TRUNK SHOW!

Okay, I ask you, what could be better than hanging out at your favorite local pub, visiting with friends, having a cold beer (one of like 80 on tap!), and shopping? Um, not a whole lot if you ask me. So, come see me! I'll be at the Ginger Man on Wednesday July 2nd! I have done several trunk shows at the G-Man over the years and it is one of my favorit-est things to do!

Here's the deal - I'll be there from 6 o'clock to, well, at least 9, probably a lot later! We'll have some snacks, there will be LIVE music from Little Mikey and the Soda Jerks (love that name!), beer, wine, and jewelry. There will also be a show special! Bring some friends for a super fun evening! I get so few chances to see your bright, shining faces - I'd love a chance to visit!

Oh, and if you aren't local or not in town, visit my online trunk show! http://www.metalsgirl.com/ - I've set up a special grouping of jewelry for those of you who can't attend in person. And there is no shipping charge - because if you were at the live trunk show there would be no shipping!

Okay, I hope to see you there!!!!

Who do you love?

I just took a bunch of new photos of jewelry, etc. the other day and had to spotlight Willie! Living in Texas it's a requirement that you love and adore Willie Nelson - I think you get your Texas citizenship revoked if you DON'T love Willie! And what better bottlecap to use than Lone Star - or at least some Texas beer?

So, my question is, "Who do you love?" Who should I consider adding to my bottlecap repritoire? So far I have the following fabulous people - Tom Selleck (of course!), Dolly Parton, Richard Dawson, Angela Lansbury, Willie, James Garner, Isaac (the bartender from the Love Boat), Obama, Bob Geldof...but who else deserves to be immortalized in resin? I mean, look at the company they would keep - it has to be people who would live up to the afore mentioned people! So, share your thoughts! If I pick yours I will happily send you your very own!

I'm so Excited!

Seriously, how cute is this picture?!?!? This is my precious friend Karen who was one of the seven wonderful, beautiful chickadees who modeled jewelry for my recent photo shoot. So, my web guy (aka my husband) just updated my website http://www.metalsgirl.com/ with several of the awesome photos (thanks Casey!) from the photo shoot. There are also all sorts of new items scattered around, tons 'o new closeout items, and an online trunk show. So check it out!

Life is good!

So my weekend started with getting to see the Cowboy Junkies do a radio broadcast in a tiny studio up at KGSR. Amazing! Then a birthday party for my sweet and silly (in the afro!) husband. Then a movie and dinner on Saturday. And a fabulous photo shoot of my jewelry on Sunday - hence the photo! Thank you Carrie and Tom! It was a Rock Star weekend for sure!

So, stay tuned for great photos of magnificent models showing off my jewelry. I will be posting more soon. And major thanks to Casey (www.caseywoods.com) for her expertise, professionalism, and creative eye. I can not wait to start showing off these pictures!

We put the FUN in Fundraiser!

This Sunday, May 4th is PERROS de MAYO!!! If you have been to this event before I am sure you are just as excited as I am that it is rolling around again! If you have not been then you better get your bootie out for this event! It is a ton 'o fun! Seriously! I am not just saying that because I happen to be a bit biased...it really, REALLY is so fun! Lemme tell you a bit about it - Music, beer, food, dogs! What more do you need? Okay, there is also a rockin' silent auction and a raffle (here's a secret about the raffle - as the day goes on, just holler out your ticket #, you'll get somthing!). If all of this was not enough this event is held at Austin's most fabulous pub - The Ginger Man!!! Like 80+ beers on tap, comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, and an amazing staff.

Oh, and the Music! The line up this year is to die for! Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines (Texas legend of a producer and steel guitar player), Susan Gibson, Graham Wilkinson, Sally Allen, Hilary York (Hilary has played every benefit BDR has ever had at the G-man and we LOVE her for it!), porterdavis, Seela, and special guest Ian Moore.

It's fun all day long and 100% of the money goes to Blue Dog Rescue. So it's even better knowing the fun you are having is supporting a great cause. Did I mention the great beer and yummy food - oh, and Sangria!

So, Sunday May 4th from 1-9 pm. 304 W. 4th in Austin between Lavaca and Guadalupe. Be there or be square!

