Family and Relationships - Symbol Selection
Our original family and relationship symbols are available on all of our handcrafted sterling silver jewelry (necklaces, earrings, and bracelets) styles. Esther Winter, jewellery designer draws each original Winterchild symbol by hand. The symbol is then forged into a hardened steel stamp. Next, the stamp is hammered into the sterling silver to create an imprint. Final touches include curving the silver and polishing. Handcrafted in the Yukon, Canada.
Isn't this what we all want for our closest friends, to grant them their dearest wishes, to save them from their sadness, and to bring them deep joy?
These young friends playing dress-up and the one granting her friend's wish captures the meaning of friendship beautifully.
If you blur your eyes by squeezing them nearly closed, you’ll see that the outline of these two embracing fairies are actually the shape of a heart. It may be just whimsy, but I love the notion of such an embrace being the origin of the "heart" symbol.
When creating this image I envisioned my children's great, great-grandmother as a young Gwich-in woman. She is smiling with delight as her baby plays with her braid and thinking how perfect her baby is. She represents the unfaltering love that connects all mothers with their babies throughout all of time.
In this image the big sister is determinedly combing pigtails into her baby sister’s short hair. As a baby sister, I can honestly say that my sisters were my first friends in this world. Having this shared past with each other makes for an especially unique friendship.
A sister is the one friend who will give her straight-forward opinion without offending us, love us no matter what and always be depended on. She is a most cherished companion and we are truly blessed to have her at our side in body and spirit through life’s journey.
What is closer to our hearts as a mother, than our sweet daughters? She is first a child to nurture yet with the passage of time she becomes the dearest of friends and our confidante.
"I love you... sweet daughter of mine."
