Unique Serving Platter

So, I’m sitting in morning rush hour traffic today, and getting some entertainment from reading the oodles of bumper stickers on the car in front of me. There were so many plastered on the rear of their car that I had to really look to see what color the car really was. It was blue. I know that bumper stickers are a great way to express yourself to the entire world, but pick something in particular. Don’t have bumper stickers for every cause that exists. Honestly, this car had political stickers, foul language, humorous sayings and abortion stickers all over the place. I’m not sure if they knew what they believed in. The absolute best part of this was that on one side of the car they had a bumper sticker that said ‘Jesus Loves You’ and on the other side was a sticker that said ‘Evolve’. Um, okay - that makes no sense whatsoever.

Almost everywhere you go anymore sells bumper stickers. They say everything imaginable and hold nothing back. I’m not a big fan of censorship, but I don’t need to see offensive words staring at me from the back of someone’s car. Nor does my pre-teen. It is great to want to show the world what your personality or interests are, but do so respectfully.

During election time, which is upon us, I always enjoy seeing the political bumper stickers that people actually permanently stick onto their vehicles. Have you ever tried to remove a bumper sticker? It isn’t easy. Anyway, my opinion on who to vote for isn’t going to be changed by how many bumper stickers I see for each candidate. I have never been on my way to vote and still up in the air about who I want to cast my vote for, seen a bumper sticker with someone’s name on it and said, “That’s who I’ll vote for.” Perhaps some people do make their decisions that way, but I definitely don’t. I love seeing the vehicles with the political bumper stickers after the election is over. Even if they lost, they need to drive around with the bumper sticker that basically now says Loser on it.

Bumper stickers aren’t just used for humorous or political purposes. Many companies advertise by passing out bumper stickers. Their employees might put them on their vehicles. I had a company make me do that once, and instead of permanently putting it on my bumper and ruining the quality of my car, I taped it on the inside of my rear window. It had the same effect and I had the comfort of knowing it wasn’t going to be there forever. I might have to reconsider having bumper stickers if my daughter ever makes it on the honor roll.

I have a passion for antique jewelry. It is incredibly fascinating to me to know what year the jewelry was made and the history of the piece if it is available. I have managed to get some absolutely magnificent pieces of antique jewelry by attending a jewelry auction when they are held. I get very competitive in my bidding if it is something that I desperately want to own. In the springtime, a perfect evening for me includes attending a jewelry auction and letting me bid until my heart is content.

I have a diamond ring that I did manage to purchase at a jewelry auction several years ago. At the time, I paid only $450 for it. I knew very little about the ring, but knew that with a little bit of cleaning, it would be gorgeous. After I left the jewelry auction, I went directly to a jeweler that I regularly use for antique items. He cleaned it up and told me a little bit about it. According to him, it was from the 1920s and probably worth at least $5,000. I was amazed at how valuable that ring really turned out to be. From that moment on, I was convinced that the best way to get a really great deal on jewelry is to attend a jewelry auction. I read the auction section in the weekend newspapers and highlight anything local that appears to have jewelry included in the items that are for sale. When I see a headline that reads “Jewelry Auction”, I am beside myself. I think I drive my husband crazy. He refuses to attend anything that may turn out to be a jewelry auction. If the auction has hunting gear though, he could probably be tempted.

I don’t go crazy when I attend a jewelry auction. I try to have an idea of what some items should and shouldn’t sell for. That way, before I continue to bid higher I know when I should be stopping before I get ripped off. From my experiences, I have discovered that you can get some amazing jewelry items at a jewelry auction. With a bit of care and cleaning, you can restore their beauty and make them your very own. Whether it’s an antique item with a lot of history or a more recent piece of jewelry, you can find it all at a jewelry auction. Each piece of jewelry has a story to tell if you’re willing to listen. After you’re done listening, you can make a story of your own.