My "Go To" Native America Barrette: The Destiny of Things, Story 158
Coincidentally this was my "go to" barrette and now it's the same for someone else!
It's so nice to be remembered, even by complete strangers! Thank you HS! Here is the email with story as promised first posted in feedback!
Hi Kennedy,
Here's the story I promised you...
So I was playing around on Etsy one evening, looking for some new (or at least different) hair barrettes. (Hair corralling is very important for me...my hair is long and fine and thinning and graying, so if it's not restrained, I become the Wicked Witch of the West...only without the flying monkeys, sadly.)
I saw yours for sale. Silver: Ooo, shiny. Native American: I'm that; this barrette was Southwestern, I'm Eastern Woodlands, but that's okay...we're all Native together. Old design: Excellent. I'm kind of vintage too.
So I bought the barrette. Gave it a quick swish with a polishing cloth when it eventually arrived - mail to my location is slow and often very problematic - snapped it onto my unruly Medusa hair, and off I went.
I work at a US Embassy located in a Eurasian country. My barrette not only keeps me looking professional, it reminds me of home every time I put it on. I think of Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni folks who make such beautiful things, and remember how Arizona shimmers in the heat, and the taste of real Mexican food in dusty border towns. It's like a spirit that hovers close behind me, whispering of home when where I am now gets to be too much.
Thank you for sharing its magic with me. God bless you. :-)
Coincidentally this was my "go to" barrette and now it's the same for someone else!
It's so nice to be remembered, even by complete strangers! Thank you HS! Here is the email with story as promised first posted in feedback!
Hi Kennedy,
Here's the story I promised you...
So I was playing around on Etsy one evening, looking for some new (or at least different) hair barrettes. (Hair corralling is very important for me...my hair is long and fine and thinning and graying, so if it's not restrained, I become the Wicked Witch of the West...only without the flying monkeys, sadly.)
I saw yours for sale. Silver: Ooo, shiny. Native American: I'm that; this barrette was Southwestern, I'm Eastern Woodlands, but that's okay...we're all Native together. Old design: Excellent. I'm kind of vintage too.
So I bought the barrette. Gave it a quick swish with a polishing cloth when it eventually arrived - mail to my location is slow and often very problematic - snapped it onto my unruly Medusa hair, and off I went.
I work at a US Embassy located in a Eurasian country. My barrette not only keeps me looking professional, it reminds me of home every time I put it on. I think of Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni folks who make such beautiful things, and remember how Arizona shimmers in the heat, and the taste of real Mexican food in dusty border towns. It's like a spirit that hovers close behind me, whispering of home when where I am now gets to be too much.
Thank you for sharing its magic with me. God bless you. :-)
Good morning! Thank you so much for
the heart warming endearing story! At the time, I didn't know it, but I
just needed to hear one refreshing story from a kind Etsy buyer to
dissipate several odd rants from over the holidays! And it was yours!
Many, many thanks for your perfect timing!
I am so happy this barrette found it's way to you and brought it's magic along with it. I have thought about you and our barrette, since it was my favorite "go to" barrette when I was an inner city teacher, but can not use it anymore due to allergies.
I must say that your story has really enforced my nerve to keep my thinning and graying long hair...long, gray and Medusa too!!! I think it needs to be at least trimmed and I do have long debates with myself to try henna on it, but since I'm retired, I just bundle it up or braid it now. I guess the scissors and box of henna will stay put, until the next debate over a younger looking Medusa stops by in the mirror.
I did find a souvenir from Alaska in my hoard! However, it's not very shiny. It's an old brass color sweetheart souvenir with double hearts of faux mother of pearl and from it hangs a photo book locket that will hold up to six photos.
Will photo it today and let you know when I list it. If you'd like to keep in touch email me at vintagetogoetsy@yahoo.com
Kudos to you and your work at the Embassy, it must be very interesting to stay diplomatic. I watched 5th Estate last week and wonder how I am ever going to keep up with this ever evolving world!
PS. I hope I can use your story "as is" on my blog and will leave you anonymous.
Kindest regards,
~Kennedy at
www.etsy.com/shop/HoarderRehab
www.etsy.com/shop/thedestinyofthings
www.etsy.com/shop/vintagetogoetsy
www.etsy.com/pt/shop/JunkDrawerLoveEtsy
Read 150+ stories from Etsy buyers who help me stay focused on my Hoarder Rehab!
hoarderrehab.blogspot.com/
Sales are high during the winter holidays, but with it comes deadlines that I have no control over as soon as I give the packages to USPS and often some get carried away into the hustle and bustle of the holidays and this year it was not so pleasant, so much so....I think I'll avoid it all by taking us on a long winter vacation next year!
