My Sweet Friend Diane Cook & Marburger Farms

Yesterday was gloomy, but today is filled with sunshine & I'm ready to do...

SOMETHING!!!

Not sure what, but definitely something!

But 1st, a quick post to share with you some pics of my Sweet Friend,

Diane Cook's,

amazing booth at Marburger Farms!

Diane is an awesome Jewelry Designer & Teacher.

Her Etched & Layered Cuffs,

Rhinestone & Rosary Necklaces

& Ice Resin Charms & Necklaces

are GORGEOUS!

So yummmmmyyyyy!!

I had to buy some of her Sari Silk bundles, the hues were fabulous! ;)

A drawer filled with her gorgeous handmade earrings...

all her dispalys were DIVINE!!!

Don't you ADORE her Ice Resin Charms???

She teaches classes on how to create most of her designs, just head over to her blog rosa & josie's to find out where she will be teaching next. She's heading to my neck of the woods, So Cali, in May & I can't wait to take her Etched & Layered Cuff class, I LOVE those bracelets!!!

{I'm so diggin the look of those boots Charlene!}

My 2 favorite people in Texas...

Charlene & Diane,

Sooo Beautiful Inside & Out!

I LOVE these girls!!!  ;)

Random Marburger shots...

looks like a chair pyramid...

Tuscan urns with sheet music...

vintage metal baskets...love it!!!

Well, I'm off to shower & shine & to do SOMETHING FUN!!!

I still don't know what, but I think it's comin to me! ;)

XOXO

vintagesusie

The Gift of Serendipity & a Surprise

A new week is upon us Friends & along with that comes new Possibilities!

I believe in Serendipity.

The definition is:

1. The phenomenon of things coming together perfectly when you least expect them to.

 2. The effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely.

Thus has been, my amazing 'Gift of Friendship' from Diane Cook! 

{susie & diane at marburger farms last September}

Diane found me through my blog, although I don't know exactly how she came across it.

I do know she was taken with my Disneyland post & loved the design of my etsy shop banner.

She contacted me to help design a brand for her to use on her blog rosa & josie's, for hang tags on her beautiful line of jewelry & to help promote her classes on the art of making jewelry.

It was a simple design from a vintage cabinet card she had of two little sisters holding hands.

As I played with this image in PS, there were so many things I fell in love with. The little pleats in their matching skirts, the floral embroidery & piping that decorated them, the crispness of their shirts & of course, how tenderly they held each other's hands.

 

Who could have ever imagined that one design job would make soul sisters out of strangers, inspire me to create my own jewelry, introduce me to some of the greatest talents in the art of jewelry making, get me design jobs, motivate me to travel half way across the US to the great state of Texas to be a part of an Antique Experience like no other, indirectly introduce me to The Junk Gypsy's & Magnolia Pearl, directly introduce me to my gal pal Charlene Pearl of My Heart's Ease & unknowingly change my life forever!

I couldn't have!

{one of diane's displays at marburger farms}

Serendipity, right?

So, I go to Barnes & Noble to pick up an issue of Artful Blogging that I know Diane has been featured in. As I flip through the pages & see her article, I am overjoyed for this amazing & talented woman I now call friend.

Heading towards the checkout, I grab a Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine just for the heck of it, thinking that maybe an ad I recently worked on for Jeanette at fundametal.net might be in this issue.

Again, with the magic of serendipity, what a wonderful surprise I had in store!

As I slowly turned the pages, wanting to take in each exquisite article, I saw one that caught my eye...

A Necklace Round Robin by Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studios . How exciting, I know Cindy, Diane introduced us & I worked on a design job for her ArtBliss Workshop.
Then another...

Where Inspiration is Hatched by Ricki Schumacher of Riki Jewelry. How cool, she & I had just been emailing each other about setting up a time to work on some blog design, she liked the work Diane & I had done together.

And then, there it was...

