Each night when I'd go to bed I'd close my eyes and see the same things and no matter what I sketched I found nothing was quite right. So I decided to concentrate on my feelings and started to write a list of the words that popped into my head. They were random and at times amusing. It didn't take long though before I realised with some surprise that my thoughts were leading me to my Mum.
Thinking back and picturing Mum during my early years I realised she had always worn the same pieces of silver jewellery. They weren't expensive or elaborate but I'm guessing they were much loved as she wore them daily.
I have memories of sitting together at the dining table with Mum helping me paint a plaster cast craft kit of paddington bear and her long silver pendant knocking against the edge of the table each time she leaned forward to reload her brush with paint. Or her dozen thin silver bangles chiming together when she was waving Goodbye or washing up. Or the ring she wore on her little finger and removed each time she made pastry.
Sadly Mum passed away in 1985 when I was twelve. Until now I hadn't realised that her tastes had left such a lasting impression on me. Its funny really because I have a new found respect for her style. Looking back I can see she made more than the odd fashion faux pas. The huge beehive up do in her wedding pics was awful but none the less with her bell bottomed jeans, cheese cloth tops & gorgeous silver jewellery she was pretty cool to me...............