How do you recycle?

It's Earth Day, How do you recycle? Here's one way that I recycle - I save any and all bottle caps and I get all my friends and family to save 'em too! Then I turn them into these fun and funky dog tags, key rings, whatever you want to use them for. And it's fun! I put saint medals in them (St. Francis for my doggies), initials, pictures of people I love (Tom Selleck!!!), or symbols like hearts and paw prints. Here's what I'm thinking - If you would like to order one go to my web site and order away - then in the buyer notes tell me you saw this on my blog and I will give HALF of the money to Blue Dog Rescue! You get something fun and recycled AND get to help your favorite rescue group - well, my favorite rescue group anyway! :) Happy Earth Day - do something you love!

I feel like a Rock Star!

Okay, so I think it's pretty cool that I work for myself. I get to play with tools and hammer stuff, it's not glamorous but it's cool.

Wouldn't it be great if we could all feel ike a Rock Star the majority of our days? Love what you do and do what you love? Find what inspires you and make it part of your life...

You gotta watch Oprah!!

Okay, tomorrow on Oprah - don't quit reading now just because I started out with "Tomorrow on Oprah"!! Seriously, tomorrow Friday April 4th on Oprah she is doing an expose on puppy mills. Please, if you love me at all, or even just like me, or even if you don't know me - whatever, tell everyone you know to watch this! Let me quickly say, I don't do this, I never do this, try to push my beliefs on other people (well, I do like a healthy debate) - but this is so important. I have dedicated a HUGE part of my life to saving dogs for nearly 10 years now. It is sad and can be depressing and can feel very hopeless at times. That is why I am so excited about this show. Little ole me would never get a gazillion people to listen to me like Oprah does - hell, I don't know if a single sould will read this blog, but people do watch Oprah and like her or not you won't be able to argue with what you will see on her show tomorrow. Educate yourself, share it with your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. When we know better we do better. Let's make sure we know better.

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200804/tows_past_20080404.jhtml?promocode=HP51

By the way, this is a photo of THE most beeeeeUteeful girl in the world. My Seven dog! My husband and I rescued her from the Austin Humane Society 10 years ago when she was just nine weeks old. She is beyond precious to us. She's a mix of maybe some heeler, maybe some dingo, could be some other stuff thrown in. She doesn't have "papers". She's not pedigree. She's not going to ever be in some fancy dog show. But she has given us more than any first place ribbons ever would. She kisses me when I am sad, she makes me laugh, she's a watch dog like crazy, she adores my husband, she's the total boss of the hot sauce - and I sure didn't need papers for any of that.

http://www.perfinder.org/

http://www.bluedogrescue.com/

Help from my sweet Mama!

Every now and then, and especially around the holidays, when I get really swamped my sweet mother will come over and help me work. She like to hammer stuff! So she usually ends up helping me with these bangles. So today she came over to help and hammered out a big ol stack of bangles for me...sometimes I get real big orders and I think 'who do they think I am? China?!?' When in fact it just me...and my sweet mama, my hubby, my friend Marlys, my little brother (when I pay him), and occasionally my dad if I bribe him with beer and pizza!

So, this awesome photo of the bangles we were making today is by local photographer Casey Woods. Super cool, huh? I love it! My friend and 'little sister' haley modeled for me...this is actually her BACK, not her front! I used this photo for a post card and I have gotten some weird looks...maybe most people can't put their hands behind their back this way...lemme try...nope, I can't really do it. But I still love the photo no matter how many funny looks the backwards boobies get! Ha!

Closet Home Body

I have got to leave my house more often! I need the practice. I swear, it took me FOREVER to get out the door this morning! The dogs were not cooperating. They were looking at me like "what are you doing? this is not what we do. we eat, we go in and out about a hundred times, we sleep, we bug you while you try to work, we bark at each leaf that blows by the front yard. but we don't go to 'our rooms' first thing in the morning!" So, between the dogs, tho phone ringing, me forgetting everything - it took like 20 minutes to get out the door. Veruca Jane had to go to the vet for her annual, I had to go to the bank, post office, buy dog food, etc. But I have to tack an extra half hour just to get out the $%&* door! So, if you are ever wondering why I seem like a home body, now you know - it's too much trouble to leave the house! :)

Lovin' these new earrings!

