CDH Awareness Jewelry?

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Some of our members have posted about CDH awareness jewelry and it's such a great idea it deserves it's on topic. Ok, everyone, how can we do this? Ideas? Suggestions?

Kim wrote - How about all those jewelry crafters out there? What about a beaded bracelet or pin that says CDH on it? Or even come up with a symbol that can be used as a bracelet charm?

Jeanne wrote - I am a jewelry crafter and have been trying to come up with ideas to make a CHERUB bracelet with crystal beads and letters. It could also be personalized with the child's name. Another bracelet idea is a charm bracelet that could be added to over time. I found a website that does custom engraved tags. If you are interested, I'll try to make up some samples and post pictures. I also have some ideas about making angel pins. Since I only recently joined, I don't know what ideas others may have proposed already.
The site for the charms is www.charmfactory.com

[Amy Rademaker]

What about finding a nice chain and pendant with matching earrings depicting a CHERUB, or even the mother holding child that could be given as a gift to mothers of survivors and non-survivors, or grand mothers? Could we have it customized to say CHERUBS? I know that I have purchased the "bratz" at JC Penney after my children were born, but I had to act quickly because they were going out of style when my last son was born (2004), they came in 24K or Sterling Silver and were a little expensive.

[KimberlyRichards]

Hi Jeanne, I saw your post on the RI forum. Just wanted to put in my
2 sense on the bracelet idea. I think swarovski crystals are a great idea,
along with the silver alphabet beads. I don't know much about
jewelry making but I going to throw some ideas at you. I was thinking
about colors: Maybe a rainbow of colors similar to the cherubs logo,
personalize them by birthstone, or pick a color similar to the ribbons
for all bracelets. Since it would be an awareness bracelet I was
thinking that it should say CDH on it somewhere. Either with the
alphabet beads or maybe a charm that says CDH on it. Let me
know what you think!!
Also, I just wanted to say i am very sorry for your loss. I think it
is wonderful that you have joined Cherubs to help support Corin and
your grandson!

Kim

[MarieBrown]

what a great idea, I would certainly be interested
Marie

[Tammy Pettus-Kopacz]

treasure island jewelry company is an online wholesaler that does custom engraving.

Oriental Trading has custom rubber bracelets, lanyards and keychains for cheap. I purchase from them a few time. Sometimes it's cheesy sometime it's top quality.

The heart bracelet with Cherubs on one side and the child's name on the other would be cute.
[left:d22d0a18d0]http://www.limogesjewelry.com/products/L581316998L.gif[/left:d22d0a18d0]

[Bobbi Steiner]

I would certainly be interested in something like this.

[karahess]

I don't get it. I'm going to be a real poop here, but isn't one of the goals to be able to wear something that makes a statement and makes people aware of CDH. When I see a lapel pin, especially a ribbon, I automatically think "awareness to something". When I see someone wearing a bracelet, I don't bat an eye. Most everyone wears them. It's like its so common that its ignored. Don't take me wrong; I like bracelets, but I'm just afraid that it would go by unrecognized and that would defeat our purpose.

[Tammy Pettus-Kopacz]

I get what your saying, but on the other hand. There are people who see an awareness ribbon as just another ribbon. There are tons and tons of ribbons out there. I think a bracelet is more personable. If someone is willing to notice it and ask about it they are truly concerned and want to listen. (just my opinion).

Besides, there are plenty of items already in the cherubs store that send an awareness message. That's why I also suggested, the rubber bracelets (also a million of them out there).

I was thinking of something like this bracelet as more of a gift to a mother or grandmother of a cherub.

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Well, we could do ribbons too but they are trendy, every color is already taken and they don't last and well, why be like everyone else? First it was the rubber bracelets and now ribbons. How many of us have broken and/or faded rubber bracelets and ribbons? We talked a bit about ribbons over at http://www.cdhsupport.org/members/viewtopic.php?t=749 and listed what all the colors mean and which organizations are already using them, etc. For example, at least 8 organizations use a red ribbon, 6 with silver, 13 for dark purple, etc.

Jewelry can be different, maybe a bracelet or a necklace or both. We can be bright and bold and DIFFERENT and catch the eyes of others and make them ask "Hey, what does that mean? What's that for?". Just a little creativity and we can do it.

Maybe glass beads in the 6 main rainbow colors that we use on our logo, with beads that say CHERUBS between them or CDH Awareness and on the other side of the beads your cherubs name, with 2 cherub charms on each side or something. We have to be careful with the rainbow colors though, as there is a very well-known organization for gay and lesbian rights that used the rainbow.

Or maybe like the logo characters we can use bright colors for the rainbows for some and pastel for other and then no matter what we wear, we'll always match. I'm big on matching my clothes, call me OCD but I have to have *everything* matching or it bugs me all day, even if no know one else knows or notices - so being stuck with one color ribbon on every outfit does not appeal to me.

Some of us have been wearing cherub / angel pins for years and are often asked why we are wearing them. I'm sure Judi can tell some great stories of all the pins she wore for years at work at the Pentagon.

Jeanne is coming up with a few ideas I think? And she posted a great link too - www.charmfactory.com

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Thinking about this all afternoon.... if everyone really wants ribbons, let's do something no other organization is doing and something that will reflect our cherubs. How about light blue with white clouds and we can wear a cherub/angel pendant in the middle? Maybe we can find a magnet company who can do that and not charge us to make a ton of them up front. And a ribbon company that sells ribbon with clouds and we can order directly from them and each make ribbons for family and friends.

But I don't think we should give up on the jewelry idea - we can do both!