Pics from the New Ulm Art Festival

The weather was just about the BEST! kirsty, melanie and justine enjoyed the festival and having a fun day of it!

It was close to the end of a ........ GREAT sale...thanks to my faithful family. How could I ever do it without YOU! Jeff snapped a pic of me, melanie, shannon and kirsty!
.....and then, there is always that one special moment and the very reason I continue to love going out and doing shows. This little lady picked out one of the t-shirts I had made using a Carla Sonheim *girls* transfer. She loved it so much, she had to put in on right away. This was worth it all!

Turquoise Donuts-Oh So Sweet

A new pair of turquoise earrings I made this week to sell Saturday at the New Ulm Art Festival! This will be the 3rd year that I will be at the festival selling Rosa & Josie's Jewelry. Since I lived all of my childhood in New Ulm, I see so many people I know and fortunately still some of who my parents knew. New Ulm is still small. Many people from Houston have found out how beautiful this small German town truly is. The gentle rolling hills, beautiful bluebonnets in the spring, mighty oak trees and wonderful friendly people, all make for a great place to live or just get away on weekends.

Hope to see you this Saturday in New Ulm....just a short distance from wherever you are!

Check out the website: www.newulm-tx.com

The Ugly Ducking

This beautiful butter dish traveled home with us from East Texas. After Allen cleaned all the dust and smoke off, it turned into this beautiful silver butter dish-reminding me of the ugly duckling story. I have never had any real silver, so I am excited........about a butter dish!

Ready to Burst

The climbing antique rose on the back fence is about to be full and beautiful, filling up a large amount of our "back-side"....and when it does, it will be an awesome sight! I bought it several years ago at the Antique Rose Emporium (www.antiqueroseemporium.com) The trip to the Rose Emporium is quite a treat.

Red Cascade - 1976
The description on their website says, "Imagine our surprise to discover ‘Red Cascade’ was introduced as a weeping miniature, considering we had it growing well up a 14 feet tall cedar post! It can be a very versatile rose. It always attracts attention with its fine-leaved foliage and profuse one inch, blood red blooms. When in bloom, it is simply smothered in color".

I can hardly wait!

Hot Tea, You & Me

One of the best times of the day, any day.... is when I can sit down after dinner and share a hot cup of tea with the one I love. Allen just loves for me to say, "Do you want a cup of hot tea?" Because, then I look into the big glass jar that holds all the bags of loose tea. He waits for me to surprise him with an interesting tea combination.

Going to Sandy's Market, off IH-10 at Dairy Ashford, is quite a treat! Besides all the organic produce to buy and take home, they have a great selection of fresh fruit & veggies at lunch and dinner - buffet style. But the real PLUS is the tea lady, who comes around with her metal tea cart, making any combination of hot tea your little heart desires. It is part of the experience; and this is where it all began. Yes, I have always liked hot tea, but not as much as I do now; and not nearly as much as NOW - having it at home......with the one I love.

Crown of Thorns

Euphorbia Milii (formerly Euphorbia splendens)

Euphorbus - The Greek physician of King Juba II (about 50 BC to 19 AD) of Numidia (present day Algeria). King Juba II was the first person to find a succulent-type Euphorbia, and he named it after his physician.
Milii - named for Baron Milius, once governor of the island of Bourbon, who introduced the species into cultivation in France in 1821.

splendens - The older species name means splendid.

The common names allude to the legend that the crown of thorns worn by Christ at the time of his crucifixion was made from stems of this plant. Interestingly, the stems of this plant are pliable and can be intertwined into a circle. There exists substantial evidence that the species, native to Madagascar, had been brought to the Middle East before the time of Christ.

It is such a beautiful succulent, requiring full sun and little water. I received my first one (I have two) from my co-workers about 6 years ago. It drops all its leaves if it gets too cold, but always greens back out, blooming constantly!

May God Bless All this glorious Easter Holiday!

Scenes from the Festival

German Curly Fries..... Accordian Players....

Umpha..Pa..Pa..Bands...

Beautiful Babies...

.......and happy helpers? Thank you guys for all your hard work and help this past weekend! I could not have done it without you!

Best Seller

This has continued to be a best seller at each show...but each one is always just a little bit different. This time I used brown suede lace cord with a cool clasp.....to wear easily and often!

Can't Stop Now....

