For me, there was always something quite
magical about marbles. Perhaps it
was the way colors seemed to be suspended
in time, within the marbles. Or maybe, here
you were a kid playing with something glass
that could not hurt you. Whatever my
attraction was, I have never lost it.
Long before any electronic game held the
attention of children, there were marbles.
Many times in my life I have said to myself…
“ahhhhhh I’m losing my marbles”.
Whatever the reason of the lament, I shook
it off and just kept going.
I had a thought about marbles that they
would make a wonderful gift, for any friend
of who was going through a rough time.
Fancy marbles can be purchased at craft stores.
Simple plain old cats eye marbles can be picked
up an any dollar store.
And some dollar stores and craft stores have
different shaped glass for sale.
I found glass sea shells at a local dollar store.
I collect tiny glass jars. Baby food jars are
perfect and my 10 year old is getting a kick
out of eating baby food fruit to add to my
collection.
I spray paint the lid and add marbles to
the jar. Sometimes I add a tiny ribbon bow
just around the neck of the jar.
With transparent tape I always add a tiny
label to the underside that says From Deb
along with the date I give someone a jar.
Just this past week, a friend of mine found
out she has breast cancer. She stopped over
one morning on her way to work.
I handed her the jar. Her response was….
“awwwwwwww marbles”.
I said to her….. “Take these with you to
work, set them on your desk, and anytime
you ~feel~ like you are losing your marbles
just glance right over here and you will see them. !!!
“You’re not losing them at ALL”
Both of our eyes welled with tears.
Simple marbles – STILL bringing joy. !!!
A History of Marbles:
Marbles were originally made from clay or
marble, hence their name.
Marbles are often mentioned in Roman literature,
and there are many examples of marbles from ancient
Egypt.
They were commonly made of stone, metal, or glass until
the 18th century, when ceramic marbles become more common.
Ceramic marbles entered mass production in the 1870's,
starting inexpensive mass-production.
Glass marbles entered mass production in the early
20th century, when WWI cut off their importation
from Europe, causing American innovation to be applied
to the task, producing a mechanized method of glass
marble production which became the most common
system in the world. Glass marbles, too, became the most
popular variety, and have remained so to this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbles
