My mother in law turns 90 in early June.  We are having a family get-together party and each of her children are bringing an item from their childhood, as is she.  

What items are being brought to the get-together remains secret, but, because I have a baby and children's jewelry website, my delightful mother in law has revealed to me that she's binging her own baby bracelet.  I suspect her daughter knows the existence of this but I have never heard of it being discussed at any family meet-ups in the past.  

With Victorian style baby jewelry especially, becoming extremely popular again, as well as other vintage and antique jewelry, I am dying to see it. She tells me that she also had a baby brooch, but sadly it hasn't been seen except in photographs, for years.  She is one of 8 sisters and she told me that they all had bracelets as babies but she can only remember the one brooch.  Perhaps it was passed down as each baby was born?  She is the eldest of her siblings and she intends speaking to the youngest at the party to see if she knows anything about the brooch.  It would be sad if it has been lost.

So often I preach "family keepsakes" in this blog and I thought this story backed up my love of such an idea, in a big way.

There is such a huge array of baby and children's jewelry on the market, particularly online that almost anybody would be able to easily find a baby bracelet, or a pair of children's earrings, for example, that's just what they're looking for.

Often, the baby Christening gift or first birthday gift that you're looking for is one intended to become a family keepsake, to be worn and photographed and admired for the duration that the item fits the baby or small child until it's outgrown, the desire being that the gift will be so special that one day, a baby born in the future, will also wear the little baby bracelet, baby bangle, etc.  This is when traditional, or classic baby jewelry is what's called for.  A family keepsake.  

Jewelry stores tend to stock traditional baby jewelry but have very little to choose from.  Often this includes baby brooches which are made to be worn on baby's little matinee jackets, which is an item of baby apparel that's rarely worn these days.  

Online, there is a much greater range.  Tiny gold baby bracelets, often featuring a Filigree chain and a locket or heart charm, little sterling silver baby ID bracelets, sometimes with a bluebird set on the ID plate, or with a bare ID plate for inscribing a personal message.  Gold or sterling silver baby bangles, hinged and with a fine safety chain, or engraved and expanding in size to accommodate the rapid growth years.

A tiny, fine gold or silver chain with a heart pendant or a cross, simple or engraved, sometimes with a cz stone or a tiny gem, to be worn on her Christening day but kept for special occasions thereafter.  These are the timeless baby jewelry items that are normally kept for future babies in the family, or for the current baby's own children in the future.  

Thankfully, we need not concern ourselves with baby jewelry that's made of gold or sterling silver.  There has been enormous publicity surrounding dangerous metals in baby jewellery, especially nickel and lead and, more recently, cadmium, for good reason.  

These metals are found in cheap children's jewelry bought at chain stores which are alloys (or a mix of metals) or paints. The danger is very real that these metals can be absorbed if baby sucks on her jewelry.  

If buying your loved new addition to the family a baby bracelet or a little baby necklace, you can't go wrong with buying precious metals.  Try to avoid the tempting prices and very pretty colours of the cheap varieties because babies can be very quick (and silent!) when popping pretty baubles in their mouths.

There are no dangerous metals in silver or gold baby jewelry.

There are loads of absolutely divine, modern styles of baby jewelry, both on the net, and in jewelry stores and these styles are very popular.  But there remains a hard core of traditionalists out there who love classic, traditional baby jewelry.  

Prior to Christmas, I spent months scouring the web looking for new and different styles, new suppliers who can supply us with baby jewelry and children's jewelry, most particularly baby bracelets and baby bangles, to suit newborns, baby christening jewelry and first birthday gifts.  

We found a family of gold and silversmiths in England who've been making baby jewelry since 1825.  Still in the hands of this family, they still use some traditional methods of making baby jewelry by hand.  We've acquired some gorgeous embossed, expanding baby bangles and some baby ID bracelets in sterling silver but now that we know their jewelry lives up to their photos and descriptions, we're about to order some 14ct gold bangles and bracelets.  

Keep an eye out if you love traditional baby jewelry!

Have you noticed that most babies these days own some pieces of baby jewelry?  Almost all babies these days, seem to have at least one baby bracelet or bangle, perhaps a charm bracelet strung with baby charms, or, if they have their ears pierced, as is increasingly the case, starting their own collection of baby earrings!

Not too long ago, perhaps a generation ago, we rarely saw babies wearing jewellery.  The very fortunate babies might have been given some special item such as an exquisitely engraved baby bangle or ID bracelet as a Christening gift, but most babies did not own a piece of jewelry.

We all want our gifts to the newborn to be something special.  We want to show how welcome the new baby is, how thrilled we are about her arrival and we want to give something that will receive a lot of use, and not just worn for a few weeks until outgrown, or worn out, or stained, or scuffed, and then thrown out.  Yes, we are a throw-away society - especially when it comes to babies.  These days, babies seem to come into this world with new cot, new bedding, new clothing, new toys, whereas not so long ago, things were kept and passed on, either within the family or to neighbours, friends or friends of friends.

The great thing about a piece of baby jewellery is, we can be pretty sure that, even when it's outgrown, it will not be thrown out.  It will be kept for the baby for when she's grown up, perhaps for her own children, or passed down to her siblings as they arrive.  

The family portraits will record your gift so it will never be forgotten.  

Your little jewelry gift will be worn for longer than a jumpsuit, last longer than a little toy, won't become so unwashable that it is put in the rubbish, and won't date like her first dress or pair of shoes.  