The Art of Presentation, Her Grandmother's Wedding Veil

Artwork by Diane Cook...

and spread across 3 glorious pages, were the images of two little sisters holding hands.

{diane at her booth at marburger farm}

One of Diane's favorite sayings is...

Come join me...take my hand, as we travel on this journey called life....we will learn together.

Diane is the embodiment of generosity. She can never truly know what an amazing gift
she is to me.

Serendipity...

The effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely.
I BELIEVE!

XOXO

vintagesusie

rosa & josie's, diane cook at marburger farm

It's Saturday Sweet Hearts...what do you have planned for the weekend??  :)

I'm off to Kai's soccer game & then to my little shop, 'Lambs & Ivy Boutique', for my final weekend of sales. I can truly say I have absolutely NO REGRETS. I am thrilled with the idea of being able to travel this winter with my sweet hubby looking for JUNK & livin the Gypsy Life!

I thought I'd share some of my photo's of my dear friend Diane Cook's awesome booth at Marburger Farm. She is an amazing jewelry designer, my inspiration in my own jewelry creations & if not for her, I may never have even known about the fabulousness of the Texas Junky Lifestyle!

I ADORE her postcards & hang tags...

Who created these gorgeous designs? Silly me...I did, what am I thinkin?

{a shameless attempt at self promotion, lol}

Everything Diane touches is done with perfection & class, including her beautiful booth at Marburger!

Here she is the morning of opening day, she's so dear to me. I came to Texas for many reasons, but meeting my friend was at the top of my list!

This fabulous banner looked great as the entrance to her booth!

The image we used is from one of her family cabinet cards of two little sisters holding hands & she had the original photo in her booth. I was excited to finally get the chance to see it in person, it's so precious!

Her designs range from bracelets of leather & lace to necklaces of vintage crystals & beads.

Her Etched Layered Cuffs are beyond beautiful & were published in this Belle Amoire Jewelry magazine.

I LOVED this dress form bedazzeled with her designs...

Soooooo Yummmmmmy!

I was overjoyed when Diane gave me one of her ice resin necklaces that says, "Face Your Journey"!

How perfect is that sentiment for my 'Great Texas Adventure'...Thank You friend!

And then I had to have another one that said, 'Marburger Farm' with the cutest image in it. I wear them together ALL the time!

This is a new design she's come up with & will be teaching a class on how to make them. It's a sterling silver thimble filled with loveliness.

To find out more about Diane & her classes & jewelry designs, go visit her blog, rosa & josie's . You won't be disappointed!

And for me, I'm off to complete a portion of my

life's journey.

One door closing, as so many doors open.

Life's adventures are always unfolding, if we are only able to be brave enough to SEE with new eyes!

XOXO

Congrats Judy & more for rosa & josie's

Congratulations Miss Judy for winning my 100th Friends Give-Away! I love the idea that even if I never get a chance to visit New Zealand, my handcrafted brooch, ring & necklace are going on an amazing adventure. They will travel in trucks & be loaded onto planes that will fly over vast oceans, that will land on an island & be delivered to the front porch of a friend. Life is amazing! {if only they could write, lol}

My wonderful friend, jewelry artist Diane Cook from rosa & josie's , & I worked together on another postcard design for one of her upcoming classes 'Rhinestones & Rosaries'. Her jewelry design is awesome & I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to feature some of her beautiful pieces here at my shop.

If you have a chance, stop by her lovely blog to say hi & take a look at some of her gorgeous jewelry, along with her scheduled upcoming classes & workshops. I sooooo wish I lived in Texas & could learn from the best, how to make my own vintage inspired art jewelry. {I don't know when, but I do know I WILL take one of her classes, it's part of my 'MUST DO' list!}

And to you Diane, a HUGE Thank You for all of your business, for your patience with me while I learn, for your insistence of excellence, for your referrals, for your lovely post & most importantly...for your friendship! I can't wait until September Friend!!!!

XOXO