all the colors of the season

I am not sure what hold Christmas has on me this year~but it is a bright & shiny one. Everything looks brighter and shinier than I can ever remember. Even today, as the weather in Houston is totally confused~kinda dreary and muggy, all I have to do is look at this newest Prairie Cuff I made last week, and I feel excited all over again.

Allen and I finished our Christmas cards last night, and he will drop them in the Katy post office mailbox today. I didn't just buy them and send them out (which I am not saying is not a good thing, as I have done it also). But this year I put a little more effort into putting them together, and I feel good. I will have a post later with details....just in case you are not on my mailing list.

Have a blessed day!

before we go

Each Christmas season we go to one beautiful holiday event. This year it was the Nutcracker at the Wortham Center in downtown Houston. A 2 pm show was just perfect, as I was able to take care of a few things this morning before we started the 30 mile trip into town.

Did you see the Barbara Walters special~The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2007, on Thursday night? I believe she was wearing a simple but elegant Ruby Quartz Necklace*. It was graduated and the stones were faceted like the ones I have been making this Christmas. Hers looked stunning with the black suit she was wearing, so I decided to make a set~necklace & bracelet, to wear today. These will be my very own set of holiday jewels. I also made a simple pair of dangles that would go with my outfit, but also with just about anything else I have.

So, going back to Barbara's interviews. Did you get to see her interview with the My Space guys, Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe? They are really cool guys, and are very, very wealthy. Plus, they helped Barbara make her very own MySpace. Katherine Heigl is beautiful, and Jennifer Hudson has had a very blessed year! I actually enjoyed all her interviews, but was a little baffled that she didn't even talk to the number 1 pick - J.K. Rowling.

Well, more later. Gotta finish my Christmas cards to mail out on Monday.

p.s. I do have one Ruby Quartz Necklace at Mecca and one listed on my Etsy Shop~plus I have added a Christmas discount!

friends forever

Since all my daughter's friends are my friends too, I wanted to post their today pictures taken with Mel~because they both have become such beautiful ladies! I have known both of them for at least 18 years. These are two of Mel's oldest and dearest friends. They are as dear to me as they are to Melanie. The picture on bottom is of Melanie and Olivia, and the picture on the top is of Laura and Melanie. Both have new babies, and Laura has one more on the way.

Love you guys~

btw...these are two of the friends shown in the post below~

no man is a failure who has friends - george bailey*

Mel's 4th Birthday at Granny's House!


Melanie and friends from Jr. High, High School and College~and still today.

"I believe that friends are quiet angels who sit on our shoulders and lift our wings when we forget how to fly".

Today is my daughter, Melanie's birthday. It was 32 years ago that my life changed forever.
She is and always will be my best friend. I love you Mel!

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Pictures above:

Top Left: Melanie and I in front of Central Park on our annual Mother's Day trip last May.

Top Right: Melanie and her friend Olivia at a Cheerleader Christmas Party.

Bottom Left: Melanie and her friend Laura on Lake Travis in Austin.

Bottom Right: Kirsty, Melanie and Justine at The New Ulm Art Festival last April.

* George Bailey from It's A Wonderful Life!

i like "different" beads

Japanese beads flow like a river in a tri-strand necklace ready for my next sale on December 13th.

And, Czech Fire Polished Crystals continue to catch my eye.

Both the silver kissed beads and the Siam colored crystal rondelles are from the Czech Republic.

It has been cold in Texas!

Upon rare occasions we get to use the fireplace. Yesterday when we got back into town, we found out we had a little heater problem. The heat never came on, so we fired up the fireplace~it was nice. But didn't really help the 61 degrees inside the house~unless you are in the room with it~all the time. So today the heater repairman came, but seems like we need a certain part~that he didn't have~so tonight, it is 64 degrees. A real heat wave~~~~~~

I am really loving our electric blanket right about now!

Most of the Thanksgiving weekend our new toy looked like this. But, we did enjoy Friday, as it was bright, sunny and COLD in South Texas.

But~most of us looked like this starting Friday night on into Sunday.

Did I tell you that I love cold weather and look forward to it with much anticipation? Yes, it was what I said, and yes, I still do. I think.

sneak peak

~before I go. Made out of wonderful japanese beads i bought at the Houston Bead Society's Annual Bead & Jewelry Show.
You can hear Christmas music online all the time starting today, on my favorite station!

Lord, let me always be thankful for the little things

...like greek yogurt.

