I’m lucky in that I have a good gift-giver as a husband. He knows that the path to my heart is paved with kitchen tools and cookbooks. For our recent anniversary he gave me doughnut pans (which will be making their debut this weekend) and I have been on Cloud 9 ever since.

He’s lucky in that I’m not a huge jewelry girl. That is, until last Fall, when I fell fast and hard for a necklace. Pinned it, talked about it, swooned over it–never thinking that it would become a reality.

But, Christmas called. And Santa delivered my most favorite gift since I received Bella for my birthday years ago.

Can you tell what it is?

This, my friends, is a necklace made from a cast of Bella’s nose. And I am totally in love.

If you know me, if you’ve read just one post on this blog, you know how obsessed I am with my fur baby. The reality of her getting older is not completely lost on me, though I do a damn good job swimming in denial. Just the thought of having to be without her brings on an all-out ugly cry.

See that nose? I nuzzle and kiss it no less than 100 times a day, I’m sure. And now I have it forever.

The genius behind this piece of art is Jackie Kaufman. Once Joe placed his order, she sent us a packet of molds with crystal clear instructions. I was worried about both me messing it up and Bella absolutely hating her nose surrounded in putty, but it was as quick and painless as can be.

Bella, the forever skeptic. “What IS this stuff?”

Sorry, no photos of the process, since it took his hands to hold her and my hands to take the mold.

Our three molds! The one closest to the camera is the one she ended up using.

Fast-forward a few months and it was here! The best part was Jackie returned the mold she used, which I’ll also keep forever.

She also engraved the back with Bella’s name. Which made me tear up even more when I opened the box.

Thank you Jackie and Joe, for this amazing gift, for preserving Bells’ symbol of curiosity and love that I will forever keep close to my heart.

Obsessed with your own fur baby? Head over to Jackie’s Etsy shop to start your necklace today. Her gifts will quite literally rock your world.