrift shop because its owner had passed on. I told the clerk that it was karma that the bracelet came into my possession on the day of Lois' birthday. I said aloud, "I am wearing your charm bracelet Lois, in celebration of your birthday!" Lois was(or is) a mere 8 years older than me. 


Another thing I do is honor mystery quilters who have donated their fabric. I incorporate recently scored secondhand fabric into my current creations, usually as bindings. That has been the case with the last two quilts. The bindings have come from my box of feedsack fabric.  

Another find with Lois' bracelet with a Bailey Blue dress modeled  by my ever-trusty Sally stand-in. I like the detail of the built-in ruffled slip.

I am making progress toward listing some of my collectibles on Ebay. I figure it is time shake loose some of my valuable items. They will be listed under tam_gonza. One item going up for sale  are these set of 4 Field & Stream Honor Badges.  

7/15/19 Post update - these pins sold within hours of posting.