When Carolyn Anderson was a little girl, charm bracelets were all the rage. They represented any of life's important rites of passage, commemorating everything from the loss of a first tooth to a Sweet 16 celebration, a graduation to a marriage, and so on.
|
Longview resident Carolyn Anderson shows off some of her favorite charms.
|
|
Carolyn's collection - she has more than 100 charms!
|
Growing up in the '50s, Carolyn couldn't afford charms of her own. Still, she became fascinated by the small trinkets that so many of her classmates wore.
Her first charm was given to her in her 20s, and since then this 56-year-old Longview resident has acquired more than 100 charms to decorate her wrist.
"My first charm laid in my jewelry box forever. Finally, in the late '70s I decided it was time to start collecting more," Carolyn said. "I'd look for them anywhere I could ... flea markets, antique stores, you name it."
Now she not only collects them for herself, but she also collects them for her two grown daughters and two granddaughters.
"A part of being a mother is wanting your children and grandchildren to have the things you didn't have when you were growing up," Carolyn said. "I think everyone should have a charm bracelet. Wearing one is so much fun, and it's such a great way to express yourself!"
