Back roads Texas

 My dad and I took a break from making Stained glass while he was here.  We took off to the back roads to show my dad some of the little towns, or what is left of them.

This is in Glen Rose.  A great stone home.

It is now a historical home.

The small, almost ghost town, of Iredell.  It is a pretty little town.

There was some construction going on to restore some of the buildings.

An empty building in Iredell.

I love all the stonework.

A lonely homestead outside the small town of Cransfill Gap.

It sits high on a hill on the windswept prairie.

The lack of rain and blazing sun this summer has left 

very little vegetation.

 The sky was a brilliant blue in contrast to the grey home and desolate ground.

A bar and grill in the town of Cransfill Gap

I love the pink and blue plastic chairs.

Adds a bit of kitschy!

And last, but not least, a big surprise!

This camel comes out of no where and joins the gang of donkeys.

It was so funny!  The camel let us pet and feed him.  I was so afraid he was going to spit on us, but he was a sweetheart.  Get a load of that smirk!!

My dad and I had a great afternoon, but it was hotter than blazes!  We ended our trip with a stop at Dairy Queen and a couple of cookie dough blizzards!

A great way to end a great day!

My Dad is helping me out..

I have a stained glass window that needed to be done for a dear friend.   I have too many irons in the fire to get it started, nevertheless, finish it.  

My Dad taught me how to make stained glass windows many years ago.  He has created so many beautiful windows and lamps.   His love for the craft is unwavering.   He hasn't been able to do much stained glass work in a while, so I enlisted his help.  (Plus I really wanted him to visit!  I wanted my mom to come, but with the Texas heat, I think she would have wilted!)  Traveling from Asheville, NC to Central Texas was a furnace blast to his face when he walked out of the DFW airport!

I got him settled into my studio and he promptly began working.  

 My Dad's love for cutting glass and fitting each tiny piece together brings him great joy.  Plus he is a perfectionist!!

These windows will be side lights for my friend's front door.  They are iris' in purple, peach and blue with long green leaves and stems.

Soldering each piece together is very time consuming.

  Making sure each tiny piece of glass fits exactly.

Did I tell you my dad is a perfectionist??!!

My cat Trixie is always close by for supervisor inspection.  Plus a pat on the head.
(Trixie is always right in the middle of whatever I am doing!)

I will post pictures of the finished windows.  I am sure they will be beautiful!

 My dad is such a gentle, kind man.  Very intelligent and soft spoken.  His love for art and nature is beyond words.  His stained glass windows are beautiful, but you should see his photography!  (That will be another post soon.)I can not thank my dad enough for coming out into this blistering heat to help me out...but I think I enjoyed having him here working quietly beside me more than anything... that gives me great JOY!

sun catcher stained glass

Update...

 Heidi and baby boy, Jasper, are doing much better!  Jasper is getting stronger each day.  Heidi is putting her weight back on.   You can tell she misses her herd, but it won't be long before she and Jasper will be turned out with the the rest of girls. 

The Newest addition...I haven't named him yet..any suggestions?

Dog Day's of Summer.

I took this picture last year,  my sweet girl Samantha is in the middle.

I still miss her like crazy!

Tessa makes me laugh everyday...

You can read about Samantha here

52 Flea Giveaway!

Pop on over to 52 Flea, Laura is having a fantastic giveaway!

52 Flea Giveaway!

Don't forget about Z's giveaway!

It ends tonight at midnight!

Old Grey Mare Giveaway

Life is full of Ups and Downs...

The Ups...

The rain was coming...

 After months of no rain, extremely hot temperature and exception drought...

It RAINED!  

We had 2" of rain!  Not much by other standards, but we 

are very thankful for what we did get.

 The Downs..

Our twin calves that were born last week 

being moved to a cooler pasture where we could keep an eye on them.

Settling in to their new world.

Brownie is very weak.  

We had to feed him thru a tube.

The gray calf...Jasper is strong and walking about.

Sadly, Brownie didn't make it.  He tried his best.

Mama Heidi did all she could with our help and TLC,

but he just wasn't strong enough and his lungs were not fully developed.

Brownie was such a sweet little fellow.  I got to hug and kiss him.  I told him he was a miracle to us and I thanked him for his presence.

It is the part of raising cattle that I DO NOT LIKE.  

But Jasper is doing very well!

He wants his Mama!

 Heidi is such a sweet mother and she will have double love for her baby boy...

Don't for get to check out Z at Old Grey Mare for a HUGE giveaway!!
Click HERE!

Hot day with a cool happening..

The temperature in my jeep yesterday..in the shade...

                   
ONE little cloud in the sky                               

Remember my favorite girl Heidi?

She had TWINS yesterday!

            We have a black angus bull and she is a gelbvieh.  She had a beautiful grey bull

 and a sweet little reddish bull..

I will post more pictures later, I didn't want to bother her too much.  It was a hot day and she was a little stressed out.   She is such a good mother, she is the mama that took care of my little orphan calf Lobo.

You can catch up on Lobo here:

Lobo's escape

Lobo

Don't forget to pop over to Old Grey Mare for a great giveaway!

Old Grey Mare Giveaway

birds, bees and propellers...

I had time this week to be in my studio, but it is back to work tomorrow after a rushed funding for the FAA (Yeah! )

Large brass bird and vintage pearls 

BLOOM - Silver spoon, vintage pearls and a silver and brass bee

DESTINY - Small domino, kitschy craft key and tag

LOVE  - Small silver spoon, old key and silver heart, faux pearl

Old optical lens and watch face

small metal propeller and seed pearl

FLY - Large silver spoon, silver mother of pearl links

large metal propeller and metal snap

WANDER - Metal faux clock face, large propeller, craft tag

and vintage rhinestone.

.  

 BEE HAPPY - Silver spoon, old key, brass bee and a piece 

of victorian style earring

LOVE - Silver spoon, tiny brass bee, vintage reproduction pearls and sweet heart with simulated ruby heart

SEEK - very tarnished silver spoon, vintage skelton key, 

costume pearls, copper patina wing and old, tiny lock

I will put some of these in my Etsy shop, but mostly I make custom pieces  with found objects, old jewelry, silver spoons, vintage odds and ends and cool crafty pieces.  I love to invent different ways to put pieces together.  Each piece is unique and one of a kind!

If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to email me!

Don't forget to check out Suzan at Old Grey Mare!  She is having

a fantastic giveway!  Click here:  Old Grey Mare

You also might like:

Busy day in the Studio

buttons-bees-clocks-and-trees

some of my favorite things

New Creations

Being Still

vintage-buttons-tatting-and-paper

busy snow day

Old Grey Mare Giveaway!

OLDGREYMARE GIVEAWAY

 
Enter Here August 9th

My sweet friend Suzan, at Old Grey Mare, is having a giveaway on August 9th.  Her prizes include lots of very talented artists.  I am HONORED that she ask me to participate!

silver spoon, vintage pearl and key
and bird charm

Click on her link above and check out Suzan giveaway, she is adding artists to the list daily!