Less flashy, more abstract

In every Jewish family there's at least one grandma who passes down a Tree Of Life pendant or pin to her daughter  which makes its way to a grand-daughter. Jews decorate everything with the Tree Of Life. Our grandmother on our dad's side had Tree of Life everything and her trees grew gaudy Pots Of Life. Every piece of jewelry she gave to our mom or to us had a million little stones or pearls, or pieces of stones set in bright yellow gold. I know that was the style in the olden days especially if you were trying to be flashy. Our grandparents on that side were flashy. And they shimmered. I've had this jewelry sitting in a drawer for years and decided I wanted to make jewelry that told a story of our family in a less flashy, more abstract, more me way. And, I wanted to use the stones (that were usable) from my grandmother's pieces so her Tree Of Life would be carried on. I also wanted a piece I would wear! What's the point of having jewelry if you don't wear it?
I took Grandma Edith's ugly jewelry to Ormachea Jewelery in Ventura, California, where artist Hugo Ormachea creates beautiful one of a kind pieces from whatever hideous thing you bring him. Ok, those are my words. He would never call your grandma's stuff hideous. I wanted an abstract pendant that combined sterling silver and gold in a  Circle of Enlightenment. I wanted 4 stones to represent each of the 4 kids in my family (me, Karen, and our two brothers). I wanted to use the rubies from the jewelry to symbolize love and a diamond to symbolize a light at the end of a tunnel. I wanted my new version of a Tree Of Life to have a story and meaning specific to my family and to me. Hugo gave me exactly what I wanted. I am so in love with my new necklace! And I love that there are exactly enough stones left over for Karen to have one, too. She can pass hers on to her daughter because I am never parting with mine! Karen's will be slightly different because Hugo doesn't make the same thing twice. Cool!


*My friend Jeanne introduced me to Ormachea Jewelry. Nobody paid me to write this. I paid them for a beautiful necklace and love them so much for the great piece they made for me. I feel bad for them because I will shop there a lot. I hope they get used to my sarcasm.