You know that oft-quoted line about good local pubs, "There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met yet"? Yeah, Kathleen and Win are like that. After meeting purely by chance, it was easy to really like their dry wit, compassion, intellectual spark and unabashed enthusiasm for life in general. (Bonding over an extended Bruins playoff run was even easier). So when their first child was born, I double-checked Kathleen's favorite color and made a necklace with all three of their names encoded.

One of my favorite people on the planet is from the Northwoods of Minnesota, and her eyes are the color of the sky and the lakes she paddles on. When she moved to Europe for her dream job, I knew I had to build her one of these. Rather than her name, I chose words which remind me most of her steadfast faith, unshakeable hope, and relentless cheer.

One of the things I love about our fencing club is that the most fascinating people walk through the door. Simone is one of those people: kind, insatiably curious, ridiculously smart, and one of the most gracious and graceful people I know.  I chose these soft blues to complement her impeccable sense of style.