My Favorite Rosaries...and more...

I found this meme over @ AdoroteDevote's Blog and "graciously" volunteered myself to be memed as well...Someone had asked to see three pictures of our favorite rosaries, and Adoro posted that anyone could join in if they wanted to do so. This one being right up my alley, so to speak, I thought I would go ahead and post my own ~ This first one is a 20-decade Rosary I made for myself a couple of years ago @ Christmastime. Since it is made of real Swarovski AB crystals (and was quite expensive to make), my dearest Michael told me it was my Christmas present, lol...but it was one I had wanted to make for a VERY long time, so I agreed ~ and very happily! All metal parts are gold. It has actually been blessed twice. When I first finished it, I took it to our parish church that Sunday and, after the Holy Mass, I tried to corner our pastor, Fr. Ben, in the vestibule to do the honors...unfortunately, he was on an emergency call, so he could not be stopped and I started looking for one of the other priests. As I wandered around, one of our deacons asked if he could help and informed me that deacons can also bless sacred objects ~ so he did it for me. About a year later, as we held our annual Blue Army Holy Mass, one of our Auxiliary Bishops came in to officiate, and afterwards, we held the Procession of the Pilgrim Virgin to our outdoor shrine. When he asked if anyone had any prayer requests, a woman held up her rosary and asked His Excellency if he would kindly bless our beads...so I held this one up and he blessed them all!
Pictured here below is the same rosary with the 7-bead attachment, so every time I use it, I won't forget to say the daily Seven Hail Marys in honor of Our Lady's Seven Sorrows ~ thereby remembering the Promises She has made to anyone who does so. I had always wanted to do this, but couldn't seem to remember to say them...so this idea occurred to me one day and it has worked like a charm! :) Added to this one also is a medal of St. Joseph holding the Child Jesus, and this rosary has been dedicated to the Holy Family, esp. to our Mother of Perpetual Help (the Centerpiece ~ see the close-up below). On the back of the Crucifix is engraved "JMJ".
This second rosary is my First Holy Communion Rosary. It is made of cut glass and is of (formerly) silver metal, which has now turned into a gold color. I am not claiming any miraculous color changes (I know this has been known to happen) but I have tried several times to clean it from all tarnish, and the color remains. :) This golden color also has affected the Crucifix as well. I am now in my late-50s so this one has been around the block quite a few times. But I have loved it since the first time I ever used it...it was on this one that I learned my Favorite Prayer.
http://whitewave39.blogspot.com/2008/04/for-fifty-yearsand-counting.html
Here is a close-up of the 7-bead attachment that I added to this one when I did the other one...I love that these 7 beads are right there, so no matter which Rosary I am using, I can remember to honor Our Lady in this way. This one also has attached a medal of St. Joseph holding the Divine Child and a Eucharistic medal as well (this one is a duplicate of a gold one that I wear on my neck chain, along with others.)Here is a link back to Adoro's Blog, where I first found this meme...and also a big "Thank-you!" for allowing me to take part! :) http://adorotedevote.blogspot.com/2008/12/rosary-meme.html
Just as an aside, there are two more rosaries that I would like to present here...the first one is gold in color and small in size ~ about half the size of a typical rosary. It was a gift from the ladies @ the National Blue Army HQ.
This last one is made of crystal, silver in color and was blessed by the late Pontiff, John Paul II.
The two added medals are from Lourdes and Fatima ~ each holding a drop of holy water.
These last two are not the ones I use the most, but I do keep them handy in different rooms in case my purse isn't nearby...where I keep the first two. There is always an occasion throughout the day to say a decade or two... :)...