HS's emails came just at the right time, just when I thought the humanity that was coming my way had temporary insanity and some how lost touch with kindness, compassion and empathy for a month or two!
Then I received a second email!!!!!
Dear Kennedy,
I am very happy to hear that my story helped you feel better after the odd rants. (It seems sometimes that the entire Internet is made up of odd rants, eh?)
Your barrette is my "go-to-meeting" barrette. It has a strong protective energy to it, which helps a lot. Some days I need all the help I can get...
Of course you can use my story on your blog. I would be delighted. Maybe the occasional update too, like the "roaming gnome?" ;-)
Be well,
HS
I am so happy this barrette found it's way to you and brought it's magic along with it. I have thought about you and our barrette, since it was my favorite "go to" barrette when I was an inner city teacher, but can not use it anymore due to allergies.
I must say that your story has really enforced my nerve to keep my thinning and graying long hair...long, gray and Medusa too!!! I think it needs to be at least trimmed and I do have long debates with myself to try henna on it, but since I'm retired, I just bundle it up or braid it now. I guess the scissors and box of henna will stay put, until the next debate over a younger looking Medusa stops by in the mirror.
I did find a souvenir from Alaska in my hoard! However, it's not very shiny. It's an old brass color sweetheart souvenir with double hearts of faux mother of pearl and from it hangs a photo book locket that will hold up to six photos.
Will photo it today and let you know when I list it. If you'd like to keep in touch email me at vintagetogoetsy@yahoo.com
Kudos to you and your work at the Embassy, it must be very interesting to stay diplomatic. I watched 5th Estate last week and wonder how I am ever going to keep up with this ever evolving world!
PS. I hope I can use your story "as is" on my blog and will leave you anonymous.
Kindest regards,
~Kennedy at
www.etsy.com/shop/HoarderRehab
www.etsy.com/shop/thedestinyofthings
www.etsy.com/shop/vintagetogoetsy
www.etsy.com/pt/shop/JunkDrawerLoveEtsy
Read 150+ stories from Etsy buyers who help me stay focused on my Hoarder Rehab!
hoarderrehab.blogspot.com/
Sales are high during the winter holidays, but with it comes deadlines that I have no control over as soon as I give the packages to USPS and often some get carried away into the hustle and bustle of the holidays and this year it was not so pleasant, so much so....I think I'll avoid it all by taking us on a long winter vacation next year!
HS's emails came just at the right time, just when I thought the humanity that was coming my way had temporary insanity and some how lost touch with kindness, compassion and empathy for a month or two!
Then I received a second email!!!!!
Dear Kennedy,
I am very happy to hear that my story helped you feel better after the odd rants. (It seems sometimes that the entire Internet is made up of odd rants, eh?)
Your barrette is my "go-to-meeting" barrette. It has a strong protective energy to it, which helps a lot. Some days I need all the help I can get...
Of course you can use my story on your blog. I would be delighted. Maybe the occasional update too, like the "roaming gnome?" ;-)
Be well,
HS
Hi again!
OH MY!!! I would love an occasional update, like the "roaming gnome!!!!" That would be the ultimate to the max!
Awhile ago, I almost bought a miniature replica of Nino's photo book, but as a recovering hoarder had to stop myself, so I look forward to having a "roaming gnome" occasional update!!!! Thank you so much!
Yes, thank you your email made me laugh and I will post your our story this Friday to read as kind funny remedy about odd rants!
Interesting how a little object can hold enough positive energy to help us to the end of a trying day! I remember when I bought my first piece of Native American jewelry as a child. He said I had chosen a strong piece made by a true magical artist.
Thank you for your emails and take care also,
Kindest regards,
~Kennedy at
hoarderrehab@gmail.com
www.etsy.com/shop/HoarderRehab
www.etsy.com/shop/thedestinyofthings
www.etsy.com/shop/vintagetogoetsy
www.etsy.com/pt/shop/JunkDrawerLoveEtsy
Read 150+ stories from Etsy buyers who help me stay focused on my HoarderRehab!
hoarderrehab.blogspot.com/
I am so thrilled that someone feels the same way about my barrette as I did when I had it. I had a "go to" kit when I taught and kept them all together and this barrette was included! How coincidental or is that serendipitous?
Has this barrette started something as magical as happenstance events like in the movie, Amelie? I hope so! Only time will tell and time so far is on my side!
Native American items have always brought me little magical miracle happenings! I received many Native American bracelets as a child from my Grandmother as souvenirs from her travels and fishing trips. their house held many artifacts too, like all kinds of handwoven baskets, arrowheads, carved animals from stones and bones.
