Hand-Formed and Lovin' It

Took me a little time, but I finally got there! I added a small black onyx cube to my first pair of earwires, and I love how they turned out! Simple, I know, but success breeds desire. Tomorrow I am off to a Glass Fusing/PMC Class, and I am SO excited.

Turn out the lights and see it turn

This may remind you of the disco ball that hung high up top the gymnasium at the school dance, but it's not. It is one of my new designs, and it is at the Da Vinci Artists Gallery ready to be snatched up. I actually made two, and one now hangs around my neck, occasionally, and I love it!

I feel like dancin'!

Father's Day 2007

Melanie helped Allen prepare a recipe this past weekend from Allen's newest cookbook - The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos by Robb Walsh. It is a great cookbook, and contains alot of great Texas history.

The Maque Choux (Mock Shoe-which is not a french phrase but is supposedly of American Indian origin) that they prepared, from the fresh corn Jeff & Shannon bought at HEB, was DELICIOUS! How could a Father's Day be more perfect for a father, than to have two of his daughter's by his side?

New York Findings

This combination is quite a show stopper, and one I am consistantly exploring these days. Natural is "IN' and that includes two of my favorites - bone & turquoise. Never mind that these carved bone beads came from my recent New York trip. M & J Trimming on 6th Avenue proved to be the largest trimmings store I have ever seen; and beads & findings were just a small part of it. I was on a mission to find carved bone beads that day, and carved bone beads I found. One focal point bead to match the rest was all they had, so I had to make one really groovy necklace with it! I am pleased.

Turquoise~Carved Bone~Wood~Bracelet

One of my newest pieces, made 4 time over....now a signature piece of mine. I love it, wearing mine almost every day....and now 4 other people have one as well. Memory wire makes it so easy to put on and take off!

You talkn' to me?

Quite unexpected and oh so exciting was my chance meeting with Robert De Niro while looking for The Sensuous Bean coffee shop at W.70th and Columbus. This great coffee and tea shop had the best Italian Roast coffee and was nestled in one of the most beautiful parts of the city-the West Side. The morning was just georgeous....cool and crisp. Melanie and I had walked up from 63rd and West Side (our apartment location), and were on a mission to find a great cup of coffee, and this shop was a GREAT suggestion-Thanks Alyssa!

Oh, yes, Mr. De Niro was sitting on the park bench in front of the shop when Melanie and I walked up. However, I was busy taking pictures of the sign, so the distraction caused me not to look at the two gentlemen sitting on the park bench in front of the shop! But he gently spoke to me and I answered back - shook his hand - and then we were inside the shop. So quick a meeting, but a great lasting moment cemented in my mind ~forever~.

(~click on the picture for a closer view-he's in the blue ball cap~)

Forever Changed

New York City

From Central Park to Times Square - the most diverse and energetic city I have ever visited. This experience was once in a life time, and a life time is not enough time to see all this city has to offer. I LOVED it! I want to go back - as soon as possible. What an amazing experience; and one that has changed me forever!

The DaVinci Artists Gallery

I now am an associate artist at The DaVinci Gallery in Tomball, Texas. Please look at the website below to see my bio and a few pictures of some of my jewelry I have for sale as the gallery. I attended the gallery's First Friday function on Friday night, and met some of the other core artists. I had fun talking about their paintings, and just trying to learn the ropes of working the gallery. Alot of customers came and we even had live music!

Our next First Friday is June 1st and will be a fun one! Hope you can come out, as I know you will enjoy the beauty and warmth of a great fine art gallery!

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!

Bamboo and Swarovski

An unlikely pair, but I'm always trying to find the perfect shot for one of my newest RJ's Jewelry Shop pieces! Bingo.....or Bamboo! Bless you!

Swarovski really shines in the most unlikely places-even lying in a bamboo tray, sitting on the butcher block in my kitchen!

Just imagine what it would look like around your neck........picking up that warm glow of the flickering candlelight coming from your table, sitting next to the one you love!

Hope you all had a very happy & sweet Valentine's Day!

Cheetah Print Art Beads

I loved these beads the first time I saw them...and so have a few other people, as I continue to sell every item I make using them! This necklace has turquoise rondells, with carved bone beads and small burnt wood chips tossed in for good measure....oh yes, and red aventurine rectangle gemstones. The earrings are lying right dab in the middle of this double strung necklace! This set is quite special to me, so I will put it on RJ's Jewelry Shop this weekend.

New Banner

All weekend I've been preparing for a show tomorrow....but I've also made new jewelry, new business cards, new tags and I've put up a new banner on my Etsy Shop.

After the show tomorrow, I will be adding more jewelry to my Rosa & Josie's Etsy Shop!

I am pumped!