New Gallery: OVA Arts in Ojai

My jewelry is now in a new gallery in Ojai!!!

Tomorrow, Saturday July 6th, is the Grand Opening at the OVA Arts Gallery from 4-7pm. Jonathon McEuen will provide great music, there will be food and lots of fun! 

Everyone is welcome! 

Please join us at 108 N. Signal Street in Ojai.... two doors over from Ruben's.

My Ojai Garden Roses

 I was so nervous to plant roses in my garden in Ojai... and predominantly David Austin English roses.  I thought the weather might be too hot. I took a chance late last spring, surfed the web for ideas and ordered my favorites from Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria. then of course we had a horrendously hot summer and they looked like hell by August.  But, alas... spring came and what a great surprise.  My delicate little babies are twice as big and so abundant .... YIPPPEEE!!!

The roses shown above are "Johann Strauss", "Hot Cocoa", "Glamis Castle", "Gentle Hermione", "Jubilee Celebration", "Julia Child" and "Mary Magdalene"(not in order).

Ojai Winter Walk

I took a walk this morning around the block in my neighborhood.  It was VERY brisk as the storm was approaching.  Some might laugh when I say brisk (like those on the East coast today) but for sunny California it felt like an arctic front!  But as I've said before, I am a wimp.   But it was a lovely stroll!

The Amazing Beverly Black Harris

Beverly Black Harris celebrated her 90th year on March 1st.  She is by far, the youngest 90 year old I have ever meet, seen or heard of.  She was born in 1922 in Maricopa, California.... her father was an oil driller and her mother was a writer.  She spent her early teen years during the depression living in one room with her mother and father in Los Angeles.  She married at sixteen and had four daughters by the age of 26.  She worked the gas station my grandfather owned, cooked, cleaned and sewed all her daughters clothes.  While her daughters were growing up she also managed to act, sing and design costumes for the local theater.  At 36 years old, she was a grandmother and now has a total of 9 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.  When anyone has been in need, her house has always had an open door ... for a day, a month or a year.  She was married more than 50 years until my grandfather passed away.  She is also an amazing artist... paints and draws ..... donating her time and artwork for local fundraisers.  She survived cancer ten years ago and hasn't sat still since.  She still plays the guitar and sings with her 95 year old boyfriend, Monty.  She is a strong, loving, spiritual, creative, beautiful, talented woman whom I admire immensely.  I am lucky to call her my grandmother!

Beverly at 12 in Los Angeles during the Great Depression

Beverly at 14 in 1936

Beverly's glam shot

We celebrated her birthday last weekend in Ojai.... 

Beverly and daughters

"A house needs a grandma in it. "

 ~Louisa May Alcott~

"If nothing is going well, call your grandmother. "

~Italian Proverb~

**Ojai photos courtesy of Jeff and Beth Underdahl....thank you sweet cousins!

Unique Handmade Fine Silver Jewelry for Great Holiday Gifts!

I've been busy using some of my newly acquired (and a few I haven't played with in awhile!) vintage bronze jewelry dies from Afghanistan to create new unique wearable pieces in pure silver metal clay..... still handmade by me in my little Ojai studio and fired in my mini kiln. And I decided to play a bit more with braiding Irish linen for cords in different colors.  It was a little tricky securing the braided cord ends in an attractive way.  I tried several different ways which failed my aesthetically critical eye and was about to give up (for the day, that is) when VOILA!, the Universe came to my rescue and a solution finally came through my thick skull.  I'm excited about the results... and I especially LOVE the braided red linen!

 All items available, or soon to be, in my Etsy online shop.

Tribal Heart Necklace

Floral Blossom Necklace

Floral Mandala Necklace

 

Arabesque Heart Necklace

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist."

~ Louis Nizer

More Ojai Beauty

So, Saturday night, my hub and I had our date night just around the corner at Suzanne's.  During our scrumptious dinner (as always) we started chatting with two lovely ladies seated next to us.  One of them was contemplating becoming an Ojaian and wanted to know what we thought of the area.  They must have thought we worked for the chamber of commerce as we started gushing and raving about our beloved little town.... and we continued to talk their ear off for the better part of an hour!  Thankfully they were all ears.  I hope we didn't over-do it. We just couldn't help it.  As I have shared here, I told them that after six years, even in such a small place, I'm still discovering new places. I then remembered that I still had yet to post the photos of my return trip to the Ojai Foundation in upper Ojai.  I was there a few weeks ago for the first time with my son's kindergarten class for a short field trip up the hill and I thank Ireshya for the soulful tour! I couldn't wait to share my discovery so I returned with my dad and sister recently to enjoy again the incredible beauty and views (and take some pics).  Here is a sneak peak at some of it's hidden gems...