As a child when my friends all wanted to be blonde and blue eyed, I secretly wanted to be Indian with long braids, a bow and arrow and enough posture to carry a gallon of water in a vase on my head! I used to often wonder how different our world would be today if the Indians had won and we all traveled around in teepees, living off the land while taking care of the earth. I think I was a strange child.
Anyways, when I was about 8 years old, my parents let me go choose a souvenir on my own, all by myself. I'm not even sure where it was somewhere out in the middle of no where from one of our camping trips, but I do remember there were cases and cases of Indian jewelry and I was heaven!
I have no idea how long I was in there walking around in a stupored awe, but no one bothered me about it and I finally asked to see a pendant. I was told by the Indian man behind the counter (in those days, it was pc to call them that, I don't know what or how it changed to Native American) that it was the Zuni Sun God and I had chosen a strong piece made by someone with much magic and special powers.
I never took off that necklace! And it did become powerful and magical, at least on the basketball court on my driveway! Not one boy on the street would play "one on one", "Horse" or "21" with me unless I took off that necklace and left it in the house! Not even my pocket would do!
Saying Goodbye: My Native American jewelry collection was so vast, even I had no idea how large it was or even still might be! So far, I think over 32 pieces have sold with the majority being bracelets and cross pendants. This posting is a good reminder to list more of my Native American jewelry, as of this posting I only have six pieces listed, here.
I also have or had quite an extensive barrette collection too because since childhood I did not like my hair to get in my eyes and often wore barrettes to keep it off my face. So far 10 barrettes have found new lives and homes and three matching ones are listed here. I still have several hand painted others from childhood that I can not let go as of yet!
What I Learned:
1. As a recovering hoarder, I am moving into a different direction and even though I am probably only half way through my dehoarding journey ready to move on. I will still be listing items on all four shops and I will also be trying out new alternatives to retail therapy to destress, like 4 hour art project days making collage art, mending clothes and assemblage mixed media art and jewelry.
I will continue to use this blog as a way to record my journey, figure out how to break my hoarding habits, find alternatives and peel away at the layers and layers of hoarding recovery mind to get to the other side.
2. I am thankful for the kindness of strangers and for the connections that have been forged and sometimes turned into built bridges! It is so comforting to me as a recovery hoarder to know that I am not being judged harshly, but people are reaching out to me with their stories and supporting me in the most helpful ways and even making dehoarding fun!
One simple silver lining of the sometimes pain felt when I let go is to know that someone else "out there" values it just as much as I do and can feel it's magic too. That little extra strong protective push from that magical something to make it through the day....for me knowing that something as simple as a shared favorite barrette can help muster all the help one needs in someone else's Medusa hair do and add the extra bounce of confidence to glide into a meeting is more than I've ever asked for as a recovering hoarder!
What is your "go to" little something that powers you to no end at just the right moment? Lately, mine has been Trader Joes organic 70% chocolate with almonds, since I'm trying to not be so attached to my things!
Thank you HS from our Etsy shop, Hoarder Rehab for sending your inspirational "just in the nick of time" email story to ward off the rash of odd holiday rants! I look forward to an occasional "roaming gnome" update! What fun!
Thank you Etsy for helping me come this far in my HoarderRehab journey and for the online business experience that is quite eye opening, full of surprises and connections.
Thank you US, Brazil, Thailand, UK, Indonesia, Italy, Singapore, China, France, South Africa, Chile, Germany, New Zealand and Russia for joining me in my HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!
Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab, The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEasy and now JunkDrawerLove! There are about 103 items listed on JunkDrawerLove and relistings to each shops daily and adding new listings weekly to all shops too! Thanks for looking!
Maybe you'll find something to take home and share your story too!
Related Stories:
1. This story has always reminded of the movie, Amelie because this person found a box of long forgotten nostalgia, lost it and refound it through me! Read "Continuous Virgin Mary Band Ring: The Destiny of Things, Story XXX" here
2. My Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite: Native American Souvenir Barrette, here
3. My huge heavy Native American barrette from the Orange County Fair, here
4. Other stories from my Native American collection, here
Most Read Stories of the Week: My Instant Miswak Toothbrush, No Toothpasted Needed, here and Russel Wright Sterling China plates like Disneyland Carnation Cafe Plates, here.
The Most Read Story of the Month: My soon to be famous paper clips and box will appear in the AMC show called, "Halt and Catch Fire," Read about it here
Most Read Story of the Week and All Time: My Louis Vuitton Collection: the end of my collection is the beginning for someone else. The last piece of my LV collection, my 80s LV gold cornered wallet is available here at The Destiny of Things!
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