If you had told me, ten years ago, that I would someday own a pendant with a bit of my breastmilk preserved in resin, I would have thought you were completely insane.
But today I do indeed own such a piece of jewelry - two, in fact - thanks to HollyDay Designs.* Holly, a mother of two who lives in Illinois, created them from milk I sent her. One is a large flower like the one you see to the right, and the other is actually the one you see to the left - an experiment Holly did using a penny as a backing with a crescent moon design.
Holly offers a number of designs - different sizes and designs for the milk, from flowers to double hearts. You send her about a tablespoon of milk (fresh or frozen), double bagged, by regular mail, along with a note about the design you'd like. I was a little worried about the bags getting punctured, so I sent it in a Priority Mail envelope, but Holly says that this isn't necessary. Then she creates the pendant in the style you specify. The process takes about four weeks to complete. You can learn more about her inspiration and her process here.
The result is a really sweet and simple piece of jewelry. It has a nice smooth texture and would look great on anything from a chain to a silk ribbon. It also doesn't yell, "I'm made from breastmilk!" I haven't worn mine in public yet because I can't wear any jewelry without it getting ripped off by my toddler, but when I do I doubt that anyone would be able to figure out what it is. When someone asks what it's made of - well, that's really the test, huh?
The thing that makes these pendants so special, I think, is that they're one of the few possible tangible reminders of a breastfeeding experience. Breastfeeding is such a powerful experience, but in the scheme of a lifetime it's very short, and while it's so intense it's also gone in an instant. We can take pictures and video, but few other things remain after it's all done. Even if you never wore it, just having it in your jewelry box or a baby's keepsake box is a powerful reminder.
Holly has very generously offered to give away a pendant (value up to $65). To enter to win, leave a comment below. Leave a comment by midnight EST on August 15th, 2011. U.S. addresses only, one entry per household, please. Winner will be chosen using random.org and announced in the comments section. Winner has three days from receipt of email to respond, or I'll have to pick another winner, and I hate doing that. *I received these pendants as review samples.
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