A steal at only $1.02 (Babble)

My kids’ school recently had an arts and crafts fair to help raise money for the art program next year.  It’s always a nice event, with a silent auction and food, a craft area for kids to make things themselves, and lots of talented local people with pottery or jewelry or photography or other things for sale.

This year I volunteered to play viola for awhile by the makeshift cafe set up outside the food room.  I’m glad I went first, because the acts that followed were far more fun.  Solo viola music is just always going to be more somber than an accordion even if I wore sparklers in my hair during my performance, but hey, I can only do what I do, and it lent variety.  I will say, though, that I am always impressed by how many small children plunk themselves down in front of me when I play, happy to listen to Bach no matter how serious it is.  It’s always the parents who shoo them along at some point, never the kids who want to leave, which is interesting.

Anyway, I didn’t discover until I got to the fair that Mona’s class had made jewelry for it.  Her teacher had shown everyone how to make little things out of beads and wire, and the kids priced their work themselves and mounted them on display cards.  As soon as I heard about it I sought out the right table and looked for Mona’s contribution.

Took me a moment to find, but here it is:

I laughed when I saw it because $1.02?  How did Mona come up with $1.02? 

 

I don’t have pierced ears, rings and bracelets always end up bothering me, so pretty much all the jewelry I own is in necklace form.  I was glad to see Mona made a necklace and I happily handed over my money.  When I brought it to the craft area where Mona and Quinn were busy decorating toy snakes (because what we lack in our house is more toy snakes) I showed it to Mona and said, “Look at the beautiful necklace I just bought!”  Her eyes got very wide and she smiled and looked at me saying, “Mom!  I made that!”  She was so pleased I liked it enough to shell out $1.02.

Silly Mona.  For that smile I’d have gone as high as $12.50.