Ever since i ate greek yogurt on long island in may, with mel's friend Laura, i had been thinking about, and looking for greek yogurt. about 3 weeks ago, while in the new HEB, i found greek gods. no, it is not like the yogurt we ate from trader joe's, but it is near perfect, and wonderful and creamy and as smooth and thick as ice cream. dannon needs to pack it up and go home, as there is absolutely no comparison. i have been adding dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and a drizzle of agave nectar, and it has been pure bliss ever since....

today and tomorrow, let me be thankful for so many of the little things i enjoy in my life.

happy thanksgiving to you ~ all my family and friends....i love you!

if God would have wanted us to fly he would have given us tickets-Mel Brooks

That's the Bloomberg quote this morning ~ before Thanksgiving. Oh, Mr. Brooks, don't you know He did, thru Jesus? On my way into town, Ipod in my ears, listening to the Mercy Me song called Unaware. What a song to remind me~

"Unaware of everything

Knowing You're aware of me"

Last night, in my workspace-office, I thought of my friend, Jenny, who gave me an idea of what to name this easy to wear memory wire bracelet. She called it a cuff, so I just added Czech Prairie~coming to Czech Prairie Cuff. I do indeed live on the Katy Prairie. This bracelet is made up of 95% Czech fire polished crystals, a dash of yellow jade, and a sprinkle of Bali sterling silver. It is quite a versatile piece of jewelry. Plus, it's so easy to put on and off as you're running out the door-been there lately? Next week, it will be on sale at Klein Oaks High School. I will also add another one on my Etsy Shop tomorrow, as I will once again be on the Etsy Main Showcase on Saturday the 24th. Check out the new listings.

Have a blessed day and Thanksgiving~

miracles

This necklace has gone to San Antonio, and I wish I were there, because if I were, I would be with my daughter. I love you Melanie! I will see you Thursday.......

Tonight, while working on jewelry, I turned on the Turner Classics and watched The Miracle Worker~which wasn't easy while trying to put beads and wire together. The classic 1962 movie with Anne Bancroft and Patti Duke. I remembered watching it as a child, but when? In 1962, I was 5! I had always remembered the scene when she finally GOT it! That her teacher was spelling words of THINGS to her. Then she wildly runs to the water pump, spelling water over and over again to her teacher, as the water coldly slashes down out of the old water pump onto their hands. Quite a scene, and quite a break thru for her teacher.

Can't imagine what a world it would be in complete darkness. What if I had never seen a single thing? How could I imagine? How could I exist? How could I love?

I am so thankful for the people I have in my life~my husband, my daughter, my mother and sisters (just to name a few-there are many). I live in a comfortable home, safe and warm. I can travel, and laugh and sing and dance. I have so much to be thankful for~my God.

Have a blessed week. It will be a good one.

a dangle or two

I bought a showcase spot on Etsy today. These are just a few "easy" pieces I have put in my shop~for Christmas! A new banner to boot! Wheww...(it takes some time to do).

The Swarovski Crystal 12mm Cube necklace is one of my best sellers. The chandeliers are made with green gossermer czech crystals-a very rich green and have that great "metallic look". Have a great weekend!

(click on Etsy above to go directly to my shop)

one more special Etsy purchase

Have you noticed the I TOOK THE HANDMADE PLEDGE tag in my right sidebar? I love to buy handmade, always have and always will. Even if I didn't make and sell myself. Plus, I am a large buy in the USA girl. (Thanks to my husband's past union life).

Isn't my newest purchase great? The colors and the texture are what caught my eye; and I was not disappointed.

I was Mary's first customer, and she sent me the sweetest little handwritten note saying so!

You're welcome, Mary~

not your average bear Yogi

So what is a Barista? Here is what Wikipedia says:
When using the term in English, "barista" refers to one who has acquired some level of expertise in the preparation of espresso-based coffee drinks. Within certain circles, its meaning is expanding to include what might be called a coffee sommelier; a professional who is highly skilled in coffee preparation, with a comprehensive understanding of coffee, coffee blends, espresso, quality, coffee varieties, roast degree, espresso equipment, maintenance, latte art, etc. James Hoffmann of Britain is the current World Barista Champion.
Though popularly believed to be an Italian term, it was developed in America as a derivative of the Italian word meaning bartender and is now part of the lexicon of some American coffee shops. Entered into English from the Italian in which it means roughly bartender (plural: baristi [masculine or mixed sex] or bariste [feminine]). The term is derived from the Italian use of the word bar, which is similar to the American or British cafe. In Italy, the barista typically works behind a counter, serving both hot (such as espresso and other coffee-based ones) and cold alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
This question (from my good friend Jenny) brought to mind the coffee competitions I have watched on Food Network. Besides the Fine Living channel, History channel, the HDTV channnel, and Bravo (for watching Cirque Du Soleil); the Food Network channel is my favorite. I love to watch competitions~Cake Baking Cookoffs, Bar-B-Que competitions, Iron Chief Battles and the upcoming Canadian National Barista Championship, which will be on Food Network Saturday night (11/24) at 6:30 EST. You have no idea what these talented people can do and design on top of a cup of cappuccino. It is fun to watch~

(*above Starbuck Bears are the ones I HAVE bought. I decided after my beenie baby days, I would not do collecting like that again~it was not an easy decision).

