Halloween FuN

There's a pie in there somewhere!

A Jeep ride on Halloween spells FuN to me!
.....have a safe one.....

it's a jeep thing

My husband could not wait to get our grandson his first Jeep, so last Saturday he did!

Once Alton learned he could reach the pedal, it was off to the races.

  Going forward was a bit easier than learning how to put in into reverse.

The tree in our backyard got in the way a time or two.

My daughter's chocolate lab, Jake, loved chasing them both around the yard.

I think Alton loved working the knobs more than driving.

 How do you like those seat belts?

It was a super great day!

 Alton....Jeep owner before 2!

my ♥ is full

 I just received the winter issue of Artful Blogging, which by the way, is one of my favorite Somerset Studios magazines. Did I say that? 

ALL of the Stampington magazines are my favorites!

I am so excited and feel so very blessed, that I really don't know what to say.
I am so grateful that Jennifer Jackson gave me the opportunity to be included in this issue.

The photos, as always, are just amazing, and taken by the featured bloggers themselves, which makes them all the more special.
There are so many GREAT photographers out in blog-land, I must tell you that I feel a bit intimidated.

The art of photography, just a tad behind designing jewelry,
really is a secret passion of mine!

"My Art-Filled Life"
I cannot begin to tell you how much it means for me to be living a life I've dreamed of living for more years than I can even remember.

Whether it's designing jewelry, taking photographs, or blogging....it is a wonderful life filled to the brim with exciting possibilities of having that life....one I have always dreamed of.
I just had no idea it could really happen.
***************

Most of you know I love rhinestones, and using them in my jewelry designs has just come natural.  There is absolutely nothing that makes my ♥ skip a beat faster than a gorgeous vintage rhinestone brooch.  Just like the one I bought at Marburger Farm last Spring.  

It is a vintage Mariam Haskell, 

and it will not be taken apart or used in any of my designs.  

I just could not do that, nor would I want to.

"Finding my Way Back"
I am so thankful I found my way back, not only to Marburger Farm,
but to art.
I have dabbled in so many "artful" things in my life, not sticking to one "thing" as long as I have now been designing jewelry.

I know I have found my way home, and for that, I so very thankful.

But enough about me.

Here is just a tiny sample of who else you will see in this issue.

♥ kiss the groom ♥

Elizabeth's photos are surreal.  

She tells of her first kiss, and shares this~

"Kisses are like good photographs~they transcend language, culture, and time".

I love that thought.  I love that her photographs, and perhaps mine,
can touch another person's life.  

I know that great photographs have touched me.....in so many ways. 

She tells of her grandparents,
and their secret to a long marriage of 60 years!

I can appreciate her story, as both sets of my grandparents had long marriages.

And, if you go to her website, you can design your very own 

♥ kissing tree ♥

And, then, there is

Sherry Mattia-Welch of Glamarella Junk.

Sherry says, 

"Blogging is such a positive way of reaching out to so many people that have a creative passion to share with others".  

How true is that?

Dream It

Share It

She has a drawing right now to celebrate
all of her fabulous blog friends!
Live It
That is what I intend to do. 

Someone at my (real?) work place once said, "You know Diane, you are spoiled".
I beg to disagree.
Yes, I have a good life.  I have a good husband...who is a great cook!
(which is why she said I was spoiled~LOL!)

My children are doing well.  I live in a comfortable home, drive a reliable vehicle, have good health, a mother who is still with me, and so much more...

I do not believe I am spoiled, no, because if I were I would be ungrateful.
I would take life and all I have for granted.
I don't.  I won't.....not for one minute.
That simply would be a waste of time.

♥

p.s. thank you faerwillow
 ♥
~ This issue will be out November 1st ~
♥ The plaster heart you see in my photos was made for me by Stephanie Lee. If you have the time to read her post you will understand just how special this heart really is.....♥

Resin Love

"Heart of Love"
I love to layer necklaces.
This piece is one (layer) of two necklaces I finished just before Marburger.

I did not begin with this layer.  This is layer number two.

The technique I used is one (very similar)
to that I'll teach this December in College Station.
(See link for class details just to the left on sidebar).
The focal was made using a piece of signature "damask" etched brass from my stash, brass filigree and connectors.  But before connecting, I hammered the edge, then added a brass eyelet to place a Puffy Heart below it as a dangle.  I wire wrapped my favorite vintage baroque pearls, adding bead caps.
I added two layers of chain, one being oxidized brass infinity chain and the other, an oxidized silver link chain.  I often mix brass and silver in my jewelry, this one being no different.  I added three of the Mini Puffy Hearts to the silver chain.

"Strong"
This was the first layer I designed of the set.

I poured ICE resin.
One of MANY resin pieces I designed just in time for the festival.

This one was special.  It was for me.
This is my Grandmother's wedding picture.
(psss....watch for her in an upcoming Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine)
You will recognize it from the picture you see on the left side of my blog header, as this is Rosa.  My father's mother.

Rosa had a Czech mother and a German father.
She didn't speak much English.  Very little in fact.

She was a small woman.  She was a strong woman.  

I wanted to wear a special resin piece at the festival. 
I designed this piece to be worn long.  It is what I refer to as the bottom layer of the set. 
I used a flex shaft to drill thru the resin charm to place a double layer of eyelets.

I wire wrapped my favorite vintage baroque pearls, then added a double layer of Cable Chain, a vintage bead cap, an oxidized crystal rondell, oxidized brass infinity chain, using the simple hook that came with the infinity chain, as the closure.
I decided to use brass Heart-Lets in a way that does not say charm.
I designed a connector using two, putting them together with 2-4mm jump rings.
I really like how it turned out.
A nice delicate link, with a great vintage feel.

Now it's time to put the two layers together.

Love it.  

I can wear one or the other. 

I can wear them together.

I'd love for you to join me in College Station on December 18th.
Contact me for more details.
It will be a fun class.

3rd Anniversary Sale at BB

"Vintage Crystal Dangles"

A new post at BB*D!

Hope you can join in the fun =)

it's just me...

"Buttons & Bones"

Probably by now you realize I am not the shy type.  

Call it being a Texan.  

My mother's daughter.  

My father's "I never meet a stranger" side!

*******

I've made a small group of skull earrings just in time for Halloween. 

Carved bone and oxidized crystal rondells, hung on a pair of my lovely oxidized sterling silver ear wires.

These have a delicious pair of vintage shoe buttons at the bottom!

And, as my dear friend Susie says....don't be ascared!

Oh, and here are two more pairs...one with long vintage rhinestone dangles and one with shorter vintage rhinestone dangles.

Can you imagine hand-carving these little guys?

Boo!

(If you likey any, just let me know here....they are $46 each....which includes shipping =)
p.s.texture compliments of one of my favorite Shadowhouse Creations!

Scenes from Tent "W"

I have so much to be thankful for in my life.  

One, I believe, is my appreciation for the simple things. 

If the truth be known, it is the things from the past that make me most happy.  

Such as the color of this set of enamelware funnels Agnes had on a table outside her tent.  They sat right across the court yard where I had an additional table set up to sell jewelry.

Yes, my very own space, and it was divine. 

Agnes gave me the best spot on the best side of Tent "W"
in my opinion. 

She pulled back one of the flaps, giving me a cubby inside, with the option to expand out into the shade covered courtyard, which I gladly took advantage of.  

Did I tell you how gloriously the weather cooperated?  It was cool and crisp each morning, so we never ever broke a sweat.
Do you remember where the festival is held?
Yes, in Texas....where it is miserably hot and humid most of the year.  

But, not this week.  Cool fronts came in lowering the humidity a smidgen, just enough to make us all jump up and down with joy!  It did get a little heated up at the end of the week, but I was long gone by then.  Pulling out on Thursday helped me miss the return of the dreaded heat on Friday.
But once home, Saturday again was beautiful.  

Low humidity~what a blessing!

Agnes, along with her sister Robin, and friend, Carla,
decorate Tent "W". 

It was beautiful, full of all the colors of fall.

Spicy fall fragrances poured through the tent and out the sides in such a way that lured customers thru the doors in one continuous stream both days I was there.  

I am sure it continued that way until the end of the show...it always does!

 I would love to share pieces of my little corner, but will do that just a little bit later.

Until then, you may want to visit my friend Charlene's blog.  

She has some sweet shots of my space there. 

Thank you Charlene....

"Crystal Princess Drops"

I had many for sale out in the court yard of Tent "W", where they could catch the rays of sunlight coming thru the live oak trees.
I do sell the tutorial here, but if you'd like one that came home with me, I will send it special to you, snugly wrapped and tucked inside one of my muslin bags for $42.
The Crystal Princess Drop is made with a beautiful vintage faceted chandelier crystal*, vintage rhinestone earring, base metal chain and one of my simple oxidized sterling silver hook and eye.
It can be worn by itself, or layered with other pieces of jewelry.
My sister loves hers, and wears it often, as do I.
Oh, yes, this also includes the shipping AND
the tutorial to make your very own Crystal Princess Drop for family and friends =)
The holidays are coming sooner than you realize!
*Please indicate if you'd like a small (1"x1-1/2") or large (1-1/2"x2") crystal.
You choose the size of the crystal, but please allow me to choose the one to send...you won't be disappointed as they are all beautiful.

(click to enlarge)

marburger and more....

(Picture above was taken at Magnolia Pearl's Booth)

Marburger has come and gone.  It was an incredible experience. 

I loved every minute of it.

I saw old friends, and met new ones.

Susie and Charlene 

Thank you for coming to Marburger and hanging out with me.

I love you both!

But in the middle of it all, actually Wednesday evening, I received a call from my older sister, Debbie, that my dad, who has been in a nursing home for the last 5+ years, was probably not going to be with us very much longer.

We were with him until Thursday afternoon, and at approximately 4:30 p.m. he departed this life.

The last couple of days has been difficult, yet peaceful.

You see, my father has had Parkinson's Disease since his late thirties.

He was 77 years old.

Parkinson's is a disease that takes the life out of living.  It rules every minute of your every day, and destroys your very being.  

It is a hard road to walk.

Like his mother, my grandmother Rosa, and his father, Edmund Sr., my dad was strong, and he chose to never stopped going.

He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, 

and a great-grandfather.  

He was a cattleman.  

He worked in the cattle business all of his life.

He was a fisherman.  

He had a beautiful lake on his property, which he loved.

Yesterday was his wake.  He will be buried today.

Dad, we will miss you.

I love you....

Dad at age 20.

 Dad's 68th Birthday.

Front Row:  Me, Jewel (my stepmother), Dad, Amy (my half sister)

Back Row:  Debbie (my sister), Chuck (my half brother) and Carrie (my sister).

(Not shown is my brother Chris).