A few more of my new pieces, made with turquoise and red sponge coral disks w/delicate little red coral pieces up front & center; as well as fancy green jasper beads that have been topped off with a couple of great Bali sterling silver spacers & one easy-to-use Bali S-hook. The earrings are a new kinda design for me, so will see how they do at the Tomball German Heritage Festival this weekend.

I am trying to cool it for the night, but it is so difficult with so many beautiful beads just waiting to work their way to my design table....

Ahhh, I love making jewelry!

Shrimps

This time of year, every year, my shrimp plants bloom with all their glory.... They have continued to multiply, much to my delight! I received my first cutting from my Aunt Susie, who was as great a gardner as her mother, my Granny Schultz.

Gotta love those shrimps!

It feels good....

.....to have these two new pieces traveling to Tomball this next weekend!

Mrs. G.G. Gerbing

.....and the azaleas are blooming back at home!

Angels and Dogwoods

Dogwood's were blooming all around...
Enough to make an angel's crown.
A gentle soul, we'd surely say...
Wore a crown of blooms to Glory today -

The passing of my father-in-law, Orval Pate, on March 14th, 2007, brought us to the beautiful hills of East Texas, and his boyhood home of Linden, for his burial. Orval now rests next to Allen's mother, Helen Pate.

We will miss his kind and gentle spirit.

Dog Park For Jakester

Jake is coming to town.....and he has found a new playground (in Katy). Melanie says it is one of the nicest dog parks she (& Jake) have been to, which is really good news for us!

Well, look what else is coming to the park Jake!
Katy Dog Park - NEW!

In the area of 5414 Franz Road, Katy, Tx. 77493From I-10 W, take the Katy Mills Mall exit and turn RIGHT. Turn LEFT on Franz Rd. It’s on the RIGHT. It shares the parking lot with the Katy Library and is next to the police station and backs up to Mary Jo Peckham Park. Amenities: It’s 14 acres with lots of shade trees and grass. There is a large paved walking trail. There are currently two water fountains (both for dogs and people). They are working on a swimming pond, and will add benches and a washing area soon as well as agility equipment.

Simple

Sometimes just one "sweeeeet" pendant is all you need.................

Crimson Red Splashed w/Lime Green

These colors rock!

......Take some Red Coral, add it to Lime Green Porcelain Beads; then put in a dash of Tiger Eye Heishi to make for some really colorful jewelry! (It is listed in RJ's Jewelry Shop now!) I have a show the end of this month...so you know what I am doing...and thinking about ALL the time! Yes, new jewelry designs.....go figure!

BTW...I will be showing my newest jewelry pieces at the Tomball German Heritage Festival March 31 (10a-dark) and April 1 (12p-6), in downtown Tomball. This is their 7th Annual Festival, and I am looking forward to the German music, German food and....oh, selling jewelry!

Let's RODEO!

This is Carla Sonheim's Blonde Girl with Horse transfer (www.carlasonheim.etsy.com). I just love her girls artwork/transfers, and thought this little gal & her horse would look great on a white t-shirt! I sprinkled swarovski crystals where she had little white **stars** - just to add extra GLITZ.

Shhhhh....it is a little gift for Melanie to wear this next weekend to the HLSR!

Little Czech Teardrops

My newest Czech beads.....6x9 Czech pressed glass teardrops! Aren't they just the greatest? Spring has sprung at Rosa & Josie's!

Can I catch a ride please?

Melanie & I had a great weekend in San Antonio, and then in New Braunfels....went to a wedding....I wanted to snatch this from the bride & groom! Snapped a picture instead! Love you Mel!

Mardi Gras Beads, Bread Pudding & Jewel's Sugar Cookies

Okay, it was my sister Debbie's birthday, so she came to town to have lunch and see a movie! We went to Babin's and had some of 'dat Gumbo & then the waiter had on one of those fancy Mardi Gras necklace's, and being a looker (of jewelry) I said I liked the necklace, because of the little Pig Chef Beads it had on it! Well, that was before I had my glasses on!!!!!!!!!!

Then, I told him that it was my sister's birthday today, so guess what? He brought her some Birthday Bread Puddin'! Yummeeeee! Let's just say we had a BIG Time!

Oh, and I had to try baking Jewel's Sugar Cookies, as these are Debbie's favorites. The long lost recipe was found (by Debbie a couple of weeks ago). Mine were okay, and of course, Jewel's were the best! Deb did give me some additional pointers for my next batch though.

Happy Birthday Big Sister..... and many many more!