Internet Connection: Strong

An Internet Connection Story: How I got this shirt...

Those were the days... weren't they?
Popping, buzzing, and white noise of our computer connecting to the internet creating an all time high of anticipation until we heard those sweet little words "You've got mail"
While the highly climatic experience no longer exists in a world of wifi and BOYSENBERRY phones...
It still remains the same.
We can meet people and share so much via the world wide web... INTERNET connection.
I have made and kept some of the most incredible connections of my life online.
Isn't it incredible!?
When I was about 18, I made my 5th trip to Marseilles, France.
Incredible place in an of itself (another blog another time)
While I was there, I met a girl named Faustine.
She was incredibly outgoing, loud, and funny. Nothing like your typical French girl. A lot of the french girls we met were a little bit more high-matinance... and not very warm. I referred to them as "fussy french grapes" a lot like the temperamental grapes that make some of the finest wines. But not Faustine... she was awesome, fun-loving and original. We exchanged some really fun jewelry, and she had this thing about licking people's cheeks for fun! I think we all got one of her big wet kisses!

That was years ago. Recently Faustine found me on facebook.
Then... her sister, Melanie,
(whom I had never met) asked to be my friend on facebook. Her and her husband and kids are missionaries all over the world. Melanie just so happens to be a photographer like me! Her work is incredible! We swap work and comments on facebook almost weekly! I don't think I have ever met someone quite so original. She is absolutely beautiful, attractive, smart, and creative. She is a triple threat. I really admire her artistry, devotion to missions, and love for her family! It comes through the lens!

One day while scanning through her photos I saw a gorgeous pic of her in an eagle shirt! I love it! I absolutely love eagles... and all birds... I begged her to tell me where she got the shirt. I looked on the website for the shirt, and they didn't not sell it online. Bummer... Then Melanie offered to send me hers!

Today I open my mail to find a little yellow envelope
with a fun note on the back!
She sent it!
I love it Mel!
I am so glad I made such a cool connection with you online!Hopefully one day we will meet!

Love you!

LUCKY ACE OF HEARTS

LUCKY ACE OF HEARTS
THE ART- THE BUSINESS- THE JEWELRY
Today I focus on the jewelry!

I didn't do anything dramatically different or crazy.
Just put some fun elements with some classic elements.
More to come, but I thought my friends, family and followers might like to see some of my latest work.

MORE TO COME.......

If you are interested in purchasing a pair of earings, or if you would like a pair of custom earings
... drop me a line!

HERE.

People have the answers...

They say I should be somewhere else.
a place of serving, and fixed!
They don't understand the time it takes
for a heart to get unmixed.
I put my ALL into what I thought I knew,
all the things I was "supposed" to do.

Now, they have the answers.
They know where I'm "supposed" to be.
They say they know my destiny.
But I am Here.


There's nothing wrong with being Here.
There's so much wrong with being Here.
Confused?
Me too.


But one thing I know for sure.
You have what it takes for me to edure.
Everytime I feel like giving up,
You put a nickel in my cup...
and I make it through.


They say they know where I should be.
Still I know You're inside of me.
And I am right Here.


Sometimes I feel afraid to trust.
But without You, I know I'll rust.
And I know You're with me Here


Getting to another place,
isn't something I am ready to face
And I know You're with me Here.


No matter what life may bring,
hardships pain or suffering...
I know You're with me Here.


I know You've got good things for me,
so I guess I will wait and see...
I can't give up before the story ends.

I know You're with me Here.

Capturing Classics

What does capturing the new classics mean?
Color... Basically
Style more specifically.
Like the Billy Joel song 2000 Years states:

We hope our children carry our dreams down the line
They are the vintage What kind of life will they live?

This generation will be vintage some day. People will want to know things about our culture, and about the lives we lived.... They will look to photographs to find answers to questions about us.

I pray to God we are not remembered by our worthless drunk photos of college kids out waving peace signs at the camera. Glazed eyes in drunken stooooopers!
I hope they look at beautiful photos of creative places, the unique style of our generation... and try to emulate these new vintage classics.

Think about the black and white photos taken in the 50's and 60's in city streets of couples kissing.
Here is a fantastic example taken by Robert Doisneau




We have gone back and added color to peices of the imagery...
We've tried to identify with the stories of the characters.
Someday, SOMEONE will do that with photography
they see from today.
I hope it is mine.
I hope they get excited about the color, texture, and backgrounds.
I hope they imagine the story.
I hope I am the vintage.