Barista Bear Goes Metallic

Everywhere I look I see Christmas, and it is showing up way before Thanksgiving. No surprise. Yes, last Wednesday I stepped into Starbuck's and, there it was....Christmas!! I was as excited as if it were "my" time to open Christmas presents. It's all here~the annual Starbuck's Christmas Blend coffee, red sweater clad Barista Bears, and door wreaths made out of red card stock with shiny round mirrors dotting the middle looking strangely like cranberries. They were beautiful~!!!

Christmas jewelry is on it's way to Mecca Hair Studio in San Antonio, DaVinci Artist's Gallery in Tomball; AND I am still preparing for the St.Anne's Society Fall Shopping Fair. Metallic is in BABY and I am there. The czech fire-polished crystals I bought at the gem & jewelry show turned out to be the Christmas punch I was looking for. My confirmation arrived thru the U.S. Postal Service & the Chico's catalogue. What did I see~METALLIC~everywhere...in the jackets, in the blouses, and in the jewelry.

I love it! Metallic sparkles, it glistens, and has a certain sheen about it.

It is beautiful, and it is a huge part of this year's Christmas for me......and perhaps a certain Barista Bear I know.

Ruby Red

A case of less is more.
Grade "A" Ruby Quartz requiring little additional adornment.

Just in time for Christmas.

scenes from the lease

A new (1971) jeep was my favorite toy this weekend. Actually it is His new toy.Getting Allen to pose for an addition to my Christmas card collage wasn't easy, but as always, he pacified me.

Below is a picture of my new camo crocks, bought at the Bass Pro Shop, located at The Rim, in San Antonio. You have got to go to this BPS, as the decor far outweighs the one we have in Katy. BTW...the crocs are so cool and comfortable to wear (in camp).

Saturday evening, as I sat in the High Stand, I felt an overwhelming thankfulness for the the beautiful Texas sky. I tried (again) to breath in the glory of the setting sun. I can't tell you how many times I have taken this same picture, out this same window. I keep trying. I keep coming back ~ because I love it here. It is so peaceful, so quiet, and so Texas.

silver and gold

With Christmas fast approaching, and three shows on the horizon~I am crunched. I had to go to the International Gem & Jewelry Show. It stops in Houston four times a year. The size of the show can be quite overwhelming, but I took my time, and had fun looking at all the latest jewels, gems, and of course THE findings. I like to stop and chat, finding out just where the vendors have traveled from~be it east~New York & New Jersey; to out west~Los Angeles & Las Vegas; and everywhere in between. I bought silver from Hands of the Hills, located in Mercer Island, Washington and Sunwest Silver Company in Albuquerque, N.M. Beauty & the Beads, from Pico Rivera, California, had some beautiful graduated red quartz crystals. They will be simply stunning for a Christmas bauble!

This is just a small group of the czech & swarovski crystal strands I picked up at the show from my good friends at Big Stone, located off Richmond, in the great city of Houston. These sparklers will be perfect for Christmas.

"I found I could say things with colors and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for" Georgia O'Keefe

dreaming with my eyes wide open

My newest ah~ha moment...looking at the oh so talented and loving soul's blog of judy wise. You must visit so you can feel the love with me this beautiful halloween morning in texas....it is still crisp and cool and so unlike the weather we experience in Houston. If every morning would be like this, i would think that i had died and gone to heaven~peace to you today.

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Quote on Bloomberg this morning:

"To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom"~

Bertrand Russell (philosopher)

More Scenes from Warrengton aka THE Antique Festival (as promised)

There were chandeliers galore~the crystals were beautiful. Enough to catch a jeweler's eye.

Dutch ovens that would surely please my dutch-oven cooking husband.

Art pieces made from Mexican copper~that look like ceramic (at first). The colors were magnificent!

A beautiful booth~that made me want to come inside, sit down and stay awhile.

An outhouse at the Junk Gypsy booth. The one at my grandparent's house looked nothing like this!

And a sign made out of beer bottle caps from Royer's Cafe at Zapp Hall. Barbara and I will attempt to begin ours this weekend for our Cowboy (Deer) Camp!

a gift from kansas(rose)

Look what flew in from Kansas....no not a twister, but a beautiful journal* from my friend, kansasrose. And, she is one clever farmeress~she left the other side blank for my very FIRST collaboration. How did she know that I had been preparing for such a moment, and just this past week. I stopped in Books-A-Million, and purchased three new books (i don't do anything with baby steps you realize).

