Alyce's necklace

Isn't this just really cool? My friend Alyce Dodge made in our high school ceramics class, and I loved it now and I loved it then. I was so surprised when she gave it to me for Christmas since I was certain it was destined for her precious mom. The Dodge Family were the kind of family who gave each other only things that they'd made for Christmas, something I didn't appreciate then but now hold with the highest regard. Christmas doesn't seem right without handmade gifts. And I know from my experience that making even some gifts isn't easy in these hectic times.

But to make the presents like Alyce made! I always equated her to Herr Drosselmeyer from the Nut Cracker Ballet. Her presents seemed like they would come alive and were so beautiful they belonged on Maurice Sendak's version of the Nut Cracker tree.

And in another version of things that should be jewelry even though they're not are these two lovely dolls Alyce gave me from the same era named Pierre and Julia. Don't you just love Pierre's '70's side burns? Alyce has a perfect eye for detail.