Get Your Belt Buckle On

My last few trips to the city market I found myself perusing through junk and antique tables for belt buckles. Brass buckles, steel buckles and silver buckles. Big and small. TEXAS and USA buckles are easy to find.
As most of you know, I am trying to start my own art business.
Jewelry, Photography on canvases decoupage of sorts. Junking, etc. (more to come later)
One of the things I would like to offer are really cool vintage belt buckles. I also would like to make some custom buckles. So this has lead me on a search for a few new belt buckles of my own. Belt buckle shopping is a lot like looking for a new tattoo.

So I made a small guide of things I have learned personally when belt buckle shopping or getting a tattoo as I have a few of my own!

1. Think about what you want before you go searching!
What are things that you like and love? If you do not know yourself... maybe you just shouldn't go looking at all. If you don't have in mind exactly what you want... you can become bombarded with an array of stupidity! For example: Art like this, though popular, should be no-where-near your pants... or even worse on your skin!


2. Go Big or Go Home
This is a personal pet peeve. Belt buckles or tattoos the size of a penny are pointless. Seriously, you went to the trouble of getting ink... and then you wussed out with pint size tribal trash on the small of your back! Yuck! Tasteful, proportionate to the area of placement. With a belt buckle, go bigger than you belt loop.


3. Don't brand yourself with someone else's brand.
So... you thought of a few things you like, THE UFC, OREO COOKIES, ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH... It’s great that you like products, but please don't wear them around your waist or print them on your body. It's bad enough that half the world walks around like clones with brand names plastered across their chests! LACK OF ORIGINALITY...


4. If you can't go personalized... GO CLASSIC!
You cannot go wrong with a classic tattoo or belt buckle.
Some items that remain timeless:
Hearts, Sparrows, Eagles, Roses, Stars and Tasteful Religious Symbols


So... ladies and gentleman I reveal my new belt buckle!

The Girls That Bring the Goods

Completely inspired by women in the industry.
Powerful song writers, sultry vocalists, and jamming musicians.

Let me share them with you:
#1 BONNIE RAITT – doesn’t get any better than this… she is my number one love with songs like “I Don’t Want Anything to Change”, “Nick of Time” and “Angel from Montgomery”
Other faves:
Phoebe Snow
Stevie Nicks
Linda Ronstadt
Norah Jones

You can’t be those babes!
But I am so impacted by the women in my generation who are packing a powerful punch as a triple threat.If you haven’t already…

Check these chicks out:

Annie Brooks
Check out : Both Sides of Goodnight

Laura Marling
Check out: Tap at My Window

KT Tunstall
Check out: Heal Over - and- Throw Me a Rope

Adele
Check out: Right as Rain -and her version of- Feel My Love

Melody Gardot
Check out: Wicked Ride -and- Goodnite

Ximena
Check out: La tina

Roisin Murphy
Check out: Ruby Blue

The Inspiration

I guess it only fits.
I decided to start a blog today.
The day she was born.
The strongest, most interesting, most generous woman I have ever met in my life.
She didn't do everything right.
Perfect? Not by a long shot.
She probably made more mistakes than a lot of people.
She was married 3 times.
She was a workaholic. During the last days of her life... she spent most of time in and out of her office checking emails, or receiving cancer treatment at the hospital.
She was a self-made millionaire.
She traveled the world.
Met very important people.
Supported Israel with all of her being.
Became a television producer, started her own business and it become one of Forbes fastest growing businesses several years in a row.

My mom often talks about her being a lot like a celebrity... so beautiful, in and out of the house like a whirlwind in sunglasses. This is her memory of a single mother that worked 2-3 jobs to support her two little girls.
My aunt remembers her coming home in dress clothes and heels from a long hard day of work, and spending the remainder of the evening sweating over the stove before she even had time to change... to make sure her girls were fed.

The most incredible lesson I ever learned from her….

Everyone knew she had been through sooo much... She would be the number one person to receive advice from - on anything. You name it; she had probably been through it.
But she didn't go around wasting her breath on people who wouldn't really listen to her. She knew that most learn from experience. And she didn’t always try to fix people. She didn’t try to pretend to know exactly what you were going through. She just loved you... through anything. Supported you in the roughest spots... and prayed for you everyday.

Today would have been my grandma's 69th birthday.
She gave me more than I can ever explain.

So I start my blog today. The day the woman who inspired me the most was born.

This is a piece of jewelry she gave me.

A roman glass bracelet from Israel.

I love you and miss you gma.

Happy birthday.