matilija poppy

little hand carved wooden monk

eight hundred year old california live oak

sitting Buddha

This is only the tip of the iceberg of the many wonders at Ojai Foundation.  There are hand painted rocks from long gone visitors scattered around in little corners here and there, beautiful murals and sculpture, groovy hand built kivas, a stone and earth labyrinth, many wandering walking paths and really amazing views.  This last visit the skies were overcast so I wasn't able to capture the vistas on film but I'll be back to share with you!

Still sketching new jewelry ideas, re-vamping my bookkeeping and compiling my new website ideas ...I'll keep you posted soon!

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it."

~ William Arthur Ward ~

Casitas Vista

My spring fever has not just affected my work but my love of Ojai.  The last couple of weeks I have fallen in love with Ojai deeper than ever before.  So many factors contribute to this high I am feeling..... I have made so many new lovely friends that are an inspiration and a joy to be around and I continue to meet new interesting people every week...even in this tiny little town.  Also, in addition to all of the beautiful places of nature wonder that I have always enjoyed (Sisar Canyon, Meditation Mount, Krotona), I have just discovered several new little gems.... all practically in my own backyard.  I will share them over the next few posts when I return to take photos.

Sisar Canyon

Meditation Mount

Krotona Gardens

....last but not least, my fabulous walk today with my friend Tegan and her sweet "Little Buns" and Sacha around good ol'

Lake Casitas

"Any perception can connect us to reality, properly and fully.
What we see doesn't have to be pretty, particularly; we can appreciate anything that exists.
There is some principle of magic in everything, some living quality.
Something living, something real, is taking place in everything."

~ Chogyam Trungpa ~

Mystery Blossoms

A couple of weeks ago on a Sunday morning after breakfast at the Emporium,  I  passed in front of Massarella's Firehouse Pottery (where our lovely dog water bowl is from) and saw these incredibly dreamy blossoms lining their driveway.  Roses they are not as there were no leaves or thorns. Maybe some kind of cherry blossom... though they were small bushes.  Can't you see them in an antique Chinese blue and white vase! What are they???

"Merrily, merrily shall I live now,

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough."

~ William Shakespeare ~

Hachiya .... Gesundheit!

Thanksgiving has passed but I'm still feeling it.  It was paradise in Paradise.... awesome family, great fun, delicious food, silly snowball fight, relaxing.  I'm so thankful for my all of my "in-laws".... how I got so lucky I will never know!  


And now that I'm back home in my own paradise, I'm so thankful for living in Ojai and the abundance around me. Right before I left, our persimmon tree was ablaze in brilliant orange leaves and fruit.  It was just beginning to carpet the groundcover with it's color.  I shot a quick photo but realized I need to share more images with you and to finally bring some fruit inside to ripen.  I hope they ripen before my bookclub on Thursday ...I'm hoping to make some tasty cookies.


Our persimmon is a Hachiya, which is a variety that produces large oval shaped fruit that must be ripened into almost a mush before it can be used...mostly for baking.  And our happen to be HUGE this year!  The other type is called at Fuyu, which have a squattier shape with a flat bottom.  Fuyus can be picked and eaten raw in a salad or alone.  Both varieties, which originate from Japan and are their national fruit, are loaded with vitamin C and high in fiber. They are good for your gesundheit (which means health) but one shouldn't eat them on an empty stomach!  

Here is something I bet you didn't know. I didn't until today....

from Mother Earth News — Issue # 127 - August/September 1991 —

Remove a few twigs from a persimmon tree, cover them with water, and boil for 20 minutes. Strain and cool the liquid. Applied on a poison ivy or poison oak rash, it will stop the itch immediately, and after a few applications will dry the rash.

I'm Still Alive But My Tomatoes Are Ripe

I thought I would have plenty of time to blog this summer.  I thought I was going to be a diehard blogger.  I was very mistaken.  I've been SO busy and having lots of fun BUT I DO MISS MY BLOGGING.  School starts in a week.  I WILL be back soon with lots to share even if it's a little belated.  Gotta run and pick more tomatoes and almonds before the birds get them!

These photos are from last week.....