~Metal Craft Discovery Workshop by Linda & Opie O'Brian (this is one great resource for me to begin creating more with metal)....plus I am hooking onto their website! These two are my new heros.

~The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery by Karen Michel (this will open up a new world on how to alter my "thousands" of photos).

~SEW Somerset~the art of creative sewing with mixed media (this is just plain BEAUTIFUL inside!).

So, now, enjoy the package I received just yesterday, as I flipped thru the pages of my beautiful Kansas-born journal. I did, and for that I am so grateful and EXCITED! Thanks Jen!

*favorite page (and it was hard to choose Jen~Harriat loves her chicken egg necklace and hen hat...pic #14 above~be sure and click on the mosaic).

A*T*QUE F*ST*V*L

What happens twice a year (only in Texas) ~ April and October~ and you should never, ever, no matter what miss? Ask Miss Emma. More pics on the way~

*p.s. I grew up 22 miles from this one-of-a-kind, find everything imaginable, antiques, youngtiques, middle-of-the-roadtiques, vintage, yard-finds, estate sale items, trash to treasures, gotta-see, gotta-have, gotta-go, dirt cheep, way too expensive & everything inbetween outdoor venue of colossal proportion!

I have been there and done that.....and yes, it is the BEST!

Harvest Red

Bought these Tribal Bone Mala Beads inlaid with Glass Chips or Textured Metal from Susanclare back in January. I loved their rustic antiqued waxy colors. Very unusual beads. Just what I like! They sat waiting for the perfect necklace. The very last piece I made before the SJV sale, was this Harvest Necklace~made with the tribal bone beads, red & salmon coral, czech crystals and adorned with a large black onyx cross. I was thrilled when it sold (bought as a Christmas gift!) ~ so I will make another similiar one this weekend. But, I have one more design in mind~keep watch~I will post it soon!

Sisters

The St. John Vianney Bazaar was a great success. This show my sister Debbie came to help (thanks Deb!). She was such a great help, & we had alot of fun laughing and talking! She gave me a great new sales pointer~hand out my cards as people walk by my booth. Perhaps they would come back, which I know some did! We saw at least 500-600 people come thru the doors that day! ....and there were alot of jewelry booths.

During the afternoon rush, some familiar faces came by. The two sisters (center and right) had visited my booth last year. And, once again this year! I remembered them, because they were so pretty, and so happy. The sister on the right bought the Czech Crystal Prairie Swings (far right pic above), as they matched the turquoise in her hat. She put them on to wear right away, so I had to take my camera out and snap a shot. The middle sister bought the Garnet Stained Glass Pendant Necklace with matching Garnet Prairie Swings. Melanie had picked the pendant up from Bead It! while in Minneapolis, at Mall of Americas, earlier in the year. I thought it was a really classy piece. And when she tried it on~it was just beautiful on her. But, how could it not be, as she was the prettiest thing......as were all three of them!

p.s. that's her husband peeking thru~

Panache and Gilda

pa·nache (p-nsh, -näsh)
n. distinctive and stylish elegance

~my constant goal~

And ~

"I base my fashion taste on what doesn't itch".

Gilda Radner

I miss her~

Whispers of Autumn

I long for the colors I see and feel in autumn. The yellows that turn to gold; browns that soak down and back into the earth; the delicate purple flowers of a purple sage; and the vibrant crimson red I see in the Cardinals at the deer lease.

I long for that first brisk breeze of a north wind. I want to wrap up in a fleece jacket. Feel air so cold it makes my eyes water. Autumn in the south is ever so slow to arrive. It is here for such a brief moment, that if you blink you will miss it. And then it is winter, cold and often wet.

But~there is promise of cool weather this weekend~and; I believe I can feel the whisper of autumn in the air. Ummmmmm~

Pre-Show Time

Getting ready for a show is hard work. The creations are the fun part. The picture taking, inventory posting and tagging are another thing. Just a preview of what I will have for sale at my show this next Sunday at St. John Vianney Catholic Church located at 625 Nottingham Oaks Trail Houston 77079. More pictures will be coming~

~and the winner is~

Kara~you are the winner of the jewelry give-a-way! Please contact me, so I can send these darling little czech crystal hoops to you!

Thanks to all who played with me; and for all the encouraging and sweet messages. I am truly blessed.

And, thank you Jen, for having me as your first Great Goods guest! You are one special and talented kindred spirit!

I hope to hear from all of you again in the future, because it can get lonely on the prairie~