And when it is outgrown, it's likely to be placed in safe storage, in wait for when the baby has grown up and given back in time to celebrate the arrival of her own baby.  

Which makes the purchase of that little baby jewelry gift, an excellent value gift!

I can't think of a single event more exciting and more welcomed, than the birth of a new baby into the family.  

We all look in anticipation to the arrival for many months, devouring the latest news of baby's growth and her mother's health.  

A pregnancy can be a nerve-wracking time for those close to the Mum-to-be, hoping for a healthy baby who gets the best start in life.

When baby arrives, in our excitement, we all want to show the new mother our love and how thrilled we are at the arrival of her new baby.  So what do we do?  We buy gifts!  Gifts to help the family cope with the new baby's needs, like clothing, baby equipment and toys.

Unfortunately, all these things wear out, are grown out of, date, or become faulty in time.  Which makes the gift of baby jewellery such an excellent idea.  Not only will Baby look divine wearing her little baby bracelet, or her little baby necklace, anklet or brooch, but it will be preserved in her family photos, baby portraits, etc.

Then, when the item has been grown out of, it can be placed into storage, taking up very little space, until the next baby arrives, or even for the next generation!

Some parents frame their baby bracelets, putting them on display, along with her hand/foot prints, and other memorabilia.  This way your gift is never forgotten.  

I am very happy to announce that in the New Year, we're getting some absolutely divine, gold baby bracelets and children's earrings.

We've long been looking for some reasonably priced gold baby jewelry and we've managed to find a Spanish baby jewelry manufacturer who have the prettiest 14K gold and gold with hand enamelling, baby and children's jewelry.  

In the meantime, we still have oru 9ct gold bunny rabbit baby and children's earrings, which are superb.  We did have some lovely, tiny, 3mm gold studs but have sold out and been unable to replace.  We also have some gold-filled bracelets in our Affordable Range.

But last week, we were thrilled to receive a shipment of our first traditional 14k baby ID bracelets.  They are fine but strong, very delicate looking and feminine, perfect for the tiniest wrist.  They measure 4.5 inches but extend another inch so that baby can get plenty of wear from it during her most rapid growth phase.  They are on a Figaro chain.  They are exactly what I bought my own granddaughters when they were born, years ago so I am hoping other grandmothers like them as well.

Solid baby bangles, without charms or safety chains are probably the safest of baby jewelry and for that reason are a very popular gift when a new baby arrives.  Adjustable bangles are equally safe but can see baby through her fastest growth period, as opposed to only 6 - 12 months.  For this reason, expanding baby bangles are becoming one of the most popular gifts for a new baby. 

Adjustable bangles easily slide together or apart, thus creating a smaller or larger bangle.  This means most of this style of bangle can be purchased for a newborn, and adjusted to fit, then as she grows, made larger several times as she grows.

Baby bracelets are very popular for newborn gifts and most come with at least one extra jump ring on an extension so that the bracelet can fit the tiniest of babies right through their rapid growth stage, until age 4, 5 or more.  

Remember bracelets should be removed from baby before she's put down to sleep because the links can be broken if she gets it hooked onto something.  The pieces could possibly become a choking hazard if ingested when she wakes up.  Bangles on the other hand have no pieces to break off.

Baby bracelets are the newborn gift which is most likely to be put away for future siblings or for the original recipient's own children, a generation down the track.  Your gift will be remembered always.  

Recently you may have noticed the trend back towards black and white photography.  Wedding photos, family portraits and baby portraits are now commonly produced in black and white.

I think black and white photography has its place but I'm unsure that all occasions look better in black and white than colour, however there an idea being used by local photographers who specialise in baby portraiture, which I've really taken a liking to.

The photographer sets baby on a very plain background, lying on a fur rug, or in a cushioned basket or some other situation, bare of all clothing except a colourful braceleton her roly poly wrist.  The photo is developed in black and white but the bracelet is kept in full colour.

The result is very different and has a touch of "art" about it.

We have loads of baby bracelets perfectly suitable for this situation.  Our little Millefiori colourful baby bracelets are the first ones that come to mind, in oranges, blues, yellows and reds.  We also have little charm bracelets with pink and blue and yellow enamelled charms (bears and flowers.)  A quick look through the baby bracelets category will show up a variety of colourful bracelets which would produce a stunning effect.

The same style of portraiture is often seen with baby wearing just a bow in her hair, or a hand-knitted hat or a single pink bootee.  

Other types of baby jewelry would do the trick but I think the bracelet is perfect.

If you're thinking about giving a piece of baby jewelry for a first birthday gift, consider the great deal of growth baby will undergo in the next few years.  For this reason, baby bangles with an extension for growth are an excellent idea, because they give years of wear.  Ditto for little baby bracelets with an extension for growth.

Baby necklaces too, can have an extension for growth, or the ability to be clasped at any point along the necklace, which is a great asset. Some baby bracelets are also able to be closed in this manner.  

Sizing isn't a problem with baby brooches, however, most mothers stop dressing their babies in their brooches by about 18 months which makes them less of an option for a first birthday gift, unless you're thinking of it more as a family keepsake.

Baby/children's charms are an excellent idea for any child's birthday gift.  Give them a sweet, little, naked charm bracelet at age one, and add to it each year with a new charm for each following birthday.  This is a great idea adopted by many grandparents, Godparents and aunties and personalises the bracelet to suit the recipient.

Some mothers have their baby's ears pierced quite early, which also gives the option of baby earrings, of which there are a huge selection, and they make an inexpensive gift that baby will not grow out of for many years.