I just made these new earrings last week and I am loving them! I made two pair - these and a red pair with dots of silver instead of the green resin. i wore them out to lunch with friends and they were super comfortable! And so "spring" like! I am usually dreading spring - and here I made earrings that just scream "SPRING"! Go figure! They are all sterling silver with just the dots of resin. I was so excited to work on something new. i have been so busy I haven't had enough time to spend on new ideas and designs. So I had to share these with you! Check out the red ones too on my website. Happy April!

For the love of dog!

Ummmm, how cute is that?!?! Seriously! So this is a photo of two of my wonderful dogs, Vincent and Pasqual along with our precious foster puppy Desmond. I am sharing this photo because it seems to go well with what has been on my mind this evening. Being involved with rescue I am sure you can imagine that I am not a big fan of Petland or any pet stores that sell dogs and cats. Unfortunately we are getting one in Austin. There's a big hoopla going on about it - protests and such. It just makes me sad. I mean, look at that precious face - our shelters are just jam packed with cutie pies like Desmond - big and small, young and old, male and female - just about anything you can imagine. Now, you might think that a labradoodle or a pug or a pomeranian are super cute - but they can't love you any more than a rescued dog can, they are no more devoted. And when it comes to having the "look" you want in a dog and saving a life - well, shouldn't that choice be pretty clear?

Our sweet little Desmond is on a home visit with a family right now and it sounds like things are going very well. So hopefully, fingers crossed, he has found his forever home! There is just nothing better than getting a dog or puppy from some awful situation or cold shelter and then, eventually seeing him with a family that just adores him. I have to admit, part of why i rescue is purely selfish! It feels so good!

Lazy Saturday

Lately it seems every weekend has been jam packed with busy-ness! Work, dog stuff, family stuff, etc. But this weekend is virtually FREE! And I have taken FULL advantage of it so far today. I'll admit it, it's after 5pm and I am still in my pj's! I have done a bit of work - I am sending out a new e-mail to all of my subscribers this week so I am putting the finishing touches on that, helped my little brother pick out a bracelet of mine to give to one of his girl friends (I am assured that she is just a friend who happens to be a girl!). Stuff like that. lazy day. Love it!

The joys of home ownership!

Thank God we live in Texas...well at least for this winter. Our heater went out at some point in the fall and since my husband and I actually love the cold we never bothered to get it fixed. However, the summer is another story altogether! I hate to be hot! So, we had someone come out to figure out why neither the air conditioner or heater would work. These things are never simple, something about a mother board and then it was blah, blah, blah "it's gonna cost you."

The bright side is I can actually pay for it! how about that! I remember a time not too long ago when the solution would have been box fans and a lot of ice water! So, happy cool days ahead!!!

Virgin Blogger

Okay, so I am new to this blogging thing. I feel soooo behind the times. I thought it was time for me to try it out. I just wonder - who reads this? Who cares what kind of day I am having? But, I read other people's blogs and find it interesting - so maybe someone cares what I am thinking on any given day. So here goes...

First, I have an etsy shop. I was a bit obsessed in the beginning, but I have curbed my enthusiasm. However, I am just dying to be one of those interviewed artists on the home page. And do you want to know why? Because I want someone to ask me what my top five favorite books, movies, tv shows, musicians, and websites are! Dangit! So even though you didn't ask, I am going to share it here and if anyone wants to share back, they can!

Music:
James Taylor
Counting Crows
Van Morrison
Lyle Lovett
and at the moment Paulo Nutini

Movies:
Lady Jane
Pelican Brief
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Lord of the Rings (does this make me a nerd?)
Miracle on 34th Street

TV:
Magnum pi
Perry Mason
Lost
loved 30 days when it was on
Project Runway
Law and Order

Books:
The Little Prince
This Much I Know Is True
anything Faulkner (mostly Sanctuary)
Charms for the Easy Life
Lonesome Dove

Websites:
http://www.bluedogrescue.com/
http://www.metalsgirl.com/
http://www.kimmaguirephotography.com/
http://www.etsy.com/
http://www.caseywoods.com/